H ^ 'f 


7 c:>. 


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1 if- (..  if- 


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\ it  » 5 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


c. 


/ 


Pkompted  in  a great  degree  by  feelings  of  personal  friendsMp 
for  Commodore  Perry,  tbe  compiler  of  tbe  following  pages  yielded 
to  his  earnest  request,  enforced  as  it  was  by  that  of  other  friends, 
and  consented  to  undertake  the  task  of  preparing  this  Narrative  of 
the  United  States’  Expedition  to  Japan. 

And  here  it  is  proper  to  mention,  that  among  the  expressed 
motives  which  induced  the  Commander  of  the  Expedition  to  desire 
the  execution  of  the  work  by  other  hands  than  his  own,  none 
seemed  more  prominent  than  this  consideration  ; that,  as  the  facts 
here  embodied  were  to  he  gathered  not  merely  from  the  pages  of 
his  own  journal,  hut  from  those  also  of  several  of  his  officers  as 
well  as  from  their  official  reports  to  him,  he  thought  it  better  to 
confide  the  compilation  to  a disinterested  third  party,  who  might 
^ weave  the  various  materials  into  a connected  narrative  of  all  the 
™ important  events,  uninfluenced  by  that  partiality  for  his  own  words 
or  acts,  from  which,  owing  to  the  infirmities  of  human  nature 
the  most  honest  and  best  of  men  are  not  always  entirely  exempt. 

As  the  sole  object  on  the  part  of  the  Commander  was  to  afibrd 
to  his  government  and  countrymen  the  most  ample  account  he 
could  of  what  had  been  done  by  himself,  his  officers,  and  men — as 


IV 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


in  this  respect  he  had  nothing  to  conceal,  as  he  wished  to  present 
truly  all  of  interest  that  had  been  observed  either  hy  himself  or 
others,  and  to  do  justice  to  the  deserving  officers  who  had  so  effectu- 
ally sustained  him  in  his  plans  for  carrying  out  a new,  dehcate,  and 
arduous  work — he  deemed  it  best  to  place  in  the  hands  of  the  com- 
piler, without  reserve,  all  the  materials  in  his  possession,  whether 
from  his  own  pen,  or  furnished  by  the  labor  of  others,  and  to 
request  nothing  more  than  that  the  preparation  of  the  work  might 
be  conducted  in  a spirit  conformable  to  the  ends  and  wishes  just 
expressed. 

The  materials  were  abundant  and  varied.  Beside  the  manu- 
script journal  of  the  Commodore,  in  three  large  folios,  and  his 
official  correspondence  ; the  journals  of  his  secretary  and  other 
officers,  the  diaries  of  the  fleet  captain  and  flag-lieutenants,  the 
official  reports  of  gentlemen  detailed  for  special  duties,  and  the 
pubhc  documents  connected  with  the  Expedition,  were  all  placed  in 
the  hands  of  the  writer.  Of  these,  the  Commodore’s  journal  and 
official  correspondence  form  much  the  larger  part.* 

The  work  to  be  performed  was  that  of  a compiler  merely. 
With  no  responsibility  as  to  the  facts  related,  the  writer  believed 
his  appropriate  duty  to  be  simply  to  weave  into  a connected  nar- 
rative aU  of  interest  or  importance  that  could  be  gathered  from 
these  various  materials,  and  to  present,  in  chronological  order,  the 
incidents  of  the  Expedition.  Eminently  suggestive  as  were  many 

* The  Commodore,  umvilling  to  appropriate  what  may  belong  to  others,  desires  here  to 
acknowledge  the  use  of  the  journals  of  the  Captain  of  the  fleet.  Commander  Adams,  of 
the  flag-lieutenants,  Mr.  Contee  and  Mr.  Bent,  those  of  Purser  Harris,  Mr.  Perry,  (Commo- 
dore’s secretary,)  Mr.  Bayard  Taylor  and  Chaplain  Jones  ; the  reports  of  Captains  Abbot 
Buchanan,  and  Adams,  Commandants  Boyle,  Kelly,  and  Glasson,  Chaplain  Jones,  Mr.  Wil- 
liams, Chinese  interpreter,  and  Doctors  Green  and  Fahs;  the  services  of  Mr.  Portman, 
Dutch  interpreter,  and  of  the  artists,  Mr.  AY.  Heine  and  Mr.  E.  Brown,  jr.  In  the  hydro- 
graphical  department  he  would  specially  acknowledge  the  accurate  and  laborious  work  of 
Lieutenants  AV.  L.  Maury  and  S.  Bent.  Nor  would  he  pass  by  \\-ithont  notice  minor  con- 
tributions from  any  imder  his  command ; to  all  he  would  render  due  credit  and  thanks. 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


V 


portions  of  tlie  story,  the  compiler  felt  that  it  was  his  business  to 
deal  with  the  facts  only,  and  spare  the  reader  the  infliction  of 
his  reflections  on  them. 

The  hook,  therefore,  is  hut  little  encumbered  with  the  writer’s 
observations  or  conjectures  on  the  incidents  related.  Where  a 
momentary  digression  from  the  story  does  occur,  the  remarks  it 
embodies  are  generally  those  of  the  Commodore  himself  In  many 
instances,  the  language  of  the  Narrative  is  a verhatim  copy  from  his 
journal.  Wherever  it  was  possible  thus  to  use  his  manuscript,  it 
was  done,  as  being  the  course  most  likely  to  avoid  error.  Every 
word  of  the  work  was  read  to  the  Commodore  in  manuscript,  and 
received  his  correction  before  it  went  into  the  printer’s  hands  ; 
every  proof  sheet  also  was  read  by  him  before  it  was  sent  hack  to 
the  press. 

In  order  to  expedite  the  preparation  and  publication  of  the  work 
as  much  as  possible,  and  place  it  at  an  early  period  in  the  hands  of 
Congress  ; as  the  labor  was  that  of  compilation  only,  the  present 
writer,  with  the  approbation  of  Commodore  Perry,  availed  himself 
of  the  kindness  of  a competent  literary  gentleman,*  who  assisted 
him  in  the  work  of  comparing  the  various  journals,  documents,  &c., 
arranging  chronologically  the  incidents  gathered  from  all  sources, 
and  presenting  them  in  a connected  form.  Some  portions  of  the 
story  were  also,  in  the  flrst  instance,  sketched  by  this  gentleman, 
and  after  undergoing  the  revision  of  the  present  writer,  were  incor- 
porated by  him  into  the  Narrative,  and  then  submitted  to  the  Com- 
modore for  his  correction  and  suggestions.  Some  of  the  descrip- 
tions of  scenery  were  thus  prepared,  as  well  as  portions  of  the  Nar- 
rative relating  to  the  two  visits  to  Japan.  By  means  of  this  val- 
uable aid,  the  whole  story  was  written  out  in  less  than  a twelve- 
month  from  the  time  its  publication  was  ordered  by  Congress ; a 
result  which  would  otherwise  have  been  unattainable.  The  com- 
piler makes  this  statement,  not  only  to  acknowledge  the  kindness 


Robert  Tomes,  Esq.,  M.D. 


VI 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


of  a friend,  but  also  to  guard  himself  against  the  suspicion  of  being 
willing  to  appropriate,  without  recognition,  the  labors  of  another. 

As  to  the  Narrative  itself,  the  highest  ambition  of  the  writer 
was  to  tell  the  story,  if  he  could,  in  such  manner  as  would  not  only 
present  a true  picture,  but  also  keep  alive  the  interest  of  the 
reader  ; his  wish  was  to  make  a book  that  might  furnish  informa- 
tion without  being  wearisome.  If  in  this  he  has  succeeded,  he  has 
attained  all  to  which  he  aspired.  If  he  has  not,  he  has  only  to  say 
that  he  wiU  feel  more  of  regret  than  surprise. 

In  some  instances  he  may  be  thought  to  be  needlessly  minute, 
and  especially  in  describing  the  pageantry  of  receptions,  entertain- 
ments, &c.  In  this  matter  he  felt  obliged  to  consult  something 
beside  his  own  taste  merely  ; he  was  looking  to  the  natural  curiosity 
of  his  countrymen  to  know  every  particular  of  the  story,  and 
therefore  preferred  to  teU  too  much  rather  than  too  little.  Beside, 
the  pageantry  was  often  an  important  part  of  the  history  of  the 
negotiation  itself,  with  a people  so  ceremonious  as  the  Japanese. 

Nor  did  the  compiler  hesitate  to  use  freely  the  materials  placed 
before  him  in  the  shape  of  journals,  &c.,  even  though  the  substance 
of  some  portions  of  them  is  already  in  the  hands  of  the  public. 
They  were  originally  prepared  for  just  such  use  as  is  here  made  of 
them  ; the  report  was  designed  to  tell  the  incidents  of  the  whole 
story  from  beginning  to  end  ; and  the  compiler  was  directed  simply 
to  use  the  materials  that  had  been  furnished  him.  It  was  not  for 
him  to  omit  facts  because  others  had  already  related  them. 

In  but  one  respect  did  he  venture  to  exercise  any  discretion. 
His  duty  required  that  he  should  tell  all  that  occurred  from  the 
moment  the  Mississippi  left  the  Capes  of  the  Chesapeake.  As, 
however,  the  chief  interest  of  the  Expedition  was  to  be  found  in 
events  that  occurred  in  China,  Lew  Chew,  the  Bonin  Islands,  and 
Japan,  he  endeavored  to  make  as  brief  as  duty  would  permit  the 
incidents  of  the  earlier  part  of  the  outward  voyage,  sensible  that 
but  little  new  remained  to  be  said  in  passing  over  a track  so 
often  traversed  and  so  well  known  by  intelligent  Europeans  and 


PREFATOKY  NOTE. 


Vll 


Americans.  Still  he  believes  he  has  omitted  nothing  which  his 
materials  furnished,  that  is  likely  to  interest  the  general  reader. 


The  Narrative  here  presented  of  the  Japan  Expedition  has 
been  prepared  under  my  supervision  and  at  my  request,  from 
materials  furnished  by  me,  and  is  authentic.  I present  it  as  my 
official  report,  and  am  alone  responsible  for  the  statement  of  facts 
it  contains. 

M.  C.  PEKRY,  Late  Commander-in-chief 
of  the  United  States  Expedition  to  the  China  Seas  and  Japan. 


0f  Simtarg  of  t\t  Sabg, 

COMMUNICATING, 

IN  COMPLIANCE  WITH  A RESOLUTION  OP  THE  SENATE, 

THE 

REPORT  OF  COMMODORE  M.  C.  PERRY, 

# OF  THE 

NAVAL  EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


jANtTAKT  22, 1855. — Ordered  to  be  printed,  and  that  .5,000  additional  copies  be  printed ; five  hundred  of 
which  for  the  nse  of  Commodore  Perry. 

Janttakt  29,  1855. — OMered,  That  500  copies  be  for  the  use  of  the  Navy  Department. 


Navy  Department,  August  28,  1865. 

Sir  : In  compliance  with  the  resolution  of  the  Senate  of  the  United  States,  passed  on 
the  22d  January  Last,  calling  upon  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  “to  communicate  to  the 
Senate  a copy  of  the  report  of  Commodore  Perry  of  the  Naval  Expedition  to  Japan,”  I have 
the  honor  to  enclose  herewith  a copy  of  the  letter  of  Commodore  Perry  to  the  Department 
transmitting  the  manuscript,  &c.,  of  said  report. 

I am,  sir,  very  re.spectfully. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

J.  C.  DOBBIN. 

Asburt  Dickins,  Esq., 

Secretary  of  the  Senate  of  the  United  States,  Washington,  D.  C. 


New  York,  August  27,  1855. 

Sm : In  compliance  with  a resolution  of  the  United  States  Senate,  bearing  date  January 
22,  1855,  calling  upon  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  “ to  communicate  to  the  Senate  a copy 
of  the  report  of  Commodore  Perry  of  the  Naval  Expedition  to  Japan,  and  that  the  same, 
with  the  maps,  charts,  and  drawings,  be  printed,”  I have  now  the  honor  of  transmitting  the 
manuscript  of  said  report,  together  with  drawings,  maps,  charts,  &c.,  illustrative  of  the  same. 

With  great  respect  I am,  sir. 

Your  most  obedient  servant, 

M.  C.  PERRY. 

Hon.  J.  C.  Dobbin, 

Secretary  of  the  Navy,  Washington,  D.  C. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 
Duke  University  Libraries 


https://archive.org/details/narrativeofexped01perr_0 


INTRODUCTION 


IB  WED  in  any  of  its  aspects,  the 
Empire  of  Japan  has  long  pre- 
sented to  the  thoughtful  mind  an 
object  of  uncommon  interest. 
And  this  interest  has  been  greatly 
increased  by  the  mystery  with 
which,  for  the  last  two  centuries, 
an  exclusive  policy  has  sought  to 
surround  the  institutions  of  this 
remarkable  country.  The  curi- 
osity of  Christendom  has  been  on 
the  alert ; and  the  several  votaries 
of  various  pursuits  have  naturally 
longed  to  add  more  to  the  little 
that  is  known  of  this  self-isolated 
Kingdom. 

The  political  inquirer,  for  instance,  has  wished  to  study  in  detail  the 
form  of  government,  the  administration  of  laws,  and  the  domestic  institu- 
tions, under  which  a nation  systematically  prohibiting  intercourse  with  the 
rest  of  the  world  has  attained  to  a state  of  civilization,  refinement,  and 
intelligence,  the  mere  glimpses  of  which  so  strongly  invite  further  investi- 
gation. 

The  student  of  physical  geography,  aware  how  much  national  character- 
istics are  formed  or  modified  by  peculiarities  of  physical  structure  in  every 
country,  would  fain  know  more  of  the  lands  and  the  seas,  the  mountains  and 
the  rivers,  the  forests  and  the  fields,  which  fall  within  the  limits  of  this 
almost  terra  incognita. 

The  naturalist  asks,  what  is  its  geology,  what  are  its  flora  and  fauna  ? 

The  navigator  seeks  to  find  out  its  rocks  and  shoals,  its  winds  and  cur- 
rents, its  coasts  and  harbors. 


4 


INTEODUCTION. 


The  man  of  commerce  asks  to  be  told  of  its  products  and  its  trade, 
its  skill  in  manufactures,  the  commodities  it  needs,  and  the  returns  it  can 
supply. 

The  ethnologist  is  curious  to  pry  into  the  physical  appearance  of  its 
inhabitants ; to  dig,  if  possible,  from  its  language  the  fossil  remains  of  long 
buried  history ; and  in  the  affiliation  of  its  people  to  supply,  perchance,  a 
gap  in  the  story  of  man’s  early  wanderings  over  the  globe. 

The  scholar  asks  to  be  introduced  to  its  literature  that  he  may  contem- 
plate in  historians,  poets,  and  dramatists,  (for  Japan  has  them  all,)  a picture 
of  the  national  mind. 

The  Christian  desires  to  know  the  varied  phases  of  their  superstition  and 
idolatry ; and  longs  for  the  dawn  of  that  day  when  a purer  faith  and  more 
enlightened  worship  shall  bring  them  within  the  circle  of  Christendom. 

Amid  such  a diversity  of  pursuits  as  we  have  enumerated,  a common 
interest  unites  all  in  a common  sympathy ; and  hence,  the  divine  and  the 
philosopher,  the  navigator  and  the  naturalist,  the  man  of  business  and  the 
man  of  letters,  have  alike  joined  in  a desire  for  the  thorough  exploration  of 
a field  at  once  so  extensive  and  so  inviting. 

With  so  much  to  allure,  it  is  not  at  all  wonderful  that  the  attempt  to 
explore  should  have  been  repeatedly  made.  Scarce- a maritime  nation  in  the 
civilized  world  has  been  wanting  in  effort.  The  Portuguese,  Spaniards, 
Dutch,  English,  French,  and  Russians,  have  each  in  turn,  sought  to  establish 
commercial  relations  with  Japan.  The  Portuguese  and  English  have  both 
so  far  succeeded,  that,  but  for  themselves,  they  might  permanently  have  re- 
tained their  positions.  The  first  were  expelled  ; the  latter  voluntarily  aban- 
doned the  field.  The  Dutch  alone,  of  all  Christian  nations,  were  allowed  to 
remain  for  purposes  of  trafiic,  and  they  purchased  the  privilege  at  the  price 
of  national  humiliation  and  personal  imprisonment,  for  which  all  the  profits 
of  gainful  barter  offer  but  an  inadequate  compensation. 

Limited,  however,  as  have  been  their  sources  of  information,  it  is  to  the 
Dutch  chiefly  that  the  world,  until  within  a very  recent  period,  has  been  in- 
debted for  the  knowledge  it  has  had  of  the  Japanese.  Nor  is  that  know- 
ledge quite  as  circumscribed  as  has  sometimes  been  supposed.  Ka^mpfer, 
Thunberg,  Titsingh,  Doeff,  Fischer,  Meylan,  Siebold,  and  others,  have  cer- 
tainly told  us  something  about  J apan.  But  they  could  not  tell  us  all  it  is 
desirable  to  know.  All  were  connected  with  the  factory  at  Dezima,  and 
were  watched,  of  course,  with  suspicious  jealousy.  Their  only  opportunities 
for  seeing  anything  beyond  the  town  of  Nagasaki  were  afforded  at  their 
periodical  visits  to  the  court ; and  Kamipfer,  the  first  in  the  list,  has  so  fully 
related  all  that  an  European  could  learn  from  this  source,  that  very  little 
has  been  added  to  our  stock  of  knowledge  by  his  successors,  with  the  single 
exception  of  Siebold.  He  has  collected  new  facts  and  materials,  and  the 
result  of  his  observations  and  researches  has  been  given  to  the  world  in  his 


INTRODUCTION. 


5 


“Nippon,  Archiv  sur  Beschreihung  von  Japan'''  (Nippon,  an  Archive 
toward  the  Description  of  Japan.)  While,  therefore,  it  is  not  quite  correct 
to  say  that  the  civilized  world  knows  nothing  of  Japan,  it  may  truly  he 
asserted  that  what  is  known  is  very  much  less  than  what  is  unknown. 

Notwithstanding,  however,  the  national  efforts  at  exploration  to  which 
we  have  alluded,  it  was  reserved  for  our  own,  the  youngest  of  the  nations,  to 
break  down  at  last  the  harriers  with  which  this  singular  people  had  sur- 
rounded themselves  ; and  to  he  the  first,  in  modern  times,  to  establish  with 
them  a treaty  of  friendship  and  trade  which  (already  copied  as  far  as  was 
possible  by  other  governments)  is  to  form,  as  we  hope,  the  initiatory  step  in 
the  introduction  of  Japan  into  the  circle  of  commercial  nations. 

May  we  not  be  permitted  here  to  add  that  it  seems  not  altogether  inap- 
propriate that  the  United  States  should  be  the  instrument  of  breaking  down 
these  barriers,  and  of  opening  Japan  to  the  rest  of  the  world. 

When,  in  1295,  Marco  Polo  returned  to  Venice  from  his  long  sojourn  in 
Asia,  he  spake  to  Europeans,  among  other  marvels  which  shocked  their 
I credulity,  but  which  have  since  been  fully  verified,  of  the  existence  of  a 
large  island  off  the  coast  of  Cathay,  (China,)  which  he  called  Zipangu. 
That  island  is  the  modern  Nippon  of  the  Japanese  Kingdom.  He  told,  also, 
the  story  of  the  indomitable  courage  of  the  people  of  Zipangu,  and  related 
how  they  had  successively  resisted  the  armies  of  the  powerful  Kublai  Khan, 
the  conquerors,  at  that  day,  of  all  Asia,  and  the  terror  of  Europe.  He  laid 
before  them  the  maps  which  he  had  made  and  brought  home,  with  an  inscrip- 
tion written  upon  the  shore-line  of  the  Yellow  sea:  “ There  is  a great  island 
to  the  east."  Years  rolled  on;  Marco  Polo’s  written  story  and  maps  had 
found  their  way  to  Genoa,  and  probably  had  been  forgotten.  At  length,  in 
the  sixteenth  century,  they  fell  into  the  hands  of  a man  who  did  not  cast 
them  idly  by ; that  man  was  Christopher  Columbus,  whose  strong  mind  was 
, then  travelling  to  the  overruling  conviction  of  his  life  that  there  must  be,  to 
the  westward  of  Europe,  great  bodies  of  land  at  that  time  utterly  unknown. 
It  was  Marco  Polo’s  map,  and  his  statements  concerning  Zipangu  particu- 
larly, which  confirmed  his  conjectures;  and  when  he  sailed,  it  was  Zipangu, 
or,  as  the  Italian  manuscript  of  Marco  Polo  had  it,  Cipango,  on  which  he 
hoped  and  expected  to  find  the  termination  of  his  voyage.  Accordingly, 
(as  we  know,)  when  he  landed  on  Cuba  he  believed  that  he  had  reached  the 
goal  of  his  long  cherished  hopes.  He  knew  not  that  a continent  barred  his 
way  between  Europe  and  Zipangu;  nor  that  still  further  westward,  beyond 
that  continent  a mighty  ocean  rolled  its  waters,  which  must  be  traversed 
before  Zipangu  could  be  reached. 

But  though  not  destined  himself  to  find  and  open  Japan  to  Christendom, 
it  has  so  happened,  in  the  order  of  Providence,  that  on  the  continent  which 
he  discovered,  and  which  barred  his  way  to  the  land  he  sought,  has  grown 
up  a nation  which  has  performed  a part  of  his  contemplated  work,  and  ful- 


6 


INTEODUCTION. 


filled  a portion,  at  least,  of  the  plan  which  lured  him  westward ; a nation 
which,  if  it  did  not  discover  Zipangu,  has,  we  trust,  been  the  instrument  of 
bringing  it  into  full  and  free  communication  with  the  rest  of  the  world;  a 
nation  which  has,  as  it  were,  taken  the  end  of  the  thread  which,  on  the 
shores  of  America,  broke  in  the  hands  of  Columbus,  and  fastening  it  again 
to  the  ball  of  destiny,  has  rolled  it  onward  until,  as  it  has  unwound  itself,  it 
has  led  the  native  and  civilized  inhabitants  of  the  land  discovered  by  the 
great  Genoese  to  plant  their  feet  on  the  far  distant  region  of  his  search,  and 
thus  fulfil  his  wish  to  bring  Zipangu  within  the  influence  of  European  civi- 
lization. 

It  is  the  story  of  the  American  entrance  in  Japan  that  we  propose  to 
relate  ; and  it  is  hoped  it  will  aid  in  the  better  understanding  of  the  narra- 
tive, as  well  as  show  what  additions,  if  any,  have  been  made  to  our  previous 
knowledge,  briefly  to  present,  in  a rapid  sketch,  the  outlines  of  such  infor- 
mation as  the  world  possessed  before  the  American  expedition  left  our  shores. 
On  this  work  we  now  enter. 


SECTION  I. 

NAME,  EXTENT,  AND  GEOGEAPHT. 

Thebe  can  be  no  doubt  that  Japan  was  unknown  to  the  Greeks  and 
Komans,  and  that  it  was  first  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  European 
world  by  the  celebrated  traveller,  Marco  Polo.  His  family  was  Venetian, 
and  devoted  to  commercial  pursuits.  In  the  year  1275,  at  the  age  of 
eighteen,  he  accompanied  his  father  and  uncle  into  Asia  on  mercantile  busi- 
ness; and  there,  mastering  the  languages  of  Tartary,  on  the  return  of  his 
relatives  to  Europe,  he  remained,  and  entered  into  the  service  of  Kublai 
Khan,  the  then  reigning  monarch.  In  this  situation  he  continued  for  seven- 
teen years.  Possessed  of  a good  mind,  he  was  a close  observer  of  what  he 
saw  around  him,  and  rendered  the  most  important  services,  both  military 
and  diplomatic,  to  the  monarch,  with  whom  he  became  not  merely  a favor- 
ite, but  in  some  degree  a necessity.  At  length,  in  1295,  after  an  absence 
of  some  twenty  years,  he  returned  to  I’enice,  and  was  the  first  European 
traveller  who  made  known  the  existence  of  Japan  to  the  inhabitants  of  the 
west.  He  had  not  visited  it  in  person,  (as  he  is  careful  to  state.)  but  he  had 
traversed  the  greater  part  of  China,  and  had  there  heard  what  he  related 
concerning  Japan.  We  may  remark,  in  passing,  that  his  statements  of  what 
he  had  seen  and  heard  so  far  surpassed  the  experience  and  knowledge  of  his 
countrymen  that  he  shared  the  fate  of  some  modern  travellers,  and  was  not 


INTEODUCTION. 


7 

believed.  Nothing,  however,  is  more  sure  than  that  modern  research  has 
impressed  with  the  character  of  truth  all  that  he  related  on  his  personal  ob- 
servation, and  much  of  that  which  he  gathered  from  the  statements  of  others. 
He,  as  we  have  already  said,  called  J apan  Zipangu  ; it  was  the  name  which 
he  had  heard  in  China.  The  Japanese  themselves  call  their  country  Dai 
Nippon,  which  means  “ Great  Nippon.”  As  to  the  origin  of  the  latter  word, 
it  is  a compound  of  two  others ; nitsu,  “ the  sun,”  and  pon  ot  fon,  “ origin 
these,  according  to  the  Japanese  rule  of  combination,  become  Nippon  or 
Nifon,  signifying  “ origin  of  the  sun; ’’mother  words,  the  East.  In  the 
Chinese  language,  Nippon,  by  the  usual  change  of  pronunciation,  becomes 
Jih-pun,  to  which  Koue  is  added,  meaning  “ country  ” or  “ Kingdom.”  The 
whole  Chinese  word,  Jih-pun-houe,  therefore,  is,  in  English,  “ Kingdom  of 
the  origin  of  the  sun,”  or  “ Eastern  Kingdom.”  The  reader  will  readily 
perceive  how,  on  the  lips  of  an  European,  the  name  would  become  Zi-pan- 
gu.  We  thus  have  the  derivation,  Nippon,  Jih-pun,  Japan. 

As  to  the  extent  of  the  Kingdom : it  consists  of  a great  number  of 
islands,  said  to  be  3,S50,  lying  olf  the  eastern  coast  of  Asia,  and  spread  over 
that  part  of  the  ocean  which  extends  from  the  I29th  to  the  146th  degree  of 
east  longitude  from  Greenwich,  and  is  between  the  31st  and  46th  degrees  of 
north  latitude.  The  chain  to  which  they  belong  may  be  traced  on  the  map 
from  the  Loo-Choo  islands  to  the  southern  extremity  of  Kamtschatka,  and 
from  this  latter  peninsula,  through  the  Kurile  islands,  to  the  promontory  of 
Alaska,  on  our  own  continent.  They  are  in  the  line  of  that  immense  circle 
of  volcanic  development  which  surrounds  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  from 
Tierra  del  Fuego  around  to  the  Moluccas. 

The  Kingdom  is  divided  into  Japan  proper  and  the  dependent  islands. 
The  first-named  division  consists  of  the  three  large  islands,  Kiu-siu,  Sitkokf, 
and  Nippon,  and  the  whole  Empire  contains  about  160,000  square  miles. 
Of  many  of  the  islands  we  know  nothing.  Their  coasts  are  so  difficult  of 
access,  and  shallow  seas  and  channels,  with  sunken  rocks  and  dangerous 
whirlpools,  added  to  winds  as  variable  as  they  are  violent,  have  interposed 
most  serious  obstacles  to  nautical  exploration,  so  that  we  have  yet  much  to 
learn  of  the  navigation  of  the  waters  around  the  islands  of  J apan. 

Those  of  which  we  have  as  yet  most  information  are  Kiu-siu,  Nippon, 
and  Yesso,  or  Jesso.  On  the  first  of  these  is  the  town  of  Nagasaki,  and 
this  is  the  port  to  which  the  Dutch  have  been  most  rigorously  confined,  in 
all  their  commercial  transactions,  for  two  hundred  years.  Indeed,  they  have 
not  been  permitted  to  live  within  the  town  itself,  but  have  been  literally 
imprisoned  on  a very  small  island  in  the  harbor,  called  Dezima,  where  they 
have  been  most  closely  watched,  and  many  rigid  restrictions  have  been 
imposed  on  their  intercourse  with  the  people.  Under  certain  circumstances, 
they  have  been  at  times  permitted  to  go  into  the  town,  but  not  to  remain  for 
any  long  period,  nor  have  they  ever  been  allowed  to  explore  the  island. 


8 


INTKODUCTION. 


Their  opportunities,  therefore,  except  in  the  case  of  Siehold,  have  been  very 
limited  for  acquiring,  from  personal  observation,  a knowledge  of  anything 
on  the  island  of  Kiu-siu  beyond  what  they  could  see  from  their  prison. 

As  to  Nippon,  on  which  is  Yeddo,  the  capital  of  the  kingdom,  they  have 
had  the  opportunity  of  seeing  more.  This  has  resulted  from  the  fact  that 
periodical  visits,  with  presents,  have  been  made  to  the  Emperor  at  the  capi- 
tal by  the  chief  Dutch  commissioner  at  the  factory  on  Dezima ; and  on  these 
visits  he  has  been  accompanied  by  his  physician  and  a small  number  of  his 
subordinate  officers.  It  is,  therefore,  to  the  chief  commissioners  and  their 
medical  attendants  that  we  Lave  been  indebted  for  all  we  have  been  told 
since  the  establishment  of  commercial  relations  with  the  Dutch.  Titsingh, 
Doeff,  Fischer,  Meylan,  were  all  chiefs  of  the  factory,  while  Kaempfer,  Thun- 
berg  and  Siebold  have  all  been  the  physicians.  These  visits  were  formerly 
annual,  latterly  they  have  been  less  frequent,  and  a more  jealous  surveillance 
has  been  exercised  over  the  European  travellers.  Still  they  have  evaded 
restrictions  as  far  as  possible,  have  seen  all  they  could,  and  told  all  they  saw. 
But  they  were,  of  necessity,  obliged  to  gather  much  of  what  they  relate 
from  the  information  of  the  Japanese;  how  far  it  is  to  be  considered  as  in 
all  respects  accurate  neither  they  nor  we  are  able  to  say.  Yet  the  Dutch 
residents  undoubtedly  knew  for  themselves  more  about  the  island  of  Nippon 
than  they  did  concerning  Kiu-siu,  in  one  of  the  harbors  of  which  was  their 
prison. 

As  to  Yesso,  or  Jesso,  it  is  confessedly  very  imperfectly  known.  One 
of  its  ports  is  Matsmai,  and  here  Captain  Golownin,  of  the  Kussian  navy, 
was  kept  as  a prisoner  for  two  years.  In  an  effort  which  he  made  to  escape, 
he  wandered  over  a part  of  the  island ; but  as  he  was  not  seeking  on  this 
excursion  materials  for  description,  nor  studying  at  his  leisure  the  habits  of 
the  people,  his  statements  are,  as  might  be  expected,  altogether  unsatisfac- 
tory, and  yet  we  have  none  better  from  an  European  eye-witness.  Kaempfer, 
Thunberg,  and  Siebold  are  our  most  valuable  sources  of  information  since 
the  days  of  the  Dutch  commerce. 

At  an  earlier  period,  and  before  Japanese  jealousy  of  foreign  influence 
had  prompted  them  to  adopt  their  system  of  exclusion,  the  opportunity  was 
far  more  favorable  for  the  acquisition  of  information  by  the  personal  obser- 
vation of  strangers.  The  Portuguese  missionaries  and  some  early  English 
navigators,  therefore,  afford  us  on  some  points  a knowledge  such  as  no 
European  during  the  last  two  hundred  years  could  possibly  have  procured. 

Of  the  physical  aspect  of  these  principal  islands  former  writers  give 
different  accounts.  Thunberg  represents  them  as  composed  of  a succession 
of  mountains,  hills,  and  Amileys,  while  Ktempfer  says  that  he  travelled  over 
several  plains  of  considerable  exent.  The  country  is  undoubtedly  very  hilly, 
and  in  general  the  hills  come  down  near  to  the  seashore,  leaving  but  narrow 
strips  of  land  between  the  water  and  their  bases ; it  is,  however,  not  impro- 


INTEODUCTION. 


9 


bable  that  level  plains  of  some  extent  may  be  found  in  tbe  inteidor.  The 
hills,  however,  are  not  sterile;  and  covered,  as  most  of  them  seem  to  be, 
with  the  fruits  of  cultivation  up  to  their  summits,  bear  witness  alike  to  the 
numbers  and  industry  of  the  population.  Mountains,  however,  are  to  be 
found  as  well  as  hills,  nor  is  it  surprising  that  some  of  them  should  be 
volcanic. 

Westward  of  the  bay  of  Yeddo  rises  to  the  height  of  some  twelve 
thousand  feet  the  Fudsi  Jamma,  with  its  summit  whitened  by  perpetual 
snow ; it  was  once  an  active  volcano.  The  northern  part  of  Nippon  also  is 
known  to  be  traversed  by  a chain  of  mountains,  from  which  rise  several 
isolated  peaks,  the  craters,  in  some  instances,  of  extinct  volcanoes,  while 
others,  still  burning,  are  to  be  seen  on  the  islands  scattered  in  the  gulfs  of 
Corea  and  Yeddo. 

In  such  a country  the  rivers  cannot  probably  be  long ; while  the  rapidity 
of  their  currents  indicates  that  their  sources  must  be  considerably  elevated. 
It  is  said  that  over  some  of  them  no  bridges  can  be  built,  as  none  would 
resist  the  force  of  the  stream  fed  by  the  waters  of  the  mountain  torrents. 
Some  of  the  rivers,  however,  are  navigable  by  small  boats  for  several  miles 
from  the  sea  into  the  interior.  The  Japanese,  from  the  nature  and  position 
of  their  country,  ought  to  be  a maritime  people ; they  can  have  but  few 
natural  facilities  for  inland  trade.  Their  ingenuity  and  industry  have, 
however,  been  taxed  to  open  modes  of  communication  with  the  interior; 
roads  and  bridges  have  been  constructed,  and  in  some  instances  canals  have 
been  made  to  unite  their  rivers  and  lakes. 

Of  the  climate  of  J apan  it  is  not  possible  to  speak  with  much  certainty. 
In  the  southern  part  of  the  Kingdom  it  is  said  to  be  not  unlike  that  of 
England.  Some  winters  are  remarkably  mild,  without  any  frost  or  snow, 
though  generally  such  is  not  the  case ; when  however  these  occur,  they  last 
but  for  a few  days.  The  heat  in  summer  is  said  to  average  98°  of  Fahren- 
heit at  Nagasaki.  This,  which  would  otherwise  be  excessive,  is  much 
moderated  by  the  breeze  which,  in  the  day  time,  blows  from  the  south,  and 
at  night  from  the  east.  There  is  what  the  Japanese  call  satJcasi,  or  the 
rainy  season,  in  June  and  July;  by  this,  however,  it  is  only  meant  that  the 
rains  are  then  most  abundant ; for,  in  point  of  fact,  they  are  frequent  all  the 
year  round,  and  the  weather  appears  to  be  variable.  No  part  of  the  ocean 
is  subject  to  heavier  gales  than  the  sea  around  Japan,  and  the  hurricanes 
are  terrific  ; fogs  also  are,  as  might  be  expected,  very  prevalent ; thunder 
storms  are  common,  and  earthquakes  have  more  than  once  destroyed  a great 
part  of  the  most  populous  towns.  Kempfer  remarked,  also,  that  water-spouts 
were  of  very  frequent  occurrence  in  the  seas  around  Japan.  Yet,  notwith- 
standing all  these  things,  the  country  cannot,  we  think,  be  deemed  insalubrious; 
for  the  Japanese  are  in  general  a healthful  people,  and  the  country  is  very 
thickly  inhabited. 


10 


INTRODUCTION. 


SECTION  II. 

ORIGIN  OF  THE  JAPANESE  PEOPLE. 

An  opinion  has  been  expressed  by  several  -writers  that  Japan  was 
colonized  by  the  Chinese.  Such  an  opinion,  founded  on  very  superficial 
observation,  was  advanced  long  before  comparative  philology  bad  been 
resorted  to  by  the  learned,  as  one  of  the  safest  and  best  tests  of  truth  in 
tracing  the  relationship  of  nations.  But  since  the  appbcation  of  this  test, 
no  one,  competent  to  speak  instructively  on  the  subject,  has  ventured  to 
deduce  the  Japanese  from  a Chinese  origin.  The  structure  of  the  languages 
of  the  two  peo2)le  is  essentially  ditferent.  It  is  true  that  certain  Chinese 
words,  the  names  of  objects,  introduced  by  the  Chinese,  may  be  beard  from 
the  lips  of  a Japanese,  modified  however  in  the  pronunciation  ; it  is  also  true 
that  the  Chinese  dialect  of  the  Mandarins  forms  a species  of  universal 
language  among  the  learned,  a sort  of  latin  in  the  extreme  east  that  is 
understood  by  the  highly  educated,  not  only  in  China,  hut  in  Corea,  at 
Tonquin,  and  other  parts,  and  also  in  Japan;  hut  so  little  is  the  affinity 
between  the  primitive  language  of  Japan  and  that  of  China,  that  the 
common  people  of  the  two  countries,  neighbors  as  they  are,  cannot  under- 
stand each  other  without  the  aid  of  an  interpreter. 

Probably  those  Europeans  who  too  hastily  adopted  in  former  times  the 
conclusion  of  a Chinese  origin  for  the  Japanese,  may,  in  their  ignorance  of 
the  languages,  have  been  misled  by  observing  among  the  Japanese  the 
occasional  use  of  the  idiographic  cyiffier  of  the  Chinese  in  some  of  the 
Japanese  writings.  It  was  introduced  into  Japan  A.  1),  290,  but  the  Japa- 
nese have  an  alphabet,  or  rather  a sjdlabarium  of  their  own,  constructed  on 
a principle  entirely  different  from  the  Chinese  idiograph.  Each  of  these 
Chinese  characters  is  in  Japan  pronounced  in  two  distinct  manners.  The 
one,  as  among  the  Chinese  with  a slight  variation  in  the  Japanese,  pronunci- 
ation. This  idiom  is  called  Koye,  which  means  simply  “ a Chinese  sound 
or  word  / ” the  other  mode  of  pronouncing  is  Japanese,  and  is  called  Yomi, 
which  signifies  “ interpretation  ; ” the  meaning  of  the  Koye  word.  An  ex- 
ample will  illustrate.  The  words  (according  to  Japanese  pronunciation)  tin, 
chi,  nin,  all  Chinese,  are  Koye,  and  mean  repectively  heaven,  earth,  man  : 
the  words  ame,  tsoutsi,  fto,  are  the  Yomi  (pure  Japanese)  of  those  Koye 
words,  and  have,  in  the  proper  language  of  Japan,  the  same  meaning  as  the 
three  Chinese  words  above  named. 

Hence,  among  the  Japanese,  there  are  three  dialects ; the  first  is  pure 
Yomi,  without  any  admixture  of  the  Koye.  This  is  the  primitive  language 
of  the  country,  and  is  at  this  day  used  in  poetry  and  works  of  light  litera- 


INTRODUCTION. 


11 


ture.  The  second  is  pure  Koye,  and  is  employed  by  the  bonzes  in  their  re- 
ligious books. 

The  third  is  a mixture  of  the  two,  and  constitutes  the  common  language 
of  the  Empire. 

But  the  construction  of  sentences  in  the  Chinese  and  Japanese,  as  to  the 
collocation  of  words,  is  entirely  different,  as  is  also  the  pronunciation  by  a 
Chinaman  and  a native  of  Japan.  That  of  the  last  is  neat,  articulate,  dis- 
tinct, and  rarely  is  there  heard  a syllable  composed  of  more  than  two  or 
three  letters  of  our  alphabet ; while  the  speech  of  the  former  is  little  better 
than  a confused  sing-song  monotone,  unpleasant  to  the  ear,  in  which  con- 
stantly occurs  a disagreeable  crowding  together  of  consonants.  If  an 
analysis  of  the  sounds  of  our  letters  be  made,  a Chinese  pronounces  our 
aspirate  H very  plainly,  while  a Japanese  never  sounds  it,  but  invariably 
substitutes  for  it  E ; while,  on  the  other  hand,  our  R and  D,  which  are 
sounded  by  a Japanese  with  a distinctness  equal  to  our  own,  always  become 
L in  the  mouth  of  the  Chinese.  But  without  dwelling  longer  on  this  point, 
it  is  sufficient  to  say  that  an  examination  of  grammatical  structure  con- 
clusively settles,  on  the  testimony  of  language,  that  the  original  inhabitants 
of  Japan  were  not  Chinese. 

But  the  question  still  remains  to  be  answered,  “ whence  came  the  primi- 
tive occupants  of  Japan  ? ” On  this  subject  a diversity  of  opinion  is  to  be 
found.  Kaempfer  brings  them  from  the  plains  of  Shinar,  at  the  dispersion. 
He  supposes  them  to  have  passed  from  Mesopotamia  to  the  shores  of  the 
Caspian,  thence  through  the  valleys  of  the  Yenisi,  Silinga,  and  parallel 
rivers  to  the  lake  of  Argueen ; then  following  the  river  of  that  name,  which 
arises  from  the  lake,  he  thinks  they  reached  the  Amoor,  following  the  valley 
of  which  they  would  find  themselves  in  the  then  uninhabited  peninsula  of 
Corea,  on  the  eastern  shore  of  Asia.  The  passage  thence  to  Japan,  espe- 
cially in  the  summer  season,  would  not  be  difficult.  He  supposes  that  this 
migration  occupied  a long  time ; that  they  stopped  when  they  found  a 
pleasant  region,  and  then  resumed  their  march  when  they  were  pressed  on 
their  rear,  or  annoyed  by  other  nomadic  tribes.  It  was  easy  for  them  to 
make  a home  wherever  they  could  find  water  and  pasture  for  their  fiocks  and 
herds.  From  the  purity  of  the  primitive  language  of  Japan,  (the  intermix- 
ture of  Chinese  words  is  within  the  historic  period  and  easily  accounted  for,) 
he  supposes  that  the  original  stock  could  not,  in  its  migration,  have  remained 
very  long  in  any  one  inhabited  place,  or  mingled  much  with  any  people  then 
existing,  of  whose  language  we  at  this  day  have  any  knowledge;  otherwise 
words  from  such  language  would  have  been  found  incorporated  in  the  primi- 
tive Japanese  tongue. 

This,  if  not  satisfactory,  is  at  least  ingenious.  Modern  ethnologists, 
however,  turn  to  language  as  the  best  evidence  of  origin.  Dr.  Pickering,  of 
the  United  States  exploring  expedition,  seems  disposed,  from  an  observation 


12 


INTRODUCTION. 


of  some  Japanese  ■whom  he  encountered  at  the  Hawaiian  islands,  to  assign  to 
them  a Malay  origin.  Others,  judging  from  language,  consider  them  of  the 
Mongol  stock.  Very  close  affinities  cannot  probably  be  found  between  the 
Japanese  and  any  other  Asiatic  language  ; but  in  its  grammatical  structure 
the  Yomi  of  Japan  is  by  some  thought  to  be  most  analogous  to  the  languages 
of  the  Tartar  family.  Siebold  found,  as  he  supposed,  analogies  between  it 
and  the  idioms  of  the  Coreans,  and  the  Kurilians,  who  occupy  the  islands  of 
Jesso  and  Tarakai  or  Karafto.  He  has  described  the  coast  of  Tartary 
opposite  to  this  last  island,  (called  improperly  by  Europeans  Sakhalian,)  and 
thinks  he  finds  a resemblance  in  customs;  but  Klaproth  has  shown  that  the 
language  of  the  Tartary  coast  (Saudan)  is  a Tungusian  dialect,  and  says 
that  the  language  of  J apan  bears  no  decided  marks  of  affinity  either  with  it  or 
with  any  other  of  the  idioms  named  by  Siebold.  It  is  clearly  not  Tungusian. 
Klaproth’s  vocabularies  of  some  of  the  idioms  of  Asia,  particularly  of  the 
Alongolian,  the  Finnish,  and  some  Indian  dialects,  show  a very  considerable 
number  of  simple  and  original  words  which  belong  also  to  the  Japanese.  In 
the  present  state  of  our  information,  the  more  commonly  received  opinion  seems 
to  be  that  the  Japanese  are  of  the  Tartar  family.  But  they  certainly  do  not 
all  have  the  Tartar  complexion  or  physiognomy.  The  common  people,  accord- 
ing to  Thunberg,  are  of  a yellowish  color  all  over,  sometimes  bordering  on 
brown  and  sometimes  on  white.  The  laboring  classes,  who  in  summer  expose 
the  upper  parts  of  their  bodies,  are  always  brown.  Their  eyes  are  not  round, 
but  oblong,  small,  and  sunk  deep  in  the  head.  In  color  they  are  generally 
dark  brown  or  rather  black,  and  the  eyelids  form  in  the  great  angle  of  the 
eye  a deep  furrow,  which  gives  them  the  appearance  of  being  sharp  or  keen 
sighted.  Their  heads  are  large  and  their  necks  short,  their  hair  black,  thick, 
and  from  their  use  of  oil,  glossy.  Their  noses,  although  not  flat,  are  yet 
rather  thick  and  short. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  coast  of  Kiu-siu,  according  to  Siebold,  difiPer  in 
physical  aspect,  as  well  as  in  other  respects,  from  those  in  the  interior  of  the 
island.  Their  hair  is  most  frequently  black,  in  some  cases  crisped,  the  facial 
angle  is  strongly  marked,  the  lips  puffed,  the  nose  small,  slightly  aquiline  and 
depressed  at  the  root.  In  the  interior  the  people,  mostly  agriculturists,  are 
a larger  race,  with  broad  and  flattened  countenances,  prominent  cheek  bones, 
large  space  between  the  inner  angles  of  the  eyes,  broad  and  very  flat  noses, 
with  large  mouths  and  a reddish  brown  skin. 

But  beside  these,  Thunberg  also  tells  us  that  the  descendants  of  the  eldest 
and  noblest  families,  of  the  princes  and  lords  of  the  Empire,  are  somewhat 
majestic  in  their  shape  and  countenance,  being  more  like  Europeans,  and 
that  ladies  of  distinction,  who  seldom  go  out  into  the  open  air  without  being 
covered,  are  perfectly  white.  Siebold  also,  speaking  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Kiu-siu,  informs  us  that  “ the  women  who  protected  themselves  from  the  in- 


INTRODUCTION. 


13 


fluenees  of  the  atmosphere  have  generally  a fine  and  white  skin,  and  the 
cheeks  of  the  young  girls  display  a blooming  carnation.” 

These  facts,  as  Dr.  Latham  has  said,  do  not  necessarily  involve  the  as- 
sumption of  a double  source  of  population,  while,  at  the  same  time,  such  a 
second  source  is  not  an  ethnological  improbability.  The  darker  race,  he  in- 
timates, may  have  come  from  Formosa. 


SECTION  III. 


GOVERNMENT. 


Japan  presents  the  singular  feature  of  having  two  Emperors  at  the  same 
time,  the  one  secular,  the  other  ecclesiastical ; but  it  is  a mistake  to  suppose 
that  this  duplicate  sovereignty  was  established  from  the  beginning,  as  one  of 
the  original  elements  of  her  civil  polity  ; it  has  resulted  from  historical 
events  that  occurred  long  after  Japan  had  a system  of  Government.  The 
Japanese,  like  many  other  people,  claim  for  their  nation  an  immense  anti- 
quity ; but  the  authentic  history  of  the  Kingdom  commences  with  Zin-mu- 
ten-woo,  (whose  name  signifies  “ the  divine  conqueror,”)  about  the  year  660 
B.  C.  Klaproth-  thinks  he  was  a Chinese  warrior  and  invader  ; be  this  how- 
ever as  it  may,  he  conquered  Nippon,  and  built  a temple  palace,  dedicated  to 
the  sun-goddess,  and  properly  called  a dairi  ; his  own  appropriate  title  was 
Mihado,  though  the  two  terms  are  frequently  confounded  by  European 
writers.  He  was  the  founder  of  the  sovereignty  of  the  Mikados,  and  from 
him,  even  to  this  day,  the  Mikados  descend. 

He  was  sole  sovereign,  both  secular  and  spiritual,  and  claimed  to  rule  by 
divine  right.  His  successors,  asserting  the  same  right,  added  to  it  that  of 
inheritance  also,  and  their  government  was  a despotism.  By  degrees  these 
monarchs  ceased  to  lead  their  own  armies,  and  entrusted  the  military  com- 
mand to  sons  and  kinsmen,  though  the  supreme  power  still  was  theirs. 
This  power,  however,  appears  gradually  to  have  been  weakened  by  a custom 
which  prevailed,  of  abdication  by  the  Mikados,  at  so  early  an  age,  that  the 
sovereignty  descended  upon  their  sons  while  they  were  yet  children,  the  ab- 
dicating monarch  frequently  governing  for  the  young  king.  The  cause  of 
these  abdications  was  the  desire  to  escape  from  the  grievous  burden  of 
monotonous  ceremonies,  and  complete  isolation  from  intercourse  without, 
which  made  the  occupant  of  the  throne  little  better  than  a royal  prisoner. 

At  length  it  happened  that  the  reigning  Mikado,  who  had  married  the 
daughter  of  a powerful  prince,  abdicated  in  favor  of  his  son,  a child  three 
years  old,  while  the  regency  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  grandfather  of  the 
infant  monarch.  The  regent  placed  the  abdicated  monarch  in  confinement 


14 


INTEODUCTION. 


and  this  produced  a civil  war.  Yoritomo^  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
characters  in  Japanese  history,  espoused  the  cause  of  the  imprisoned  king, 
and  after  a war  of  several  years  was  triumphant,  when  he  released  the 
captive  and  made  him  regent.  But  his  regency  conferred  a nominal 
authority  only ; the  real  power  resided  in  the  hands  of  Yoritomo,  who  was 
created  Sio  i dai  Ziogoon,  or  “generalissimo  fighting  against  the  barbarians.’^ 
Upon  the  death  of  the  ex-Mikado,  Yoritomo,  as  lieutenant  of  the  sovereign, 
virtually  ruled  for  twenty  years  ; and  when  he  died,  his  title  and  authority 
devolved  upon  his  son.  This  was  the  commencement  of  the  power  of  the 
Ziogoons,  or  temporal  sovereigns. 

Time  contributed  to  strengthen  it  under  the  successive  reigns  of  infant 
Mikados,  until  it  became  recognized  as  hereditary.  But,  though  a very  im- 
portant, and  indeed  dangerous  power,  was  thus  vested  in  the  Ziogoons,  yet 
the  Mikado  was  looked  on  as  possessing  the  royal  authority,  and  to  him  it 
belonged  to  appoint  the  Ziogoon,  who  was,  in  truth,  vice  regent,  but  did 
not  openly  aspire  to  coequal  rights  of  sovereignty. 

This  condition  of  things  remained  until  the  latter  half  of  the  sixteenth 
century.  The  Emperor  {Mikado)  was  an  autocrat  who  had  a sovereign 
deputy,  {Ziogoon,)  the  efficient  and  active  ruler.  During  this  long  period, 
however,  the  power  of  the  Ziogoons  was  silently  and  imperceptibly  increas- 
ing; until,  at  last,  that  happened  which  it  requires  but  little  sagacity  to 
perceive  could  not  but  he,  in  the  end,  the  unavoidable  result.  Men  invested 
with  power  are  more  apt  to  encourage  its  growth  than  to  keep  it  stationary 
or  diminish  it ; more  especially  when  those  whose  interest  it  is  to  check 
their  ambition  are  known  to  be  imbecile. 

It  was  about  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century  that  two  brothers,  de- 
scendants from  Yoritomo,  became  rivals  for  the  office  of  Ziogoon.  The 
princes  of  the  Empire  took  part  with  the  one  or  the  other,  domestic  strife 
raged,  and  the  end  of  the  contest  was  the  death  of  both  the  rival  brothers. 
The  mightiest  prince  of  that  day  was  the  prince  of  Owari,  who,  on  the 
death  of  the  brothers,  immediately  set  up  for  himself  as  Ziogoon.  One  of 
the  most  sagacious  as  well  as  the  bravest  of  his  adherents  was  an  obscure 
man  named  Hide-yosi  or  Eide-yosi.  His  station  was  so  lowly  that,  even  in 
his  own  times,  his  parentage  was  matter  of  doubt ; but  his  zeal  and  talents 
commended  him  to  the  notice  of  his  master,  and  he  became  the  trusted 
friend  and  confidential  adviser  of  the  prince  of  Owari,  who,  by  his  aid, 
succeeded  in  being  appointed  Ziogoon.  Men’s  minds  had  been  wrought  to 
such  excitement  by  the  civil  strife,  that  when  the  prince  triumphed  over  his 
opponents,  the  reigning  Mikado  did  not  dare  to  breast  popular  opinion,  and 
therefore  conferred  on  him  the  office.  The  new  Ziogoon,  of  course,  re- 
warded his  faithful  ally,  and  conferred  on  Eide-yosi  a high  military  appoint- 
ment. Presently,  the  Prince  of  Owari  was  mui-dered  by  one  who  usurped 
his  office ; he,  in  his  turn,  shared  a like  fate ; and  now  the  hour  had  come 


INTEODUCTION. 


15 


for  Fide-yosi.  When  all  was  in  confusion,  he  seized  upon  the  office  for  him- 
self ; and  so  well  known  were  his  talents  and  power,  that  the  frightened 
Mikado^  at  once,  without  hesitation,  approved  and  confirmed  him  in  the 
office,  and  he  took  the  name  of  Tayko-sama,  (the  Lord  Tayko.)  With  his 
title  thus  legitimated,  in  the  confidence  of  his  abilities,  he  trusted  to  him- 
self for  the  rest,  and  has  left  behind  him  a name  among  the  most  celebrated 
in  the  history  of  Japan. 

He  was  a statesman  and  a soldier,  and  displayed  on  the  throne  all  the 
energy  and  ability  which  bad  contributed  to  place  him  there.  He  put  an 
end  at  once  to  the  civil  commotions,  by  giving  to  the  opposing  princes  of  the 
Empire  work  to  do  in  the  invasion  and  conquest  of  Corea.  He  was  about 
marching  to  subdue  China,  when  death  arrested  him,  in  the  year  1598,  at 
the  age  of  sixty-three.  The  Japanese,  to  this  day,  consider  him  as  one  of 
the  ablest  men  their  country  has  produced.  During  his  reign  he  made  large 
progress  in  the  work  of  reducing  the  sovereignty  of  the  Mikado  almost  to  a 
shadow ; and  inthralling  him  by  more  and  more  burdensome  ceremonials, 
and  a most  rigorous  seclusion,  all  under  the  seemingly  loyal  pretext  of  pro- 
found deference  and  respect  for  his  heaven-born  authority,  he  quietly  left 
him  to  “ wield  a barren  sceptre.” 

Tayko-sama  left  an  only  son,  six  years  old.  To  secure  him  in  the  suc- 
cession, his  father  on  his  death  bed,  caused  him  to  marry  the  granddaughter 
of  one  of  his  own  most  particular  friends  and  counsellors,  lyeyas,  prince  of 
Micava,  from  whom  he  obtained  a most  solemn  promise  that  when  the 
boy  should  have  attained  his  fifteenth  year  he  would  have  him  recognized 
as  Ziogoon. 

lyeyas  proved  unfaithful,  became  Ziogoon  himself,  and  his  descendants 
to  this  day  hold  the  office,  while  a veil  of  mystery  covers  up  the  fate  of  the 
wronged  son  of  Tayko.  As  to  the  3Iikado,  lyeyas  pursued  the  policy  of 
his  predecessor,  and  depriving  him  even  of  the  little  power  which  Tayko  had 
left  to  him  in  temporals,  he  reduced  the  once  absolute  autocrasy  which  he 
represented  to  a mere  ecclesiastical  supremacy,  and  brought  him  down  to 
the  utter  helplessness  and  dependence  which  at  this  day  mark  his  condition. 
And  this  is,  in  brief,  the  history  of  events  by  which  Japan  has  come  to  pre- 
sent that  singular  and  unique  feature  in  government  of  one  empire  simul- 
taneously under  two  sovereigns. 

The  residence  of  the  Mikado  is  at  Miako ; that  of  the  Ziogoon  is  at 
Yeddo;  each  is  surrounded  with  imperial  splendor;  the  one  is  monareh  de 
jure,  the  other  is  Emperor  de  facto.  But  however  absolute  may  have  beea 
the  usurped  authority  of  the  Ziogoon  in  the  beginning,  it  has  been  subse- 
quently very  much  modified ; and  certain  it  is  that  at  this  day  the  rule  of 
the  Ziogoon  is  by  no  means  arbitrary.  He  cannot  do  just  what  he  pleases. 
The  laws  of  the  Empire  reach  him  as  they  do  the  meanest  subject.  These 
laws  are  unalterable,  and  are  exceedingly  minute  in  detail,  controlling  al- 


16 


INTEODUCTION. 


most  every  action  of  life.  The  Emperors,  both  spiritual  and  secular,  are 
just  as  much  enthralled  by  them  as  the  humblest  man  in  the  Kingdom.  In 
times  of  usurpation  or  political  trouble  they  may,  in  some  few  instances,  have 
been  set  at  naught,  but  these  are  exceptional  cases. 

There  are  two  prominent  features  in  the  J apanese  system  of  govern- 
ment ; the  one  elemental,  the  other  practical ; and  the  two  serving  as  the 
bases  of  almost  everything  else  in  their  polity.  The  first  is  feudalism,  or 
something  very  similar  to  it ; and  the  second,  exhibited  in  the  practical  ad- 
ministration of  the  government,  is  a system  of  checks  and  balances,  founded 
on  an  all-pervading  secret  espionage,  ramifying  through  all  classes  of  society, 
from  the  highest  to  the  lowest. 

To  explain  this  we  must  briefly  advert  to  the  several  grades  of  society. 
We  have  already  spoken  of  the  two  Emperors.  The  Mikado  is  supreme  in 
rank  and  nominally  recognized  as  such ; but  he  has  not  a particle  of  political 
power ; is  not  allowed  to  have  troops,  and  is  literally,  from  birth  to  death, 
shut  up  at  Miako,  in  his  little  principality  of  Kioto  ; with  the  revenues  of 
which  and  the  rich  presents  sent  him  by  the  Ziogoon,  he  must  be  content. 
Even  in  his  own  principality  he  is  governed  for,  as  an  independent  prince, 
by  some  grandee  of  his  court,  so  that  never  lived  there  sovereign  with  less 
of  sovereign  attributes  allowed  him.  But  for  the  tenacity  with  which  the 
Japanese  cling  to  their  ancient  usages  and  laws,  the  Mikados  would,  doubt- 
less, have  long  since  ceased  to  form  a part  of  the  cumbrous  and  complicated 
machinery  of  government.  Formerly  it  belonged  to  them  to  name  or  ap- 
point the  Ziogoon;  they  may,  indeed,  still  nominally  have  this  power;  but 
it  is  without  any  real  value,  as  the  office  of  ^^oon  has  for  a long  time  been 
hereditary. 

But  politically  insignificant  as  the  Mikado  is,  he  is  venerated  with  a 
respect  little,  if  at  all,  inferior  to  that  rendered  to  the  gods  themselves. 
Living  in  mysterious,  though,  for  the  most  part,  indolent  seclusion,  he  is 
venerated  because  he  is  inaccessible ; and  is,  in  truth,  a prisoner  who  must 
find,  if  he  find  at  all,  solace  for  his  confinement  in  the  golden  chains  and 
ornamental  prison-house  of  his  captivity.  No  wonder  that  the  abdication  of 
a Mikado  is  common  in  Japanese  history.  As  to  the  Ziogoon,  he  commands 
the  revenues  of  the  country,  has  at  his  disposal  an  army,  and  is  anything 
but  a prisoner.  Once  in  seven  years  he  makes  a visit,  surrounded  with 
royal  pomp,  to  the  court  of  his  brother  sovereign,  whom  he  takes  care  to 
keep,  at  all  times,  under  the  surveillance  of  unsuspected  secret  spies.  He 
sends,  too,  in  the  intervals  between  his  visits,  embassies  with  rich  presents 
to  the  shadow  king  of  the  holy  court,  and  receives  in  turn  what  he  probably 
deems  a valueless  bundle  of  blessings  and  prayers. 

The  hereditary  classes  in  society  are  said  to  be  eight  in  number ; and, 
except  under  very  peculiar  circumstances,  no  one  can  leave,  through  life,  the 
class  in  which  he  was  born  without  a forfeiture  of  respectability. 


INTRODUCTION. 


17 


Class  I.  These  are  the  hereditary  vassal  princes  of  the  Empire. 

Class  II.  These  are  hereditary  nobility,  below  the  rank  of  princes. 
They  hold  their  lands  as  fiefs,  subject  to  knight  service  or  the  rendition  of 
military  service  to  some  one  of  the  hereditary  princes.  If  they  belong  to 
one  of  the  imperial  cities,  their  military  service  is  due  directly  to  the  Ziogoon 
himself  The  number  of  armed  vassals  required  of  them  is  regulated  by  the 
extent  of  their  respective  domains.  These  hereditary  nobles  have  generally 
sub-vassals  on  their  lands,  who  are  bound  to  furnish  their  several  quotas  of 
fighting  men.  Out  of  this  class,  governors  of  provinces,  generals,  and  officers 
of  State  are  selected. 

Class  III.  This  includes  all  the  priests  of  the  Kingdom — seemingly, 
those  of  the  ancient  religion  of  Japan,  Sintoo,  as  well  as  of  Buddhism. 

Class  IV.  This  is  composed  of  the  vassal  soldiers,  furnished  by  the  no- 
bility of  Class  II. 

These  four  classes  are  the  higher  orders  of  Japanese  society,  and  enjoy 
certain  privileges  of  dress.  They  carry  two  swords,  and  wear  a species  of 
loose  petticoat  trowsers,  which  none  of  lower  rank  dare  to  put  on. 

Class  V.  These  constitute  the  higher  portion  of  the  middle  classes,  such 
as  medical  men,  government  clerks,  and  other  professional  men  and  em- 
ployes. 

Class  VI.  Merchants  and  shopkeepers,  who  rank  low  in  Japan,  no  matter 
what  may  be  their  wealth.  Any  one  of  the  classes  above  this  would  be 
disgraced  for  ever  should  he  engage  in  any  trade  or  traffic.  The  richest  men 
in  the  Empire  belong  to  this  class ; and  yet  they  are  not  permitted  to  ex- 
pend their  money  in  a luxurious  or  ostentatious  style  of  living.  Sumptuary 
laws  impose  restraints  which  they  dare  not  violate.  They  are  not  allowed  to 
wear  even  the  single  sword,  unless  they  purchase  the  privilege,  by  becoming 
the  menial  followers  of  some  great  lord,  at  the  price  of  a considerable  sum  of 
money. 

Class  VII.  This  is  composed  of  retail  dealers,  little  shopkeepers,  ped- 
lars, mechanics,  and  artisans  of  all  descriptions,  save  one,  to  be  mentioned 
presently.  Painters  and  other  artists  belong  to  this  class. 

Class  VIII.  This  consists  of  sailors,  fishermen,  peasants,  and  agricultu- 
ral and  day  laborers  of  all  kinds.  The  peasants  seem  to  be  a species  of 
serfs,  attached  to  the  soil,  like  the  ancient  villein  of  feudal  times,  and  belong 
to  the  land-owner.  Sometimes  the  land  is  hired,  and  worked  “ on  shares,” 
the  agriculturist  paying  the  proprietor  a certain  proportion  of  the  crops. 

The  exception  alluded  to  among  mechanics,  in  Class  VII,  is  one  which 
is  supposed  to  have  originated  in  one  of  the  superstitions  of  the  Sintoo  re- 
ligion, which  tabooed  all  who  had  defiled  themselves  by  coming  in  contact 
with  a dead  body.  Whether  this  be  the  origin  of  the  exception,  we  know 
not;  but  the  fact  is  well  established,  that  the  tanners,  curriers,  leather 
dressers,  and,  in  short,  every  one  in  any  way  conneoted  with  the  making  or 
2 


18 


INTRODUCTION. 


vending  of  leather  is  placed  under  ban  or  interdict.  Those  of  this  pro- 
scribed class  cannot  dwell  in  the  towns  or  villages  that  are  occupied  by  the 
other  classes ; they  are  not  even  numbered  in  the  census  of  the  population. 
They  dare  not  enter  an  inn,  tea-house,  or  any  public  place  of  entertainment. 
If  they  are  travelling,  and  want  food  or  drink,  they  must  wait  outside  of 
the  wall  of  the  house,  and  there  be  served  in  their  own  howl  or  platter ; for 
no  Japanese,  not  of  their  own  class,  would  ever  touch  or  use  the  vessel  out 
of  which  they  had  taken  food.  Out  of  this  class  come  the  public  execution- 
ers and  gaolers  throughout  the  Empire.  In  short,  they  are  shunned  like  the 
leper  of  old. 

Before  we  proceed  to  speak  of  the  singular  system  by  which  these  va- 
rious classes  are  governed,  it  is  proper  to  premise  that  originally  the  King- 
dom was  suh-divided  into  sixty-six  or  sixty-eight  principalities.  These  had 
been  previously  independent  kingdoms,  and  were  continued,  as  principalities, 
under  the  rule  of  their  respective  princes,  subject,  however,  to  a forfeiture 
of  the  rights  of  the  governing  family,  in  case  of  rebellion  or  treason.  This 
penalty  of  forfeiture  was  incurred  by  many  of  the  reigning  princes,  and  ad- 
vantage was  taken  of  the  circumstance,  as  often  as  it  occurred,  to  split  the 
forfeited  principalities  into  fragments ; so  that,  instead  of  the  original  num- 
ber, there  are  now  no  less  than  six  hundred  and  four  distinct  administrations, 
including  therein  principalities,  lordships,  imperial  provinces  and  imperial 
towns,  of  which  last  the  Ziogoon  himself  is  the  ruling  head. 

1.  There  is  under  the  Emperor  {Ziogoon),  a grand  council  of  state, 
consisting  of  thirteen,  which  governs  in  the  Emperor’s  name.  Of  these 
thirteen,  five  councillors  are  taken  from  the  first  class  we  have  named,  the 
hereditary  princes  and  vassals  of  the  Empire ; the  remaining  eight  are  taken 
from  the  second  class,  the  old  nobility,  below  the  rank  of  princes.  There 
seems  to  be  among  these  a head  councillor  of  state,  whose  powers  and 
functions  are  not  unlike  those  of  a grand  vizier  in  Turkey.  He  is  called 
“ Governor  of  the  Empire,”  and  all  the  other  councillors  are  subordinate  to 
him.  He  decides  upon  all  affairs  of  moment ; has  the  universal  appointing 
power ; receives  returns  from  all  the  authorities  of  the  Empire ; may,  on 
appeal,  sanction  or  reverse  every  sentence  of  death  passed ; and,  in  short, 
acts  for  the  lay  Emperor  in  all  these  and  some  other  exercises  of  sove- 
reignty. To  this  grand  council,  too,  belongs  the  very  important  power  of 
dethroning  the  Ziogoon.  Important  resolutions  of  the  council  are  always 
laid  before  the  Emperor,  who  generally  assents  without  delay  or  investi- 
gation. Should  he,  however,  dissent,  a mode  of  proceeding  is  pursued, 
which  we  will  describe  presently.  It  is  doubtful  whether  all  these  high 
offices  are  not  hereditary ; and,  under  these,  are — 

2.  Inferior  state  functionaries,  in  regular  and  interminable  gradation, 
consisting  of  lords,  guardians  of  the  temples,  commissioners  of  foreign  affairs, 
governors,  ministers  of  police,  superintendents  of  agriculture,  &c.  No 


INTRODUCTION, 


19 


relative  of  the  spiritual  sovereign,  however,  is  ever  put  into  any  of  these 
offices. 

3.  The  vassal  princes  still  govern  the  principalities,  or  such  fragments 
of  them  as  may  be  left  to  them,  with  an  outward  show  of  their  former 
sovereignty;  but  it  is  show  only.  The  princes  themselves  can  do  nothing 
without  the  consent  of  the  Ziogoon  and  council.  And  here  we  find  in  full 
development  that  system  of  espionage  of  which  we  have  spoken.  The  prince 
himself,  beside  being  surrounded  with  a multitude  of  private  spies,  unknown 
to  him,  who  watch  his  domestic  as  well  as  public  business  and  doings,  has 
also  two  official  spies  appointed  by  the  chief  of  the  grand  council,  and  these, 
in  truth,  conduct  the  administration  of  the  principality.  These  are  known 
as  secretaries,  and  both  are  never  permitted  to  reside  in  the  province  at  the 
same  time.  They  alternate  yearly.  The  families  of  both  secretaries  reside 
constantly  in  Yeddo.  The  secretary  who  is  in  the  principality  therefore 
leaves  his  family  behind  him  in  the  capital  as  a hostage  for  his  fidelity. 
When  his  year  expires  he  may  rejoin  them,  and  his  colleague  then,  bidding 
adieu  to  his  household  for  a year,  takes  his  place.  Each  secretary,  there- 
fore, is  a check  upon  the  doings  of  the  other;  it  is  the  interest  of  each  to 
report  any  misfeasance  in  the  official  conduct  of  the  other ; in  short,  they 
are  spies  on  each  other.  But  the  jealous  suspicion  of  the  government  is  not 
satisfied  with  even  these  precautions.  The  family  of  the  prince  himself  is 
made  to  reside  at  Yeddo,  and  he  must  spend  each  alternate  year  there  near 
the  Ziogoon. 

And  this  feature  of  making  officials  serve  in  pairs,  as  spies  upon  each 
other,  we  may  here  remark,  once  for  all,  pervades  the  entire  polity  of  / 
Japan.  Every  body  is  watched.  No  man  knows  who  are  the  secret  spies 
around  him,  even  though  he  may  be,  and  is,  acquainted  with  those  that  are 
official.  The  Emperors  themselves  are  not  exempt;  vizier,  grand  coun- 
cillors, vassal  princes,  provincial  secretaries,  all  are  under  the  eye  of  an 
everlasting  unknown  police.  The  wretched  system  is  even  extended  to  the 
humblest  of  the  citizens.  Every  city  or  town  is  divided  into  collections  of 
five  families,  and  every  member  of  such  a division  is  personally  responsible 
for  the  conduct  of  the  others ; everything,  therefore,  which  occurs  in  one 
of  these  families,  out  of  the  usual  course,  is  instantly  reported  to  the  authori- 
ties by  the  other  four  to  save  themselves  from  censure.  It  has  well  been 
said  that  the  government  of  Japan  is  a “government  of  spies.” 

We  have  said  that  the  Emperors  are  not  exempt.  The  Ziogoon  has  his 
minions  about  the  Mikado,  and  the  grand  council  have  theirs  about  the 
Ziogoon.  And  the  cowardice  engendered  by  such  ceaseless  distrust  neces- 
sarily leads  to  cruelty  in  penalties.  Take,  as  an  illustration,  the  case  of  a 
measure  submitted  by  the  grand  council  to  the  Ziogoon  ; to  which,  contrary 
to  his  usual  custom,  he  does  not  at  once  assent  without  examination.  Sup- 
pose he  should  disapprove,  the  measure  is  referred  immediately  to  the  arbi- 


20 


INTRODUCTION. 


tration  of  the  three  princes  of  the  blood  who  are  the  nearest  kinsmen  of 
the  Ziogoon,  and  their  decision  is  final.  If  they  do  not  agree  in  opinion 
with  the  monarch,  he  must  instantly  relinquish  the  throne  to  his  son  or  to 
some  other  heir.  He  is  not  allowed  even  the  poor  privilege  of  revising  or 
retracting  an  opinion.  Should  the  three  princes  concur  in  the  Ziogoon's 
opinion,  then  the  member  of  the  council  who  proposed  the  obnoxious  mea- 
sure thus  rejected  must  cZie,'  and  those  who  voted  with  him  are  often  re- 
quired to  die  also.  Sometimes  the  whole  council,  with  the  “ Governor  of 
the  Empire  ” at  their  head,  have  in  this  way  been  obliged  to  atone  for  a 
mere  mistake  in  national  policy  by  putting  themselves  to  death. 

4.  As  to  the  government  of  lordships,  which  are  only  smaller  principali- 
ties, the  rule  is  the  same ; a duality  of  governors,  an  alternation  in  the 
discharge  of  official  duties,  and  a separation  every  other  year  from  all  do- 
mestic enjoyment. 

5.  In  the  imperial  provinces  and  imperial  cities  the  Ziogoon,  or  rather 
the  vizier  and  grand  council  for  him,  select  two  governors  from  the  nobility, 
and  surround  them  with  the  usual  apparatus  of  secretaries  and  under  secre- 
taries, police  officers,  spies,  and  all  other  officials. 

As  to  the  spies  themselves,  they  are  of  every  rank  in  life  below  that  of 
the  hereditary  princes.  The  highest  nobility  dare  not  shrink  from  the 
occupation,  and  even  stoop  to  disguise  themselves,  the  more  effectually  to 
perform  the  degrading  office.  The  fact  is,  if  directed  to  act  as  spies,  they 
must  either  do  it  or  adopt  as  the  alternative,  death ! Doubtless  many  of 
those  who  perform  this  dishonorable  work  would  gladly,  were  it  possible, 
escape  from  the  degradation ; while  there  are  some,  ambitious  of  succeeding 
to  those  whom  they  denounce,  to  whom  the  occupation  is  congenial  enough. 

A story  is  told  by  the  writers  of  Japan  which  illustrates  this.  Com- 
plaints were  sent  to  the  grand  council  of  the  governor  of  the  town  of 
IMatsmai ; the  council  resorted  to  its  usual  plan  of  employing  a spy.  In  a 
little  while  the  offending  governor  was  removed.  To  the  amazement  of  the 
people,  they  recognized  in  his  successor  a man  whom  they  had  known  as  a 
journeyman  tobacco-cutter  in  the  town,  who,  a short  time  before  the  dis- 
placement of  the  old  governor,  had  suddenly  disappeared  from  his  master’s 
shop.  The  journeyman  was  a disguised  nobleman,  who  had  acted  the  part 
of  a spy  by  order  of  the  court. 

A very  singular  custom  of  self-punishment,  even  unto  death,  prevails 
among  all  the  officials  of  Japan.  When  one  has  offended,  or  even  when  in 
his  department  there  has  been  any  violation  of  law,  althongh  beyond  his 
power  of  prevention,  so  sure  is  he  of  the  punishment  of  death  that  he 
anticipates  it  by  ripping  up  his  own  body,  disembowelling  himself,  rather 
than  to  be  delivered  over  to  the  executioner.  In  fact,  he  is  encouraged  to 
do  so,  inasmuch  as  by  his  self-destruction  he  saves  his  property  from  for- 
feiture and  his  family  from  death  with  him.  With  many  of  the  high  officials 


INTEODUCTION. 


21 


it  is  a point  of  honor  thus  to  kill  themselves  on  any  failure  in  their  depart- 
ments ; it  is  construed  into  an  acknowledgment  that  they  deserve  to  be  put 
to  death  hy  the  Emperor,  and  their  sons  are  often  promoted  to  high  posi- 
tions, as  a sort  of  reward  for  the  father’s  ingenuous  acknowledgment  of 
guilt. 

It  is  easy  to  see,  from  what  has  been  said,  why  the  laws  and  customs  of 
Japan  are  so  obstinately  unalterable.  Every  man  is  afraid  of  proposing 
an  innovation,  however  wise  or  necessary,  because  the  penalty  is  so  fearful 
should  it  not  be  approved.  He  who  in  the  grand  council  offers  a measure 
which  is  disapproved  by  the  tribunal  of  final  resort  pays  for  his  act  with  his 
life.  A governor,  or  lord,  or  prince,  knows  that  if  he  attempts  any  altera- 
tion, no  matter  how  salutary,  he  will  be  instantly  denounced  by  his  col- 
league, or  secretary,  a spy  upon  his  conduct,  as  a violator  of  the  established 
usages  of  the  Empire,  and  the  certain  consequence  is  death.  So,  too,  with 
the  common  people ; broken  up  into  their  little  sections  of  five  families,  they 
dare  not  depart  in  the  slightest  degree  from  what  is  prescribed,  for  they  are 
quite  sure  that  the  authorities  will  be  informed  of  it,  and  the  penalty  inevi- 
tably follows.  There  cannot,  under  such  a system,  be  anything  like  judi- 
cious legislation,  founded  on  inquiry,  and  adapted  to  the  ever  varying 
circumstances  of  life.  All  must  proceed  exactly  as  it  has  done  for  centuries; 
progress  is  rendered  impossible,  and  hence,  in  some  degree,  the  difficulty, 
so  long  experienced  in  all  Christendom,  of  bringing  the  Japanese  into  com- 
munication with  other  nations.  As  a remedy  for  an  existing  evil,  they  saw 
fit,  centuries  ago,  to  interdict  entirely  all  such  communication;  and,  though 
the  fact  admits  of  proof  that  many  of  their  wisest  men  would  gladly  have 
seen  the  interdict  removed  or  modified,  as  being  no  longer  necessary  in 
their  altered  circumstances,  yet  no  man  dared  to  propose  any  alteration. 

We  may  venture  to  hope  that,  even  in  the  partial  communication  with 
strangers  allowed  to  the  Japanese  by  the  late  treaty  with  our  country,  the 
first  step  has  been  taken  in  breaking  down  their  long  prevalent  system  of 
unalterable  laws  and  unchangeable  customs.  But  among  a people  so  sen- 
sitive and  suspicious  considerable  time  must  elapse  before  much  progress 
is  made  in  a better  direction.  And,  in  the  first  exercise  of  our  rights  under 
the  treaty,  it  is  to  be  hoped  the  greatest  care  will  be  taken  by  our  country- 
men to  avoid  everything  which  can  alarm  the  sleepless  Japanese  jealousy 
of  strangers ; if  there  be  not,  there  is  danger  lest  in  their  apprehensions,  or 
perchance  in  mere  caprice,  they  may  seek  to  undo  all  that  they  have  thus 
far  done.  It  is  obvious  that  a great  deal  depends  now  on  the  fairness,  good 
sense,  and  good  temper  of  our  consular  representatives.  One  rash  man  may 
overturn  all  that  has  been  accomplished. 

The  system  of  espionage  to  which  we  have  alluded  explains  also  what 
all  the  writers  on  Japan,  and  all  the  officers  of  our  late  expedition,  represent 
as  a prominent  characteristic.  We  allude  to  the  systematic  falsehood  and 


22 


INTRODUCTION. 


duplicity  exhibited,  and  often  without  shame,  by  the  high  Japanese  oflBcials 
and  public  functionaries  in  their  negotiations  and  intercourse  with  strangers. 
We  do  not  mean  to  say  that  these  bad  traits  belong  to  the  people  generally. 
On  the  contrary,  almost  every  writer  describes  them  as  naturally  frank  in 
manner,  communicative  and  open  in  speech  on  ordinary  topics,  and  pos- 
sessed of  a very  high  sense  of  honor.  They  are  a people  of  very  ingenious 
and  lively  minds,  possessed  of  shrewdness,  of  great  personal  bravery,  as 
their  history  shows,  and  far  superior  (at  least  in  our  opinion)  to  any  other 
civilized  eastern  nation.  But  the  officials  are  placed  in  a false  position  by 
the  wretched  system  of  spies,  and  dare  not  act  openly  and  frankly.  As 
government  functionaries,  they  lie  and  practice  artifice  to  save  themselves 
from  condemnation  by  the  higher  powers ; it  is  their  vocation ; as  private 
gentlemen,  they  are  frank,  truthful,  and  hospitable.  MacFarlane,  who 
speaks  of  this  official  deception,  says  he  has  observed  precisely  the  same 
thing  among  the  Turks.  Nearly  every  Turk,  unconnected  with  government, 
may  be  described  as  being  in  his  private  intercourse,  a frank,  truth-loving, 
honorable  man;  while  nearly  every  one  holding  a government  office  may  he 
considered  as  exactly  the  reverse.  These  facts  present  a seeming  anomaly, 
and  yet  we  are  not  sure  that  something  very  like  it,  and  differing  in  degree 
only,  may  not  be  found  nearer  to  home  than  Japan. 

The  severity  of  the  Japanese  laws  is  excessive.  The  code  is  probably 
the  bloodiest  in  the  world.  Death  is  the  prescribed  punishment  for  most 
offences.  The  Japanese  seem  to  proceed  on  the  principle  that  he  who  will 
violate  one  law  will  violate  any  other,  and  that  the  wilful  violator  is  un- 
worthy to  live  : he  cannot  he  trusted  in  society.  Their  laws  are  very  short 
and  intelligible,  and  are  duly  made  public  in  more  modes  than  one,  so  that 
no  man  can  truly  plead  ignorance ; and  the  proceedings  under  them  are  as 
simple  as  the  laws  themselves.  There  are  no  professional  lawyers  in  the 
kingdom ; every  man  is  deemed  competent  to  be  his  own  pleader.  If  a 
pai'ty  is  aggrieved,  he  immediately  appeals  to  the  magistrate,  before  whom 
the  other  party  is  soon  made  to  appear.  The  case  is  stated  by  the  com- 
plainant in  his  own  way,  and  the  accused  is  heard  in  reply.  The  magistrate 
examines  the  witnesses,  and  it  is  said  that  this  officer  generally  displays 
great  acuteness  in  detecting  falsehood.  He  passes  sentence,  and  it  is  car- 
ried into  execution  instanter ; and  so  ends  an  ordinary  lawsuit.  If  the 
matter  in  controversy  be  of  great  importance,  the  magistrate  may  refer  it 
to  the  Emperor  in  council ; but  if  he  sees  fit  to  decide  it  himself  there  is  no 
appeal.  Sometimes,  in  trifling  cases,  he  orders  the  parties  to  go  and  settle 
the  matter  privately  with  the  aid  of  friends,  and  it  is  well  understood  that 
it  must  be  thus  settled,  or  unpleasant  consequences  will  result.  Sometimes, 
when  both  plaintiff  and  defendant  are  in  fault,  he  awards  censure  to  both, 
as  they  may  deserve  it,  and  sends  them  about  their  business.  TTe  have 
said  their  code  is  bloody  in  principle,  and  very  often  it  is  sanguinary  in 


INTKODUCTION. 


23 


practice.  Still  the  relentings  of  humanity  hare  forced  the  administrators 
of  justice  to  some  modification  of  the  theory  which  prescribes  indiscriminate 
severity. 

The  magistrate  may  sentence  to  death,  but  he  is  not  obliged  to  do  so, 
except  in  cases  of  murder.  He  may,  therefore,  exercise  a large  discretion. 
He  may  imprison  in  a raya  or  cage.  In  this  case,  the  prisoner  is  allowed  a 
fair  proportion  of  wholesome  food,  and  provision  is  made  for  cleanliness  and 
ventilation.  But  there  is  another  prison,  commonly  a dungeon  in  the 
governor’s  house,  known  by  the  significant  name  of  gokuya,  hell.  Into  this 
more  are  thrust  than  it  will  conveniently  hold ; the  door  is  never  opened, 
except  to  admit  or  release  a prisoner ; the  food  is  passed  within  through  a 
hole  in  the  wall,  and  there  is  neither  light  or  ventilation  except  through  a 
small  grated  hole  or  window  at  the  top.  Books,  pipes,  and  every  species 
of  recreation  are  prohibited ; no  beds  are  allowed,  and  the  prisoner  is  sub- 
jected to  what  he  considers  the  deep  degradation  of  being  made  to  wear  a 
rope  of  straw  around  his  waist,  instead  of  the  usual  silk  or  linen  girdle. 
The  diet  is  limited  and  very  poor ; but,  if  a rich  man  is  confined,  he  may 
buy  better  food,  on  condition  that  he  will  share  it  equally  with  all  his  fellow 
prisoners.  The  Japanese  doctrine  is,  that  if  a man  of  wealth  or  influence 
is  a criminal,  he  has  no  right  to  fare  any  better  than  the  poorest  man  in  the 
Kingdom  who  commits  a crime,  therefore  all  shall  be  treated  alike. 

We  have  already  alluded  to  the  well  known,  yet  remarkable  feature  of 
Japanese  polity,  which  has  for  so  long  a time  induced  the  government  rigor- 
ously to  interdict  all  communication  between  its  subjects  and  foreigners,  with 
the  single  exception  of  the  Dutch  and  Chinese.  This  exclusive  system  did 
not  always  prevail.  We  shall  have  occasion,  presently,  to  give  the  history 
of  its  origin,  and  to  place  before  the  reader  a statement  of  the  means 
whereby  the  Dutch  succeeded  in  the  establishment  of  their  commercial  fac- 
tory at  Dezima,  in  the  port  of  Nagasaki.  It  is  only  necessary  now  to  remark 
that,  prior  to  the  visit  of  the  United  States’  expedition,  no  other  port  but 
Nagasaki  was  open  to  a European  ship,  and,  except  at  that  spot,  no  Japa- 
nese was  permitted  to  buy  from  or  sell  to  a western  stranger.  The  Chinese 
had  some  few  privileges  of  trade,  but  these  were  hedged  around  with  jealous 
restrictions  that  hampered  their  commercial  relations  and  intercourse  quite 
as  much  as  those  of  the  Europeans.  With  this  general,  and  necessarily  brief 
view  of  the  leading  features  of  the  Japanese  government  and  policy,  we  pass 
on  to  another  topic. 


24 


INTRODUCTION. 


SECTION  IV. 

RELIGION. 

Such  are  the  contradictions  among  the  several  -writers  on  Japan  upon 
the  subject  of  the  religion  of  the  country,  that  it  is  not  easy  to  discover 
what  is  the  precise  truth.  Nor  is  this  discrepancy  much  to  he  wondered  at, 
for,  since  the  extirpation  of  Christianity  from  the  Kingdom,  there  is,  proba- 
bly, no  topic  on  which  a Christian  would  find  it  more  difficult  to  obtain  from 
a Japanese  accurate  information  than  on  the  subject  of  religion.  There  are, 
however,  certain  particulars  in  which  all  agree,  and  which  are  doubtless  cor- 
rect. 

The  original  national  religion  of  J apan  is  called  Sin-syu,  (from  sin,  the 
gods,  and  syu,  faith,)  and  its  followers  are  called  Sintoos.  Such,  at  least,  is 
the  statement  made  by  some  writers;  hut  Siehold  says  the  proper  Japanese 
name  is  Kami-no-mitsi,  which  means  “ the  way  of  the  Kami''  or  gods ; this 
the  Chinese  have  translated  into  Shin-tao;  and  the  Japanese  have  modified 
the  Chinese  into  Sintoo. 

It  is  said  that  the  only  object  of  worship  among  the  Sintoos  is  the  sun- 
goddess,  Ten-sio-dai-zin,  who  is  deemed  the  patron  divinity  of  Japan.  But 
there  are  thousands  of  inferior  deities,  called  Kami,  of  whom  the  greater 
number  are  canonized  or  deified  men.  It  is  through  these  and  the  Mikado, 
as  mediators,  that  prayers  are  made  to  the  sun-goddess,  who  is  too  great 
and  holy  to  allow  of  an  independent  approach  to  her  in  prayer.  The  3Iika- 
do  is  supposed  to  he  her  lineal  descendant.  But  with  all  these  divinities  the 
Sintoos  are  not  idolaters.  They  have  no  idols  in  their  temples;  there  are 
images  indeed  of  their  Kami,  but,  as  it  is  alleged,  not  for  purposes  of  wor- 
ship. This  statement,  however,  is  very  questionable.  The  only  decorations 
of  the  old  temples  were  a mirror,  the  emblem  of  purity  of  soul,  and  many 
strips  of  white  paper  formed  into  what  is  called  a gohei,  also  an  emblem  of 
purity.  Siehold  thinks  the  image  of  the  Kami,  introduced  into  the  temples, 
is  a foreign  innovation,  and  never  existed  before  the  introduction  of  Buddh- 
ism. The  numerous  Kami  he  con.siders  as  analogous  to  the  saints  of  the 
Romanist.  MacFarlane  looks  on  the  Sintoo  worship  at  this  day  as  thorough- 
ly permeated  with  Buddhism.  Meylan  would  make  the  original  religion  of 
Japan  a pure  theism.  It  is  not  easy  to  say  what  it  was  or  is.  As  to  the 
Sintoo  creed,  its  leading  features,  according  to  Siehold,  are  some  vague  notion 
of  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  of  a future  state  of  existence,  of  rewards  and 
punishments,  a paradise  and  a hell.  Its  five  great  duties  are  : 1st.  Preser- 
vation of  pure  fire  as  an  emblem  of  purity  and  instrument  of  purification. 
■2d.  Purity  of  soul,  heart,  and  body  to  be  cherished,  the  fii'St  by  obeying  the 


INTRODUCTION. 


25 


dictates  of  reason  and  the  laws,  the  last  by  abstaining  from  whatever  defiles. 
3d.  Observance  of  festival  days,  which  are  numerous.  4th.  Pilgrimages, 
which  at  certain  times  in  the  year  are  imposing  and  costly;  and  5th.  The 
worship  of  the  Kami,  both  in  the  temples  and  in  private  habitations.  Im- 
purity may  be  contracted  in  various  ways  : By  associating  with  the  impure, 
by  hearing  obscene  or  wicked  language,  by  eating  certain  meats,  and  by  com- 
ing in  contact  with  blood,  or  with  a dead  body.  For  all  these  there  are  the 
prescribed  modes  of  purification. 

The  festivals  all  begin  with  a visit  to  the  temple.  There  the  votary 
performs  his  ablutions  at  a reservoir  jn-ovided  for  the  purpose ; he  then  kneels 
in  the  verandah,  opposite  to  a grated  window,  through  which  he  gazes  at  the 
mirror,  and  then  oilers  up  his  prayers,  with  his  sacrifice  of  rice,  fruit,  tea,  or 
the  like.  This  done,  he  drops  his  coin  in  the  money-box,  and  retires.  This 
is  the  usual  form  of  Kami  worship  at  the  temples.  The  moneys  contributed 
are  applied  to  the  support  of  the  Kaminusi,  as  they  are  called.  These  are 
the  priests  of  the  temple,  and  their  name  or  title  means,  literally,  the  land- 
lords of  the  gods.  These  priests  live  in  houses  within  the  gi’ounds  of  their 
respective  temples,  and  are  hospitable  to  strangers.  Siebold  says  that  they 
marry,  and  that  their  wives  are  priestesses,  who  have  prescribed  religious 
duties;  though  we  have  been  told  by  an  intelligent  Japanese,  in  reply  to  our 
inquiries,  that  the  Sintoo  priests  do  not  marry. 

Prilgrimage,  however,  is  the  great  religious  duty  of  the  Sintooites.  There 
are  two-and-twenty  shrines  in  the  Kingdom  commanding  such  homage  ; but 
the  great  and  most  sacred  one  is  that  of  the  sun-goddess,  Ten-sio-dai-sin,  at 
Isye.  To  make  at  least  one  pilgrimage  to  this  shrine  is  incumbent  upon 
everybody  of  the  Sintoo  faith.  The  very  pious  go  annually.  Even  the 
Buddhists  (with  tlie  exception  of  the  Bonzes  or  priests)  perform  this  pilgrim- 
age. The  Ziogoon  is  permitted  to  perform  this  religious  duty  vicariously, 
and  annually  sends  an  embassy  of  pilgrims  to  Isye. 

The  Kaminusi  are  the  regular  clergy  of  the  Sintoo  religion  in  Japan; 
but  the  European  writers  on  the  subjeet  mention  two  institutions  or  religious 
orders,  if  they  may  be  so  called,  composed  entirely  of  the  blind,  and  consti- 
tuting a guasi  clergy.  The  Japanese  tell  romantic  stories  about  their  origin. 
One  of  the  fraternities  they  say  was  founded  many  centuries  ago  by  Senmi- 
mar,  a prince  of  the  Empire,  and  the  younger  son  of  the  then  reigning  Mi- 
kado. The  prince  was  one  of  the  handsomest  men  in  the  Kingdom,  and 
loved  a princess  whose  beauty  was  a match  for  his  own.  She  died,  and  such 
was  his  grief,  that  he  wept  himself  blind.  He  then  founded  this  order.  The 
other  association  had  a different,  but  not  less  remai’kable  origin.  In  the 
times  of  Yoritomo,  of  whom  we  have  spoken  in  the  last  section,  there  was  a 
general  named  Kakekigo,  who  commanded  a part  of  the  troops  of  Prince 
Feki.  In  battle  with  Yoritomo,  Prince  Feki  was  slain,  and  Kakekigo  was 
taken  prisoner.  So  great  was  the  renown  of  the  prisoner,  throughout  Japan, 


26 


INTRODUCTION. 


that  Yoritomo  strove  most  earnestly  to  gain  his  friendship  ; he  loaded  him 
with  kindnesses  and  finally  offered  him  his  liberty.  Kakekigo  replied  ; “I 
can  love  none  but  my  slain  master.  I owe  you  gratitude ; but  you  caused 
Prince  Feki’s  death,  and  never  can  I look  upon  you  without  wishing  to  kill 
you.  My  best  way  to  avoid  such  ingratitude  and  to  reconcile  my  conflicting 
duties,  is  never  to  see  you  more ; and  thus  do  I insure  it.”  With  these 
words,  he  tore  out  his  eyes,  and  presented  them  to  Yoritomo  on  a salver. 
The  prince,  struck  with  admiration,  released  him,  when  Kakekigo  withdrew 
into  retirement  and  founded  this  second  order  of  the  blind,  which  is  called, 
after  Prince  Feki,  the  Fekisado. 

There  are  two  sects  among  the  Sin-syu : the  Yuits  and  the  Bioboo-Sintoo. 
The  first  are  the  rigidly  orthodox,  who  will  allow  of  no  innovation.  They  are 
few  in  number,  and  consist  mostly  of  the  Kaminusi  or  priests.  The  other 
sect,  which  comprises  the  great  body  of  the  Sintoos,  is  eclectic,  and  has 
introduced  a great  deal  of  Buddhism  into  the  system. 

Buddhism  is  the  most  widely  diffused  of  all  false  creeds.  Its  followers 
amount  to  three  hundred  and  twenty  millions,  while  those  of  Mohammed 
fall  short  of  this  number  by  fifty  millions.  The  founder  of  this  religion  was 
a man  called  Sakya-Sinha,  (Syaka  in  Japan,)  who,  by  his  virtues  and 
austerity,  attained  to  divine  honors,  and  after  death  was  deified  under  the 
name  of  Buddha,  or  “ the  Sage.”  It  is  impossible  to  say  when  he  was  born. 
The  earliest  period  named  is  2,420  years  before  the  Christian  era ; the  latest 
is  but  543  years  prior  to  that  event.  Neither  can  it  be  said  with  certainty 
when  Buddhism  was  introduced  into  Japan.  Klaproth  and  Siebold,  both  of 
whom  profess  to  follow  Japanese  writers,  differ  as  to  dates.  The  probability 
is  that  it  was  brought  in  from  India  or  Corea  near  the  close  of  the  sixth 
century  of  our  era. 

The  leading  features  of  this  system  of  religion  are  the  metempsychosis, 
whence  arises  the  dogma  that  prohibits  the  taking  of  animal  life ; the  worship 
of  a countless  host  of  idols ; that  the  grand  Lama,  or  high-priest  King,  never 
dies ; that  their  priests  constitute  a distinct  order  in  the  State,  and  that  they 
are  bound  to  celibacy.  The  chief  commandments  of  Buddhism  are  five  in 
number,  and  constitute  a code  which  is  called  the  Gokai,  or  five  laws.  They 
are  these : not  to  kill,  not  to  steal,  to  live  chastely,  not  to  lie,  and  to  abstain 
from  strong  drink.  The  Sikai,  or  ten  counsels,  contain  the  division  and 
application  of  these  laws  to  particular  cases.  Buddhism  made  its  way  in 
Japan  by  degrees,  although  the  government  tolerated  it  from  the  beginning. 
Indeed,  no  feature  is  more  striking  among  the  institutions  of  the  Empire 
than  its  enlarged  spirit  of  religious  toleration.  It  was  extended  to  Chris- 
tianity on  its  first  promulgation  by  the  Portuguese ; and  was  not  withdrawn 
until  the  Japanese  supposed  that  intolerance  and  treason  lurked  under  the 
new  religion.  Christianity  was  driven  from  Japan  on  political,  not  on 
religious  grounds.  Such  is  the  liberality  of  the  government  on  the  subject 


INTRODUCTION. 


27 


of  religion  that,  at  this  moment,  may  be  found  in  Japan  no  less  than  thirty- 
four  sects,  all  quite  distinct  from  Buddhism,  (which  is  the  faith  of  a majority 
of  the  Kingdom,)  perfectly  unmolested.  The  truth  is,  that  the  Japanese 
government  exhibits  now,  as  it  always  has  done,  a very  remarkable  indiffer- 
ence to  mere  doctrinal  points,  so  long  as  they  interfere  not  with  the  public 
tranquillity.  When  the  priests  of  the  Japanese  sects  joined,  centuries  ago,  in 
a petition  to  the  Emperor  that  he  would  banish  the  Jesuits  and  the  Bomish 
monks,  annoyed  by  their  importunities,  he  asked  them  how  many  different 
religions  there  were  then  in  J'apan  ? They  answered  “ thirty-five.”  “ Well,” 
said  the  Emperor,  “ when  thirty-five  religions  can  be  tolerated  we  can  easily 
bear  with  thirty-six ; leave  the  strangers  in  peace.” 

The  Buddhism  of  Japan,  at  this  day,  has  probably  much  of  the  old  Sintoo 
mixed  up  with  it ; but  there  is  reason  to  think  that  no  creed  in  the  Kingdom 
has  a very  strong  hold  on  the  popular  mind.  Christianity,  however,  is  viewed 
with  suspicion  by  all,  and  at  pi’esent,  is  not,  in  any  degree,  tolerated. 

The  idolatry  of  the  common  people,  who  are  Buddhists,  is  exceedingly 
gross,  while  among  the  learned  the  religion  assumes  the  character  of  a high 
mystic  creed,  not  wanting  in  some  features  that  are  pure  enough. 

There  is  a third  sect,  called  by  some  writers  religious,  though  Kasmpfer 
more  properly  speaks  of  it  as  a school  of  philosophers.  It  is  known  by  the 
name  of  Siutoo,  which  means  “ the  way  of  philosophers.”  It  inculcates  no 
particular  faith,  and  can  accommodate  itself  to  any,  whether  true  or  false. 
In  some  of  its  features  it  borders  closely  on  Pantheism.  It  is  supposed,  and 
we  presume  correctly,  to  be  an  importation  from  China,  compounded  of  most 
of  the  moral  precepts  of  Confucius,  and  some  high  mystic  Buddhist  notions. 
It  has  no  religious  rites  or  ceremonies  of  its  own.  There  are  five  great 
points  which  characterize  it.  They  call  them  Dsin,  Gi,  Be,  Tsi,  Sin.  JDsin 
teaches  them  to  live  virtuously ; Gi  to  do  right  and  act  justly  with  every- 
body ; Me  to  be  civil  and  polite ; Tsi  sets  forth  rules  for  a good  and  prudent 
government ; and  Sin  treats  of  a free  conscience  and  upright  heart.  Nearly  all 
the  early  European  writers  say  that  by  far  the  larger  number  of  the  learned 
men  of  Japan  belong  to  this  school,  which  is  remarkable  for  its  scorn  of  the 
Buddhist  idolatry.  When  Christianity  was  driven  from  J apan,  the  Siutooists 
were  suspected  of  a tendency  toward  that  faith,  and  thenceforth  every  Japa- 
nese was  required  to  have  in  his  house  an  idol  of  some  kind. 

Meylan,  the  Dutch  official  at  Dezima,  speaks  of  a fourth  religion,  which 
co-existed  with  these  three  prior  to  the  introduction  of  Christianity.  His 
story  is,  that  about  A.  D.  50,  a Brahminical  sect  was  introduced  into  Japan, 
which  taught  as  doctrines  the  redemption  of  the  world  by  the  son  of  a virgin, 
who  died  to  expiate  human  sin,  thus  insuring  to  man  a joyful  resurrection. 
It  also  taught  a trinity  of  immaterial  persons  constituting  one  eternal, 
omnipotent  God,  the  maker  of  all  things,  who  was  to  be  adored  as  the 
source  of  all  good. 


28 


INTRODUCTION. 


Some  have  hence  intimated  what  certainly  is  not  impossible,  that  Chris- 
tianity may  have  thus  early  reached  Japan  through  India.  But  there  is 
probably  some  mistake  in  this  statement  of  the  doctrines  held.  No  writer 
but  Meylan  has  mentioned  the  story,  and  both  the  Buddhist  and  Brahmin- 
ical  systems  afford  materials  which  an  over-zealous  and  uninformed  spirit  of 
Christianity  might  easily  convert  into  seemingly  Christian  doctrines.  Thus, 
the  old  Spanish  ecclesiastics  who  first  came  to  America  were  quite  convinced 
that  the  gospel  had  been  brought  to  our  continent  by  St.  Thomas,  long  before 
their  arrival.  ‘ 


SECTION  Y. 

GENERAL  VIEW  OF  THE  PAST  RELATIONS  OF  THE  EMPIRE  WITH  THE 
WESTERN  CIVILIZED  NATIONS. 

THE  PORTUGUESE. 

Ferdinand  Mendez  Pinto  has  been  immortalized  by  Cervantes,  but 
unfortunately  for  his  reputation  it  is,  to  use  the  phrase  of  Shakspeare,  as  a 
“ measureless  liar.”  Like  Marco  Polo,  when  he  told  strange  things  that 
]jad  befallen  him  in  his  wanderings,  the  men  of  his  generation  refused  to 
believe  him.  But  like  Polo,  he  related  a great  deal  that  has  since  been 
found  to  be  true ; and  we  are  inclined  to  think  that,  when  telling  what  he 
professed  to  have  seen  himself,  he  interspersed  his  narrative  with  as  few 
lies  as  some  of  his  more  accredited  successors  of  modern  times. 

Pinto  was  a good  representative  of  the  Portuguese  discoverer  of  the 
sixteenth  century.  In  his  day  Portugal  was  a power.  In  less  than  two 
centuries  she  had  traversed  the  Atlantic,  conquered  Madeira,  the  Cape  de 
Verds,  the  coast  of  Gruinea  and  Congo;  had  planted  herself  on  the  shores  of 
India,  and  obtained  a foothold  in  China.  She  had  founded  in  her  wealthy 
metropolis  of  Goa  what  has  been  called  “ the  Rome  of  India.”  She 
possessed  Macao,  and  was  among  the  first  of  European  maritime  powers  in 
the  east.  Albuquerque  had  laid  for  her  the  foundations  of  a magnificent 
oriental  empire,  which  it  needed  a man  like  Albuquerque  to  consolidate  and 
retain.  The  man  was  wanting,  and  the  empire  never  grew  to  maturity.  But 
this  her  prosperous  day  produced  for  her  many  a hardy  sailor,  half  hero,  half 
adventurer ; now  exhibiting  a touch  of  chivalry  and  now  a touch  of  traific ; a 
soldier  on  land  to-day  and  a corsair  of  the  seas  to-morrow ; exceedingly  devout 
or  surpassingly  profane,  according  to  circumstances;  but  always  ready  to 
encounter  fatigue,  privation  or  peril,  to  promote  the  gain  of  himself  and  the 


I N T E 0 D TJ  C T I 0 N . 


29 


grandeur  of  his  country,  which  on  most  occasions  he  felicitously  contrived  to 
reconcile  and  blend  into  one  common  end.  Of  this  class  Pinto  was  a type. 

He  visited  J apan,  and  has  told  us  the  story  of  his  adventures ; and  the 
better  authorities  of  this  day  believe  that  he  was  an  eye-witness  and  actor 
in  such  scenes  as  he  relates  of  personal  incidents. 

There  is,  however,  some  room  for  discussion  on  the  subject  of  dates ; for 
if  we  may  credit  the  Japanese  annals,  it  would  seem  that  about  the  same 
time  there  must  have  been  two  visits  of  Europeans  to  Japan;  but  if  there 
were,  both  were  made  by  natives  of  Portugal,  so  that  to  them  unquestion- 
ably belongs  the  honor  of  having  first  landed  on  the  Japanese  soil,  and  of 
having  brought  that  country  into  communication  with  Europe.  The  dis- 
covery, indeed,  was  accidental  in  both  cases,  if  two  there  were,  but  that  does 
not  alter  the  fact  that  it  was  made  by  the  Portuguese. 

We  incline  to  think,  however,  that  there  was  but  one  visit.  The  annals 
of  Japan  record  the  arrival  of  the  first  Europeans,  and  substantially  they 
agree  with  Pinto’s  story.  So  remarkable  was  the  event,  and  so  strange  the 
appearance  of  the  new  comers,  that  the  Japanese  preserved  portraits  of  them. 
The  date  assigned  in  the  annals  would  correspond  with  our  October,  in  the 
year  1543.  Pinto  makes  the  date  of  his  arrival  in  1545.  Still  the  details 
given  by  Pinto,  and  confirmed  by  the  annals,  force  us  to  believe  that  both 
are  telling  the  story  of  the  same  event.  Whether  it  were  in  the  one  year 
or  the  other  of  those  named  above,  the  story  is,  that  a Portuguese  ship  or 
Chinese  Corsair,  (we  know  not  which,)  on  board  of  which  was  Pinto,  after 
great  stress  of  weather,  was  driven  to  the  shores  of  Japan,  and  anchored  at 
last  in  the  harbor  of  Bungo,  on  the  island  of  Kiu-siu.  The  Japanese  at 
that  time,  though  vigilant,  yet  manifested  no  reluctance  to  admit  the  stran- 
gers and  hold  communication  with  them.  They  extended  courtesy  and 
kindness  to  them,  and  no  obstacle  was  interposed  to  a free  trade  with  the 
inhabitants.  The  names  of  those  who  first  landed  are  said  by  various 
writers,  from  Malfeius  up  to  Thunberg,  to  have  been  Antonio  Mota,  Fran- 
cisco Zeimoto,  and  Antonio  Peixoto.  Fraissinet,  however,  thinks  that  the 
names  have  been  disfigured  or  altered,  and  that  the  individuals  meant  were 
Fernan  Mendez  Pinto,  Diego  Zeimoto,  and  Christoval  Borallo.  The  Japanese 
annals  speak  of  two  under  the  names  of  Moura  Siouksia  and  Krista  Mota, 
and  Fraissinet  suggests  that  Siouksia  may  be  the  Japanese  pronunciation  of 
Zeimoto,  and  Krista  their  nearest  approach  to  Christoval.  The  natives  and 
strangers  were  so  well  pleased  with  each  other  that,  by  an  arrangement  with 
the  viceroy  or  prince  of  Bungo,  (the  rulers  of  the  principalities  were  then 
probably  more  independent  of  the  Emperor  than  they  are  now,)  a Portu- 
guese ship  was  to  be  sent  annually  to  the  island  of  Kiu-siu  laden  with 
woollen  cloths,  furs,  manufactured  silks,  taffetas,  and  other  commodities 
needed  by  the  Japanese.  The  ship  was  to  be  despatched  probably  from 
Macao,  or,  it  may  be,  from  Goa.  The  returns  were  to  be  made  in  gold. 


30 


INTRODUCTION. 


silver,  and  copper,  of  the  last  of  which  there  is  undoubted  abundance  in 
Japan,  and  probably  no  small  quantity  of  the  first. 

But  with  this  introduction  of  commercial  relations,  the  Portuguese  soon 
introduced  also  priests  of  the  religion  they  professed.  In  1549,  seven  years 
only  after  the  discovery,  Hansiro,  a young  Japanese  of  some  rank,  had  found  it 
necessary  to  fiy  from  his  country,  on  account  of  a homicide,  and  had  gone  to 
the  Portuguese  settlement  of  Goa,  on  the  Malabar  coast.  Here  he  encoun- 
tered ecclesiastics  of  the  church  of  Rome,  by  whom  he  was  converted  to  the 
Christain  faith  and  baptized.  He  was  enterprising  and  shrewd,  and  soon 
convinced  the  Portuguese  merchants  of  Goa  that  they  might  establish  a 
profitable  trade  with  Japan,  and  assured  the  Jesuits  that  they  also  might 
find  a rich  harvest  of  souls  in  the  Empire. 

The  Portuguese  hastened  to  act  on  both  his  suggestions ; a ship  was 
loaded  with  goods  and  presents  and  sent  to  establish  a permanent  trade  with 
Japan;  while,  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  second  object,  some  of  the 
Jesuit  priests  were  ready  enough  to  embark.  Among  them  was  that 
remarkable  man,  Francis  Xavier,  who  possessed  in  an  eminent  degree  many 
of  the  most  important  qualifications  of  the  Christian  missionary.  To  talents 
of  a very  high  order  he  added  a zeal  and  enthusiasm  rarely  equalled,  and  a 
courage  never  surpassed.  The  thought  of  the  perils  attending  the  mission, 
so  far  from  disheartening  him,  served  only  to  strengthen  his  resolve  to 
undertake  it.  On  hoard  the  ship  returned  the  young  Japanese  convert  who 
had  suggested  the  undertakiug.  On  arriving  at  the  province  of  Bungo  all 
were  received  with  open  arms,  and  not  the  slightest  opposition  was  made  to 
the  introduction  of  either  trade  or  religion.  No  system  of  exclusion  then 
existed,  and  such  was  the  spirit  of  toleration  that  the  government  made  no 
objection  to  the  preaching  of  Christianity.  Indeed  the  Portuguese  were 
freely  permitted  to  go  where  they  pleased  in  the  Empire,  and  to  travel,  by 
land  or  sea,  from  one  end  of  it  to  the  other.  The  people  bought  the  goods 
of  the  merchants  and  listened  to  the  teachings  of  the  missionaries.  The 
labors  of  the  last  were  very  successful,  for  it  is  but  justice  to  Xavier  and 
the  first  missionaries  to  say  that  they  were  most  exemplary  men — humble, 
virtuous,  disinterested,  and  very  benevolent.  Possessed  of  some  medical 
skill,  they  used  it  kindly  and  gratuitously  among  the  sick,  and  were  deserv- 
edly viewed  by  the  people  as  friendly  and  superior  men,  whose  lives  were 
devoted  to  doing  good.  They  meddled  with  no  public  aflTairs;  unmolested 
by  the  government,  they  troubled  not  themselves  about  its  administration ; 
and  imitating  the  example  of  the  devoted  Xavier,  they  modestly  and  unceas- 
ingly  pursued  the  appropriate  duties  of  their  holy  calling  only.  In  fact, 
they  loved  the  Japanese.  With  one  voice  the  early  missionaries  speak  in 
terms  of  strong  affection  when  they  describe  the  docile  and  good  disposition 
of  the  Japanese.  Xavier  says  : “ I know  not  when  to  cease  in  speakina:  of 
the  Japanese.  They  are  truly  the  delight  of  my  heart.” 


INTRODUCTION, 


31 


This  eminent  man  went  from  Japan  to  China  in  1551,  and  in  1552  died 
at  Shan  Shan,  on  the  Canton  river,  not  far  from  Macao.  He  left  behind 
him,  however,  among  his  beloved  islanders,  some  very  able  and  excellent 
men,  and  churches  were  built  and  converts  made  by  thousands. 

Nor  were  the  commercial  relations  of  the  new  comers  less  prosperous. 
They  could  readily  obtain  the  commodities  they  wished  for  the  Japanese 
market  from  their  establishments  at  Macao  and  Goa.  The  profits  they 
made  on  their  European  merchandise  were  commonly  one  hundred  per  cent. ; 
so  that,  as  Ksempfer  has  said,  if  their  commercial  prosperity  had  continued 
but  twenty  years  longer,  Macao  would  have  been  so  enriched  from  Japan 
that  it  would  have  surpassed  all  that  was  accumulated  in  Jerusalem  during 
the  reign  of  Solomon.  As  one  of  the  old  writers  expresses  it,  the  Portuguese 
obtained  “ the  golden  marrow  ” of  J apan.  In  fact  they  had  but  to  proceed 
prudently  and  they  would  ere  long  have  been  the  dominant  race  in  Japan. 
Many  of  them  had  married  the  daughters  of  the  wealthiest  Christian  Japa- 
nese, and  no  other  nation  of  Europe  could  have  driven  them  from  their  strong 
position. 

It  was  about  the  year  1566  that  the  Portuguese  first  called  the  atten- 
tion of  the  reigning  prince  of  Omura  to  the  superiority  of  the  harbor  of 
Nagasaki  over  the  ports  they  were  accustomed  to  frequent ; and  it  was  at 
their  suggestion  that  a settlement  was  formed  there.  Bungo,  Firando, 
(Firato,)  and  Nagasaki  were  the  principal  places  of  commercial  business. 

But  all  this  prosperity  was  destined  to  have  an  end,  and  we  are  sorry  to 
say  it  was  occasioned  by  the  ecclesiastics  themselves.  Had  the  work  begun 
by  Xavier  and  his  companions  been  left  in  the  hands  of  men  like  them- 
selves, we  very  much  doubt  whether  the  severe  Japanese  laws  prohibiting 
Christianity  in  the  Empire  would  ever  have  existed.  But  these  prudent, 
inoffensive,  and  laborious  men  were  soon  outnumbered  by  swarms  of  Domi- 
nican, Augustinian,  and  Franciscan  friars  from  Goa  and  Macao,  who  were 
attracted  by  the  flattering  accounts  of  the  remarkable  success  of  the  Jesuits. 
They  had  not  labored  in  making  the  harvest,  they  were  ready  enough  to  go 
and  reap  it.  The  Franciscans  and  Dominicans  quarrelled  with  each  other, 
and  all  the  orders  quarrelled  with  the  Jesuits.  In  vain  did  the  latter  im- 
plore them  to  profit  by  their  experience,  to  be  discreet  and  suppress  their 
strife,  to  respect  the  laws  and  usages  of  the  country.  In  vain  did  they 
represent  that  their  conduct  would  prove  fatal,  not  merely  to  their  own 
hopes  and  purposes,  but  even  to  the  progress,  possibly  to  the  continuance  in 
Japan  of  Christianity  itself.  All  was  of  no  avail.  To  the  Japanese  con- 
vert was  presented  the  strange  spectacle  of  one  ecclesiastic  quarrelling  with 
another,  of  one  body  of  priests  intriguing  with  heathens  to  defeat  another ; 
while  even  the  poor  native  Christian  labored  to  reconcile  the  feuds  and 
rivalries  of  these  consecrated  belligerents. 


32 


INTEODUCTION 


The  quarrels  of  these  Roman  monastic  orders  may,  therefore,  be  ac- 
counted as  one  cause  of  the  expulsion  of  Christianity  from  Japan. 

But  this  was  not  all.  The  pride,  avarice,  and  extortions  of  the  Portu- 
guese laity  had  become  excessive  about  the  close  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
and  disgusted  the  Japanese.  Very  many  of  the  clergy,  forgetful  of  the 
spirit  of  their  office,  instead  of  rebuking  these  sins,  rather  gave  their 
countenance  to  their  wealthy  countrymen,  and  often  sustained  their  acts 
without  inquiring  into  their  propriety.  Indeed,  their  own  pride  quite 
equalled  that  of  the  laity ; and  even  the  native  Christians  are  said  to  have 
been  both  shocked  and  disgusted  when  they  saw'  that  their  spiritual  instruc- 
tors were  quite  as  diligent  in  the  effort  to  acquire  their  property  as  in  the 
endeavor  to  save  their  souls.  The  Japanese  traditions,  to  this  day,  repre- 
sent the  downfall  of  Christianity  in  the  Empire  as  having  been,  in  part  at 
least,  produced  by  the  avarice,  sensuality,  and  pride  of  the  ecclesiastics. 
They  treated  with  open  contempt  the  institutions  and  customs  of  the 
country,  and  insulted  the  highest  officials  of  the  government  by  studied 
indignities.  A circumstance  is  related  as  having  occurred  in  1596,  which  is 
said  to  have  been  the  immediate  cause  of  the  great  persecution.  A Portu- 
guese bishop  was  met  on  the  high  road  by  one  of  the  highest  officers  of  the 
State  on  his  way  to  court.  Each  was  in  his  sedan.  The  usage  of  the 
country  required  that,  in  such  case,  the  conveyance  of  the  bishop  should  be 
stopped,  and  that  he  should  alight  and  pay  his  respects  to  the  nobleman. 
Instead  of  conforming  to  this  established  act  of  courtesy,  the  bishop  took 
not  the  least  notice  of  the  Japanese  dignitary,  but,  turning  his  head  away 
from  him,  ordered  his  bearers  to  carry  him  on.  The  insult,  evidently  in- 
tended, was  so  gross  that  the  grandee  took  mortal  offence,  and  confounding 
the  Portuguese  generally  with  their  haughty  clergy,  he  conceived  toward  all 
an  implacable  resentment.  He  forthwith  presented  his  grievance  to  the 
Emperor,  and  touched  his  sense  of  dignity  and  national  pride  by  a strong 
picture  of  the  vanity  and  insolence  of  the  Portuguese.  Taiko,  of  whom  we 
have  already  sj^oken,  was  at  that  time  Emperor,  and  he  was  the  last  man  to 
permit  the  laws  and  customs  of  his  Empire  to  be  treated  with  contempt  by  a 
set  of  presumptuous  foreigners,  who  had  neither  good  feeling  nor  good  sense 
enough  to  repay  the  kindness  they  had  received  with  the  decency  of  common 
civility.  "With  the  Emperor’s  kind  sentiments  thus  alienated  the  end  was 
certain ; it  involved  a question  of  time  only ; and  such  was  the  infatuation 
of  these  inflated  ecclesiastics  that  this  stupid  act  of  episcopal  insolence  was 
perpetrated  at  a time  when  the  Portuguese,  by  their  pride  and  avarice,  had 
already  lost  the  best  part  of  the  favor  they  had  once  possessed. 

At  length  a Portuguese  ship,  on  its  way  from  the  East  to  Lisbon,  was 
captured  by  the  Dutch,  and  among  other  matters  found  on  board  were 
certain  treasonable  letters,  written  by  More,  a native  Japanese,  to  the  King 
of  Portugal.  Moro  was  a zealous  Romanist,  a warm  friend  of  the  J esuits, 


INTRODUCTION. 


33 


and  one  of  the  chief  agents  and  friends  of  the  Portuguese  in  Japan.  From 
these  letters  it  appeared  that  the  Japanese  Christians,  in  conjunction  with 
the  Portuguese,  were  plotting  the  overthrow  of  the  throne ; and  all  they 
wanted  was  a supply  of  ships  and  soldiers  from  Portugal.  It  may  be  diffi- 
cult to  ascertain,  with  certainty,  all  the  details  of  the  conspiracy ; but  of 
the  conspiracy  itself  there  can  be  no  doubt. 

The  Dutch,  who  were  the  sworn  foes  of  the  Portuguese,  lost  no  time  in 
communicating  the  intercepted  letters  to  the  authorities  of  Japan,  and  the 
result  was  that  in  1637  an  imperial  proclamation  decreed  that  “ the  whole 
race  of  the  Portuguese,  with  their  mothers,  nurses,  and  whatever  belongs  to 
them,  shall  be  banished  forever.”  The  same  proclamation  forbade,  under 
penalty  of  death  to  those  concerned,  any  Japanese  ship,  or  native  of  Japan,  T 
to  depart  from  the  country.  It  directed  that  any  Japanese  returning  home 
from  a foreign  country  should  be  put  to  death ; that  any  person  presuming 
to  bring  a letter  from  abroad  should  die  ; that  no  nobleman  or  soldier  should 
purchase  anything  from  a foreigner ; that  any  person  propagating  Christian 
doctrines,  or  even  bearing  the  title  of  Christian,  should  suffer ; and  a reward 
was  offered  for  the  discovery  of  every  priest,  as  well  as  of  every  native 
Christian.  Under  these  severe  edicts  some  of  the  Portuguese  were  at  once 
frightened  out  of  the  country.  Others,  however,  lingered,  cooped  up  in 
their  factory  at  Dezima,  hoping  that  the  tempest  would  presently  pass  over, 
and  that  they  might  resume  their  traffic.  But  the  Emperor  was  firmly  re- 
solved to  root  them  out  forever,  and  forbade  them  ever  to  import  even  the 
goods  of  their  own  country ; and  so  ended  the  trade  of  the  Portuguese  with 
Japan,  and  the  toleration  of  the  Christian  religion  in  the  Empire. 

The  writers  of  the  church  of  Borne  assert  that  it  was  owing  to  the 
malice  and  misrepresentations  of  the  heretical  Dutch  that  the  missionaries 
and  early  Japanese  converts  were  exposed  to  the  persecutions,  which  after- 
wards resulted  in  the  expulsion  of  Christianity.  An  examination  of  dates, 
however,  will  show  that  this  statement  is  entirely  erroneous.  The  Portu- 
guese, clerical  and  lay,  must  blame  themselves  only  for  their  final  expulsion. 
Doubtless,  the  Dutch,  as  we  shall  see  presently,  were  ready  enough  to  give 
increased  impetus,  whenever  they  could,  to  the  tide  of  calamity  which  ulti- 
mately overwhelmed  their  rivals,  but  that  tide  had  commenced  its  fiow,  in 
the  form  of  persecution  of  Christianity,  fully  three  years  before  a Dutchman 
set  foot  in  J apan.  It  began,  as  we  have  said,  in  the  quarrels  of  the  monas- 
tic orders  themselves. 

It  would  be  wrong  to  leave  this  brief  sketch  of  the  Portuguese  relations 
with  Japan  without  bearing  witness  to  the  noble  constancy  of  the  thousands 
of  native  Christians  who  were  put  to  death  for  their  religion.  The  history 
of  Christianity’s  persecutions  contains  no  more  touching  chapter  than  that 
which  records  the  cruel  torments  and  heroic  Christian  courage  of  men, 

3 


34 


INTKODUCTION, 


women,  and  even  children,  as  they  hore  testimony  to  the  sincerity  of  their 
Christian  convictions. 


THE  DUTCH. 

It  is  to  an  Englishman  that  the  Hollanders  are  indebted  for  an  introduc- 
tion to  J apan,  and  for  the  establishment  of  their  earliest  commercial  relations. 
After  the  grant  by  the  Pope  of  all  the  western  and  about  half  the  eastern 
hemisphere  to  the  Spaniards  and  Portuguese,  these  people,  who  were  then 
not  without  naval  strength,  were  unwilling  to  allow  any  share  of  trade  to 
the  other  powers  of  Europe;  and,  whenever  they  could,  they  seized  their 
unarmed  vessels  as  contraband,  if  they  found  them  within  the  imaginary 
limits  of  their  Papal  grant,  confiscated  their  cargoes,  and  treated  their  crews 
as  sea-thieves  and  smugglers. 

The  Dutch  and  English,  who  had  no  respect  for  the  Pope’s  geography, 
and  as  little  faith  in  his  religion,  denied  his  title  to  the  ovmership  of  the 
whole  earth,  and  profanely  likened  him  to  Satan  when  he  offered  to  our  Lord 
whole  kingdoms,  in  which  he  had  not  title  in  fee  to  a single  square  foot. 
But  as  Spain  and  Portugal  were,  in  the  assertion  of  their  title,  as  much  in 
the  habit  of  relying  on  powder  and  ball  as  on  men’s  conscientious  submission 
to  the  decrees  of  the  holy  father,  the  Dutch  and  English  rarely  sent  out 
their  ships,  and  especially  to  the  “ south  seas,”  without  taking  care  to  arm 
them ; and  commonly  they  dispatched  them  in  squadrons.  Thus,  cruising  in 
company,  they  went  wherever  they  thought  they  could  find  a profitable  trade ; 
and  deemed  it  a religious  duty  (which  they  scrupulously  performed)  to  seize 
and  plunder,  whenever  they  could,  any  Spanish  or  Portuguese  ship,  and  to 
make  a descent  on  their  coasts,  and  burn  their  colonial  towns  and  villages. 
Whoever  would  read  the  story  of  their  wild,  exciting,  and  often  romantic 
adventures,  may  find  them  in  Esquemeling’s  or  Burnet’s  histories  of  the 
buccaneers.  The  hatred  between  Spain  and  Portugal  on  the  one  side,  and 
the  Dutch  and  English  on  the  other,  was  intense.  Differing  in  religion,  the 
first  named  had  no  gentler  epithets  to  apply  to  their  enemies  than  “ vile  Lu- 
therans,” “schismatics,”  “accursed  heretics;”  while  the  latter  repaid  them, 
by  applying  the  equally  mild  terms  of  “ lying  Papists,”  “ foul  idolaters,” 
“worshippers  of  wood  and  rotten  bones.”  This  state  of  embittered  feeling 
prevailed  all  through  the  reigns  of  Elizabeth,  James  I.,  and  Charles  I.  of 
England,  and  ceased  only  in  the  time  of  William  III.,  when  the  peace  of 
Ryswick  allowed,  on  the  part  of  Spain  and  Portugal,  a little  freedom  of  com- 
merce to  other  nations,  who,  by  the  way,  were  becoming  more  powerful  than 
the  Spaniards  and  Portuguese  on  the  Pacific  and  the  eastern  waters. 

It  was  during  this  period  of  national  animosity,  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
reign  of  Elizabeth,  that  the  Dutch  made  their  way  to  Japan.  A fleet  of 
five  sail  of  Dutch  ships,  under  the  command  of  Jaques  Mahu,  left  the  Texel 


INTKODUCTION, 


35 


on  the  24th  of  June,  1598.  It  was  sent  out  by  the  Indian  Company  of 
Holland ; and  on  board  of  the  admiral’s  ship  was  William  Adams,  as  pilot. 
Adams  has  told  his  own  story  with  captivating  simplicity ; and  it  has  been 
preserved  in  the  pages  of  that  worthy  compiler ; honest  old  Purchas.  He 
tells  us  as  follosw : “ Your  worships  will  understand  that  I am  a Kentish 
man,  born  in  a town  called  Gillingham,  two  English  miles  from  Rochester, 
and  one  mile  from  Chatham,  where  the  queen’s  ships  do  lie.”  After  stating 
that  he  was  regularly  apprenticed  and  bred  a seaman,  he  thus  proceeds ; “ I 
have  served  in  the  place  of  master  and  pilot  in  her  Majesty’s  ships,  and 
about  eleven  or  twelve  years  served  the  worshipful  company  of  the  Barbary 
merchants,  until  the  Indian  traffic  from  Holland  began ; in  which  Indian 
traffic  I was  desirous  to  make  a little  experience  of  the  small  knowledge 
which  God  has  given  me.  So,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  God  1598,  I hired 
myself  for  chief  pilot  of  a fleet  of  flve  sail  of  Hollanders,”  &c. 

But  the  “ little  experience  ” of  our  English  pilot  proved  both  long  and 
sad.  Sickness  broke  out  in  the  ships,  the  admiral  and  a great  many  of  the 
men  died ; after  divers  calamities  they  reached  the  Straits  of  Magellan  in 
April,  1599 ; they  were  forced,  not  by  any  fault  of  Adams  but  by  the  folly 
of  the  commander,  to  winter  in  the  Straits,  remaining  in  them  nearly  six 
months,  until  provisions  were  exhausted  and  some  of  the  men  actually  died 
of  hunger.  At  length,  after  getting  into  the  Paciflc,  storms  dispersed  the 
fleet ; some  were  lost,  some  captured ; the  savages  on  the  islands  where 
they  landed  in  search  of  food  and  water,  in  more  than  one  instance,  lay  in 
ambush  and  murdered  the  men ; and  finally,  after  great  sufrering,  it  was 
resolved,  on  Adams’  advice,  to  make  for  Japan.  Of  the  five  ships  that  had 
left  Holland  together  there  remained  but  the  one  of  which  Adams  was  pilot. 
But  he  kept  a stout  heart,  and  at  last,  on  the  11th  of  April,  1600,  he  saw 
the  high  lands  of  Japan  in  the  province  of  Bungo,  and  on  the  12th  came  to 
anchor,  when  there  were  actually  but  five  men  of  the  whole  ship’s  company 
able  to  go  about  and  do  duty.  They  were  hospitably  received,  soldiers  were 
placed  on  board  to  prevent  a robbery  of  their  goods,  a house  was  provided 
for  the  sick,  and  their  bodily  wants  were  all  supplied  by  the  prince  of  Bungo, 
who  sent  word  to  the  Emperor  of  their  arrival. 

The  Portuguese,  it  will  be  remembered,  were  already  established  in  Japan, 
and  one  of  their  commercial  depots  was  at  Nagasaki.  Five  or  six  days  after 
the  arrival  of  the  Dutch,  there  came  from  that  place  a Portuguese  Jesuit, 
with  some  of  his  countrymen  and  some  Japanese  Christians.  The  former  of 
these  immediately  denounced  the  Hollanders  as  pirates,  denying  that  they 
had  come  for  any  purposes  of  trade,  as  they  alleged,  though  their  ship  had 
a full  cargo  of  merchandize  on  board.  This  created  a prejudice  against  them 
in  the  minds  of  the  Japanese,  and  the  poor  Hollanders  lived  in  daily  expec- 
tation of  being  put  to  death.  This  was  precisely  what  the  Portuguese  would 
have  been  glad  to  see,  influenced  by  the  double  motive  of  hatred  of  heretics 


36 


INTRODUCTION. 


and  the  wish  to  monopolize  trade.  But  the  case  having  been  submitted  to 
the  Emperor,  who  was  then  at  Osaca,  he  ordered  that  Adams  and  one  of  the 
Dutch  sailors  should  he  sent  to  him.  He  was  sent  accordingly,  and  fur- 
nishes a long  and  interesting  account  of  his  interview  with  the  monarch, 
(conducted  through  the  medium  of  a Portuguese  interpreter,)  in  the  course 
of  which  Adams  had  an  opportunity  of  showing  the  Emperor  samples  of  the 
merchandize  he  had  brought  with  him,  and  of  begging  that  he  and  his  com- 
panions might  have  liberty  to  trade,  as  the  Portuguese  had.  An  answer  was 
returned  in  Japanese,  but  Adams  did  not  understand  it,  and  he  was  carried 
to  prison,  but  his  comforts  seem  to  have  been  duly  regarded.  He  remained 
in  prison  forty-one  days,  during  all  which  time,  as  he  subsequently  discovered, 
the  Jesuits  and  Portuguese  residents  spared  no  efforts  to  induce  the  Emperor 
to  put  all  the  Dutch  ship’s  company  to  death  as  pirates.  At  last  the  Empe- 
ror answered  their  application  with  equal  justice  and  good  sense,  by  telling 
them  that,  as  yet,  the  Dutch  had  done  no  hurt  to  him  or  any  of  his  people, 
and  that  therefore  he  had  no  just  cause  to  take  their  lives ; nor  could  he  find 
any  suflicient  reason  for  such  severity  as  they  desired  in  the  fact  that  wars 
existed  between  Portugal  and  Holland,  with  which  he  had  nothing  to  do. 

At  length  he  summoned  Adams  before  him  again,  and  asked  of  him  a 
great  many  questions.  Einally,  he  enquired  of  him  whether  he  would  like  to 
go  to  his  ship  again  to  see  his  companions  ? Upon  his  answering  affirmatively 
he  bade  him  go,  and  this  was  the  first  intimation  Adams  had  that  the  ship 
had  been  brought  by  the  Emperor’s  order  to  Osaca,  and  that  his  companions 
were  alive.  Everything  was  now  taken  out  of  the  vessel,  which  was  ordered 
to  a spot  nearer  to  Jeddo,  whither  the  Emperor  had  gone.  The  whole  ship’s 
company  were  liberally  provided  for  at  the  expense  of  the  government. 
Presently  they  petitioned  that  they  might  be  permitted  to  take  their  vessel 
and  depart,  but  the  Emperor  would  not  consent.  Finally,  at  the  expiration 
of  two  years,  during  which  time  they  had  been  at  liberty  and  mingled  freely 
with  the  Japanese,  they  were  informed  that  they  could  not  have  their  ship 
any  more,  and  that  they  must  make  up  their  minds  to  live,  for  the  rest  of 
their  days,  happily  and  peacefully  in  Japan.  Hereupon  the  Dutchmen  dis- 
persed themselves,  going  where  they  pleased,  and  living  comfortably  enough 
upon  the  daily  allowance  made  them  by  the  Emperor.  Adams,  however, 
remained  about  the  court,  and  by  his  ingenuity  and  good  qualities,  soon  made 
friends,  and  gradually  rose  in  the  esteem  of  the  Emperor  until  he  attained 
to  a high  position  of  honor  in  the  country.  He  taught  his  majesty  some  of 
the  principles  of  mathematics,  and  built  for  him  two  vessels.  These  things 
gave  to  him  such  commanding  influence,  that  even  the  Jesuits  and  Portu- 
guese, who,  for  the  reasons  already  mentioned,  were  gradually  losing  favor, 
were  glad  to  secure  his  friendly  interposition  with  the  Emperor  for  their 
benefit. 

At  length,  in  1609,  two  armed  Dutch  ships  came  to  Japan.  Their  object 


INTEODUCTION. 


37 


was  to  intercept  and  make  prize  of  the  large  Portuguese  carrack  which  made 
the  yearly  voyage  from  Macao  to  Japan  with  merchandize  for  the  established 
trade.  They  were,  however,  a few  days  too  late  for  her  capture,  and  so  they 
put  in  at  Firando,  and  the  commanders  went  thence  to  the  court  of  the 
Emperor.  Here  William  Adams,  being  the  chief  negotiator  for  them,  they 
were  kindly  received,  and  obtained  the  Emperor’s  free  pass,  and  permission 
for  their  nation  to  send  annually  a ship  or  two  for  purposes  of  trade ; and 
this  was  the  beginning  of  the  Dutch  commerce  with  J apan. 

Adams,  as  we  have  said,  rose  to  high  distinction.  He  thus  describes  his 
situation  : “ Now  for  my  service  which  I have  done  and  daily  do,  being  em- 
ployed in  the  Emperor’s  service,  he  hath  given  me  a living  like  unto  a lord- 
ship  in  England,  with  eighty  or  ninety  husbandmen,  who  are  as  my  ser- 
vants and  slaves.  The  precedent  was  never  done  before.  Thus,  God  hath 
provided  for  me  after  my  great  misery ; to  his  name  be  the  praise  forever. 
Amen.” 

But  with  all  this  external  prosperity,  poor  Adams  had  a heartsore  that 
could  not  be  healed  in  Japan.  He  had  left  a young  wife  and  two  children 
in  England,  whom  he  tenderly  loved.  Some  of  the  most  affecting  passages 
he  has  written  are  those  in  which  he  alludes  to  his  family,  and  expresses  the 
dreadful  apprehension  that  he  should  never  see  them  again.  There  are  such 
honest,  natural  outpourings  of  a true  and  faithful  heart  in  these  passages,  that 
it  is  impossible  to  read  them  without  the  deepest  sympathy.  The  Emperor 
was  not  willing  he  should  go  at  all.  Had  he  been  willing,  Adams  could  not 
have  gone  in  the  Portuguese  ships,  which  were,  at  first,  the  only  vessels  that 
came  annually  for  trade ; but  when  he  had  successfully  negotiated  for  the 
Dutch,  his  hopes  of  once  more  seeing  his  family  began  to  revive.  He  thought 
that  in  some  of  their  vessels  God  might  at  last  provide  a way  for  his  return 
to  England.  But,  though  thus  saddened  at  heart,  he  never  lost  his  self-pos- 
session and  prudence.  He  thought  that,  should  he  never  be  able  to  go  him- 
self, he  might  at  least  let  his  beloved  family  know  where  he  was,  and  assure 
them  of  his  unabated  affection.  From  the  Dutch  ship  which  came  in  1611, 
he  for  the  first  time  learned  that  his  countrymen,  the  English,  were  carrying 
on  considerable  trade  in  the  East  Indies,  and  had  made  a humble  beginning, 
in  the  way  of  factories,  on  the  Malabar  coast.  He,  of  course,  knew  not  who 
of  his  countrymen  might  be  there,  or  elsewhere  in  the  east,  but  whoever  or 
wherever  they  might  be,  they  were  English,  and  through  them  he  might  tell 
the  sad  story  of  his  thirteen  long  years  of  separation  from  home  and  wife  and 
children.  He  accordingly  wrote  two  long  letters,  the  one  addressed  to  his 
wife,  the  other  endorsed  as  follows  ; “ To  my  unknown  friends  and  country- 
men, desiring  this  letter,  by  your  good  means  or  the  news  or  copy  of  this 
letter,  may  come  to  one  or  many  of  my  acquaintance  in  Limehouse  or  else- 
where, or  in  Kent,  in  Gillingham  by  Bochester.”  The  last  sentence  in  this 
is  in  these  words : 


38 


INTEODUCTION. 


“ Thus,  in  short,  I am  constrained  to  write,  hoping  that  by  one  means  or 
other,  in  process  of  time,  I shall  hear  of  my  wife  and  children ; and  so  with 
patience  I wait  the  good  will  and  pleasure  of  God  Almighty,  desiring  all 
those  to  whom  this  my  letter  shall  come  to  use  the  means  to  acquaint  my 
good  friends  with  it,  that  so  my  wife  and  children  may  hear  of  me ; by  which 
means,  there  may  be  hope  that  I may  hear  of  my  wife  and  children  before 
my  death  ; the  which  the  Lord  grant  to  his  glory  and  my  comfort.  Amen. 

“ Done  in  Japan,  the  two  and  twentieth  of  October,  1611,  by  your  un- 
worthy friend  and  servant  to  command  in  what  I can, 

“WILLIAM  ADAMS.” 

In  both  these  letters  Adams  related  the  principal  occurrences  that  had 
befallen  him  since  he  left  the  Texel,  and  from  these  we  have  drawn  the  facts 
previously  related.  The  letters  did  reach  England,  but  whether  they  found 
his  wife  and  children  living,  or  whether  he  ever  heard  from  them  we  cannot 
tell.  As  to  himself,  he  might  have  sadly  appropriated  the  words  of  the 
poet : 

“Nor  wife  nor  children  more  shall  he  hehold, 

Nor  friends  nor  sacred  home.” 

He  died  at  Eirando,  in  Japan,  in  1619  or  1620,  after  having  resided 
there  from  the  year  1600 ; and  we  have  dwelt  the  longer  on  his  personal 
history,  not  merely  on  account  of  its  melancholy  interest,  but  because  when 
we  come  to  speak  of  the  doings  of  his  own  countrymen  in  Japan,  these 
letters  will  be  necessary  to  elucidate  our  narrative. 

Leaving  now  these  letters,  we  proceed  with  the  history  of  the  Dutch 
commerce.  The  first  factory  of  the  Hollanders  was  at  Eirando,  and  was  on 
an  humble  scale.  That  of  the  Portuguese  was  at  Nagasaki,  on  the  island 
Dezima,  which  is  now  occupied  by  the  Dutch.  The  rivalry  between  the  two 
establishments  was,  of  course,  very  great,  and  each  sought  to  injui-e  the  other 
as  much  as  possible  with  the  Japanese  authorities.  At  length,  before  the 
close  of  1639,  the  Portuguese  were  totally  expelled  the  country;  and  then 
occurred  an  act  on  the  part  of  the  Dutch  in  Japan,  too  clearly  proved  to 
admit  of  denial,  and  too  wicked  and  infamous  to  allow  of  palliation.  It  was 
no  better  than  cold  blooded  murder,  prompted  by  no  higher  motive  than  the 
base  love  of  commercial  gain.  The  facts  were  these : Though  no  Portuguese 
Christian  remained  in  Japan,  yet  the  native  Christians  were  not  all  extir- 
pated. These  poor  creatures,  deprived  of  their  European  teachers,  persevered 
in  their  faitli,  though  threatened  with  imprisonment,  torture  and  death. 
Oppression  presently  drove  them  into  open  rebellion,  and  they  took  refuge 
and  made  a stand  against  the  imperial  forces  in  Simabara.  The  Japanese 
authorities  called  on  the  Dutch  to  assist  them  in  making  war  against  these 
Christians,  and  the  Dutch  did  it.  Kockebecker  was  then  director  of  the 


INTBODUCTION. 


39 


Dutcli  trade  and  nation  in  Japan.  The  native  Christians  had  endeavored 
to  fortify  themselves  in  an  old  town,  which  the  troops  of  the  Emperor  could 
not  take.  A Dutch  ship  was  lying  at  Firando,  and  on  hoard  of  this  Kocke- 
becker  repaired  to  Simabara,  and  battered  the  old  town  with  the  ship’s  guns 
as  well  as  from  a battery  he  had  erected  on  shore.  After  a fortnight  of  this 
work  the  Japanese  were  satisfied  to  discharge  the  Dutch  director ; for  though 
the  Christians  had  not  surrendered,  yet  they  had  lost  so  many  of  their 
number,  and  the  place  was  so  weakened  that  it  was  obvious  it  could  not 
hold  out  much  longer.  Requiring,  therefore,  of  the  Dutch  director  that  he 
should  land  six  more  guns  for  the  use  of  the  Emperor,  they  dismissed  him. 
The  place  was  finally  taken,  after  a very  large  number  of  the  besieged  had 
perished  by  famine,  and  a total  massacre  of  men,  women  and  children  fol- 
lowed ; not  one  was  spared. 

We  have  spoken  of  this  act  as  perpetrated  by  the  Dutch  in  Japan,  for 
we  cannot  deem  it  fair  to  involve  every  Hollander  in  an  indiscriminate 
censure.  There  were  other  Dutch  ships  at  Firando  beside  that  which 
was  employed  in  the  bombardment ; but  the  commanders  of  these,  either 
suspecting,  or  having  intimation  that  the  Japanese  would  demand  aid  at 
their  hands,  quietly  left  their  anchorage,  and  went  to  sea  before  the  demand 
was  made,  and  thus  escaped  participation  in  this  atrocious  wickedness.  To 
us  it  seems  that  the  infamy  must  rest  chiefiy  on  the  Dutch  director,  and 
that  M.  Kockebecker  deliberately  preferred  this  most  foul  murder  of  the 
innocent  to  the  loss  or  interruption  of  the  Dutch  trade.  Be  this  as  it  may, 
tlie  fact  is  distinctly  admitted  by  all  the  Dutch  writers  on  Japan,  from  the 
middle  of  the  seventeenth  century  up  to  Fischer’s  work,  published  in  1833. 
It  is  true,  one  says,  that  the  Dutch  were  compelled  to  do  it ; another  states, 
that  the  Dutch  only  supplied  cannon,  powder,  and  ball,  taught  the  Japanese 
artillery  practice,  and  sent  ammunition,  arms,  and  troops  in  their  ships  to 
the  scene  of  action ; but  old  Kmmpfer,  who,  though  in  the  Dutch  service  as 
a physician,  was  by  birth  a Glerman,  aflirms  positively  that  the  Dutch  were 
active  as  belligerents.  Fraissinet  (a  recent  French  writer)  endeavors  to  give 
a different  coloring  to  the  fact,  but,  as  we  think,  in  vain.  He  represents  the 
case  as  one  of  political  rebellion,  in  which  the  native  Christians  took  sides 
with  the  rebels ; and  is  pleased  to  consider  the  Dutch  as  allies  merely  of  the 
Emperor,  carrying  on  a lawful  war  as  allies  ; and  he  says  that  the  archives 
of  the  Dutch  factory  at  Dezima,  as  well  as  the  relations  of  natives  of  respec- 
tability, acquit  the  Hollanders  of  all  blame.  What  the  archives  of  the 
Dezima  factory  may  now  state,  we  have  not  the  means  of  knowing,  and  we 
are  not  furnished  by  the  French  apologist  with  their  language;  but  it  is 
certainly  very  remarkable,  if  they  do  not  contain  exculpatory  evidence,  that 
the  Dutch  writers,  all  of  whom  were  officials  at  Dezima,  and  many  of  whom 
lived  much  nearer  to  the  time  of  the  transaction  than  an  author  of  this  day, 
should  have  overlooked  this  evidence ; particularly  when  some  of  them  seek 


40 


INTBODUCTION. 


to  palliate  the  act  itself.  Surely  the  Dezima  records  were  open  to  Fischer,  the 
last  Dutch  writer  on  the  subject,  (1833;)  why,  then,  instead  of  producing 
them,  does  he  admit  the  fact,  and  urge  in  extenuation  compulsion  of  the 
Dutch  by  the  Japanese  ? As  to  the  relations  of  respectable  natives,  we  can 
only  say  we  have  never  seen,  in  any  work  on  Japan,  such  relations  as  M. 
Fraissinet  has  named.  But  there  is  one  fact  which,  as  it  seems  to  us,  con- 
clusively negatives  the  supposition  that  it  was  a mere  political  insurrection 
which  the  Dutch  assisted  in  suppressing.  Over  the  vast  common  grave  in 
which  these  unhappy  Christians  were  buried  at  Simabara  was  set  up,  by 
imperial  order,  the  following  impious  inscription : “ So  long  as  the  sun 
shall  warm  the  earth,  let  no  Christian  be  so  bold  as  to  come  to  Japan;  and 
let  all  know  that  the  King  of  Spain  himself,  or  the  Christian’s  God,  or 
the  great  God  of  all,  if  he  violate  this  command,  shall  pay  for  it  with  his 
head.” 

And  now,  as  to  what  respectable  natives  really  did  say  about  this  sad 
transaction,  let  us  hear  one  who  was  on  the  spot,  honest  old  Kgcmpfer.  He 
was  the  physician  in  the  Dutch  service,  and  thus  writes  : “ By  this  submis- 
sive readiness  to  assist  the  Emperor  in  the  execution  of  his  designs,  with 
regard  to  the  final  destruction  of  Christianity  in  his  dominions,  it  is  true, 
indeed,  that  we  stood  our  ground  so  far  as  to  maintain  ourselves  in  the 
country,  and  to  be  permitted  to  carry  on  our  trade,  although  the  court  had 
then  some  thoughts  of  the  total  exclusion  of  all  foreigners  whatsoever.  But 
many  generous  and  noble  persons  at  court,  and  in  the  country,  judged 
unfavorably  of  our  conduct.  It  seemed  to  them  inconsistent  with  reason 
that  the  Dutch  should  ever  be  expected  to  be  faithful  to  a foreign  monarch, 
and  one,  too,  whom  they  looked  upon  as  a heathen,  while  they  showed  so 
much  forwardness  to  assist  him  in  the  destruction  of  a people  with  whom 
they  agreed  in  the  most  essential  parts  of  their  faith,  (as  the  Japanese  had 
been  well  informed  by  the  Portuguese  monks,)  and  to  sacrifice  to  their  own 
worldly  interest  those  who  followed  Christ  in  the  very  same  way,  and  hoped 
to  enter  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  through  the  same  gate.  These  are  expres- 
sions which  I often  heard  from  the  natives  when  the  conversation  happened 
to  turn  upon  this  mournful  subject.  In  short,  by  our  humble  complaisance 
and  connivance,  we  were  so  far  from  bringing  this  proud  and  jealous  nation 
to  any  greater  confidence,  or  more  intimate  friendship,  that  on  the  contrary, 
their  jealousy  and  mistrust  seemed  to  increase  from  that  time.  They  both 
hated  and  despised  us  for  what  we  had  done.”  This,  then,  is  the  testimony 
as  to  the  opinion  of  the  natives  who  knew  something  of  the  occurrences ; and 
it  is  a sad  reflection,  that,  iu  the  work  of  excluding  Christianity  from  Japan, 
Romanists  and  Protestants  alike  bore  their  part.  Neither  can,  with  justice, 
reproach  the  other.  If  the  worldliness  and  pride  of  the  Portuguese  Chris- 
tian prompted  him  to  conspiracy,  and  drove  him  and  his  companions  from 
the  Empire,  the  avarice  and  cruelty  of  the  Dutch  professed  believer  finished 


INTRODUCTION, 


41 


the  work,  and  extirpated  the  last  remnant  of  the  faith  in  the  destruction  of 
the  native  followers  of  Christ.  True  Christianity  indignantly  disowns  both. 

In  1641,  the  Dutch  were  ordered  to  remove  their  factory  from  Firando, 
where  they  were  comfortable  and  unrestrained,  and  to  confine  themselves  to 
the  now  forsaken  station  of  the  Portuguese  at  Dezima,  a miserable  little 
island  in  the  port  of  Nagasaki,  “ more  like  a prison  than  a factory,”  says 
Kasmpfer.  Here  they  were  placed  under  a surveillance  the  most  rigid,  and 
subjected  to  many  a humiliating  degradation.  “ So  great  ” (says  our  honest 
old  German)  “ was  the  covetousness  of  the  Dutch,  and  so  strong  the  alluring 
power  of  the  J apanese  gold,  that  rather  than  quit  the  prospect  of  a trade, 
(indeed,  most  advantageous,)  they  willingly  underwent  an  almost  perpetual 
imprisonment,  for  such,  in  fact,  is  our  residence  at  Dezima,  and  chose  to 
sufier  many  hardships  in  a foreign  and  heathen  country ; to  be  remiss  m 
performing  divine  service  on  Sundays  and  solemn  festivals;  to  leave  off 
praying  and  singing  of  psalms;  entirely  to  avoid  the  sign  of  the  cross, 
the  calling  upon  the  name  of  Christ  in  the  presence  of  the  natives,  and  all 
the  outer  signs  of  Christianity ; and,  lastly,  patiently  and  submissively  to 
bear  the  abusive  and  injurious  behavior  of  these  proud  infidels  towards  us, 
than  which  nothing  can  be  offered  more  shocking  to  a noble  and  generous 
mind.”  And  to  such  humiliation  have  they  submitted  even  to  this  day. 
Dezima  is  shaped  like  a fan ; and  the  island  is,  for  the  most  part,  of  artificial 
construction.  Its  greatest  length  is  about  600  feet,  and  its  greatest  breadth 
about  240.  A small  stone  bridge  connects  it  with  the  town  of  Nagasaki; 
at  the  end  of  this  bridge  there  is  always  stationed  a strong  Japanese  guard, 
and  no  one  passes  either  to  or  from  the  island  without  license.  The  whole 
island  is  surrounded  with  a high  fence,  on  the  top  of  which  are  placed  iron 
spikes.  Two  water  gates,  on  the  north  side  of  the  island,  are  opened  to  let 
in  the  Dutch  ships  when  they  arrive,  and  are  at  all  times  kept  shut  save  at 
the  ingress  and  egress  of  these  vessels.  The  Dutch  are  not  permitted  to 
build  a house  of  stone  on  the  island,  and  their  miserable  habitations  are  of 
fir  wood  and  bamboo.  The  island  has  on  it,  at  all  times,  Japanese  spies,  in 
the  situations  of  interpreters,  clerks,  servants,  &c.,  whom  the  Dutch  are 
obliged  to  pay ; and  is  beside  subject  at  any  moment  to  the  intrusion  of  the 
police  of  Nagasaki.  In  short,  a more  annoying  and  thorough  system  of 
imprisonment  and  espionage  was  never  devised. 

When  a ship  arrives,  the  first  act  is  to  take  out  of  her  all  her  guns  and 
ammunition.  She  is  then  searched  in  every  part,  and  an  exact  list  is  made 
of  the  goods  and  everything  else  she  has  on  board.  The  crew  are  then  per- 
mitted to  land  on  Dezima,  where  they  are  kept,  as  long  as  the  ship  remains, 
under  the  inspection  of  guards.  Every  Japanese  official,  whose  business  is 
with  the  Dutch  at  the  factory,  is  bound  twice  or  thrice  in  a year  to  take  a 
solemn  oath  of  renunciation  and  hatred  of  the  Christian  religion,  and  is 
made  to  trample  under  his  feet  crosses  and  crucifixes.  It  is  not  true,  how- 


42 


INTRODUCTION. 


ever,  as  lias  been  stated,  that  the  Dutch  also  are  required  to  perform  this 
act ; hut  they  dare  not  say  openly  that  they  are  Christians.  A story  is  told 
of  one  who,  in  the  time  of  the  great  persecution  at  Nagasaki,  being  asked 
by  the  J apanese  police  “ if  he  were  a Christian,”  replied : “No!  I am  a 
Dutchman.”  With  such  an  exhibition  of  Christianity,  who  wonders  that 
the  Japanese  despise  it. 

Formerly  the  chief  of  the  factory,  with  the  physician  and  some  other  offi- 
cials at  Dezima,  visited  the  Emperor  at  Jeddo  annually,  and  made  to  him 
costly  presents.  The  visit  is  now  quadrennial.  On  these  occasions  the 
Europeans  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  and  knowing  something  of  Japan; 
and  almost  all  they  have  published  to  the  world  has  been  gathered  in  these 
periodical  journeys  to  the  capital.  The  story,  however,  is  so  uniform,  that 
we  are  constrained  to  believe  there  is  a well  defined  class  of  objects  and  sub- 
jects with  which  alone  the  strangers  are  permitted  to  come  into  communicar 
tion. 

Kaempfer  says  that  in  his  time  (1690-92)  the  Dutch  were  allowed,  while 
the  ships  were  away,  once  or  twice  in  the  year,  to  walk  into  the  country  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Nagasaki ; but  they  were  always  objects  of  suspicion 
and  surrounded  by  spies.  At  present,  (as  we  learn  from  Siebold,)  if  a mem- 
ber of  the  factory  wishes  such  recreation,  he  must  petition  the  governor  of 
Nagasaki  twenty-four  hours  beforehand ; leave  is  granted,  but  the  Dutchman 
is  accompanied  by  a swarm  of  interpreters,  policemen,  [banyoos,  as  they  are 
called,)  and  other  official  spies  to  the  number  of  some  twenty -five  or  thirty 
persons.  Each  of  these,  too,  may  invite  as  many  of  his  acquaintance  as  he 
pleases,  and  the  unfortunate  Dutchman  must  entertain  them  all.  This  heavy 
expense  is  doubtless  designed  by  the  Japanese  to  prevent  the  members  of 
the  factory  from  leaving  Dezima.  Nothing  is  more  obvious  than  that  the 
Japanese,  as  a people,  have  but  little  respect  for  the  Dutch.  Thus,  when 
one  of  the  factory  goes  out  on  leave,  the  boys  follow  him  in  a crowd,  hooting 
and  shouting,  Holanda!  Holandal  or,  as  they  pronounce  it,  Horanda! 
Horanda!  The  gentleman,  in  pursuit  of  pleasure  and  the  picturesque,  is 
not  allowed  to  enter  any  private  residence  during  his  ramble,  and  he  must 
be  back  at  Dezima  by  sunset.  If  a Dutchman,  at  any  time,  wishes  to  visit 
a private  acquaintance,  or  is  invited  by  an  inhabitant  of  Nagasaki  to  partake 
of  his  hospitality,  he  must  present  a petition  to  the  governor,  and  obtain 
special  permission  to  go ; while  on  the  visit,  he  is  surrounded  by  spies  as  usual. 
And  to  all  this  humiliation,  the  Dutch  have  submitted,  for  more  than  two 
hundred  years,  for  the  pm-pose  of  securing  the  monopoly  of  the  Japanese 
trade ! 


THE  ENGLISH. 


We  must  now  remind  the  reader  of  the  letters  written  by  William 
Adams,  one  of  which  was  addressed  to  any  of  his  countrymen  in  the  east 


INTEODUCTION. 


43 


into  whose  hands  Providence  might  cause  it  to  fall.  Adams  was,  in  truth, 
the  founder  of  the  English  as  he  had  been  of  the  Dutch  trade.  The  letters 
he  wrote  reached  Batavia,  and  were  thence  sent  to  London,  where  they  were 
submitted  to  a corporation  then  known  as  the  “Worshipful  Fellowship  of 
the  Merchants  of  London,  trading  into  the  East  Indies,”  but  in  later  times 
by  the  far  more  celebrated  name  of  the  “ Honorable  East  India  Company.” 
No  time  was  lost  by  the  corporation  in  dispatching  a ship  for  Japan,  and 
Purchas  has  preserved  for  us  the  history  of  the  voyage.  The  vessel  was 
called  the  Clove,  and  was  commanded  by  Captain  John  Saris,  who  had  al- 
ready made  several  voyages  to  the  east.  Taking  on  board  such  a cargo  as 
was  deemed  suitable,  and  furnished  with  a letter  from  King  James  I.  to  the 
Prince  of  Firando,  and  one  also,  with  presents,  to  the  Emperor,  Saris  left 
England  on  the  18th  of  April,  1611,  and  stopping  and  trading  at  various 
places  on  the  way,  reached  Firando  on  the  11th  of  June,  1613,  when  the 
English  met  with  a most  friendly  reception  from  the  natives. 

Saris  found  on  his  arrival  that  Adams  was  at  Jeddo,  nearly  900  miles 
distant,  and  immediately  put  himself  in  communication  with  him,  desiring 
him  to  repair  at  once  to  Firando.  Until  he  came  he  carried  on  his  confer- 
ences with  the  Japanese,  by  means  of  a native  of  the  country  whom  he  had 
picked  up  at  Bantam,  and  who  spoke  the  Malay  language,  which  Saris  un- 
derstood. Saris  delivered  the  King’s  letter  to  the  Prince  of  Firando,  Foyne 
Sama,  who  received  it  with  pride,  but  would  not  open  it  until  Adams  (whom 
they  called  Ange)  should  arrive  to  interpret  it.  The  Prince  also  sent  intel- 
ligence to  the  Emperor  of  the  arrival  of  the  Clove. 

On  the  29th  of  July,  Adams  arrived,  and  Saris  conferred  with  him  on  the 
subject  of  trade ; and  let  us  hope  he  had  also  something  to  tell  him  of  his 
wife  and  children.  Early  in  August,  Saris  left  Firando  for  Jeddo,  having  in 
his  company  Adams  and  ten  other  Englishmen.  The  purpose  of  the  visit 
was  to  offer  to  the  Emperor  the  presents  of  the  English  King,  and  to  nego- 
tiate a treaty.  The  Prince  of  Firando  furnished  the  party  with  one  of  his 
own  galleys  of'  fifty  oars.  Saris  gives  us  the  particulars  of  his  journey, 
which  are  not  without  interest,  especially  as  it  respects  the  manners  and 
customs  of  the  people,  which  (as  there  were  no  restrictions  on  the  inter- 
course with  foreigners,  and  as  he  had  Adams  for  a companion)  he  had  ample 
opportunity  of  seeing  under  the  most  favorable  circumstances.  At  length  he 
had  an  interview  with  the  Emperor,  by  whom  he  was  graciously  received, 
and  from  whom,  after  some  little  negotiation  between  Saris  and  the 
Emperor’s  secretary,  he  obtained  privileges  of  trade,  as  follows  : 

“ 1.  We  give  fi’ee  license  to  the  subjects  of  the  King  of  Great  Britain, 
viz : Sir  Thomas  Smith,  governor,  and  the  company  of  the  East  Indian 
merchants  and  adventurers,  forever  safely  to  come  into  any  of  our  ports  of 
our  Empire  of  Japan,  with  their  ships  and  merchandise,  without  any  hin- 
drance to  them  or  their  goods;  and  to  abide,  buy,  sell,  and  barter,  according 


44 


INTEODUCTION, 


to  their  own  manner  with  all  nations ; to  tarry  here  as  long  as  they  think 
good,  and  to  depart  at  their  pleasure. 

'■  2.  We  grant  unto  them  freedom  of  custom  for  all  such  merchandises  as 
either  now  they  have  brought,  or  hereafter  shall  bring  into  our  Kingdoms, 
or  shall  from  hence  transport  to  any  foreign  part ; and  do  authorize  those 
ships  that  hereafter  shall  arrive  and  come  from  England  to  proceed  to  pre- 
sent sale  of  their  commodities,  without  further  coming  or  sending  up  to  our 
court. 

“ 3.  If  any  of  their  ships  shall  happen  to  he  in  danger  of  shipwreck,  we 
will  our  subjects  not  only  to  assist  them,  hut  that  such  part  of  ship  and 
goods  as  shall  he  saved  he  returned  to  their  captain  or  cape  merchant,  or 
their  assigns.  And  that  they  shall  or  may  build  one  house  or  more  for 
themselves  in  any  part  of  our  Empire  where  they  shall  think  fittest,  and  at 
their  departure  to  make  sale  thereof  at  their  pleasure. 

“ 4.  If  any  of  the  English  merchants  or  others  shall  depart  this  life 
within  our  dominions,  the  goods  of  the  deceased  shall  remain  at  the  dispose 
of  the  cape  merchant ; and  that  all  offences  committed  by  them  shall  be 
punished  by  the  said  cape  merchant,  according  to  his  discretion ; and  our 
laws  to  take  no  hold  of  their  persons  or  goods. 

“5.  We  will  that  ye  our  subjects  trading  with  them  for  any  of  their 
commodities  pay  them  for  the  same,  according  to  agreement,  without  delay, 
or  return  of  their  wares  aeain  unto  them. 

“ 6.  For  such  commodities  as  they  have  now  brought,  or  shall  hereafter 
bring,  fitting  for  our  service  and  proper  use,  we  will  that  no  arrest  be  made 
thereof ; but  that  the  price  be  made  with  the  cape  merchant,  according  as 
they  may  sell  to  others,  and  present  payment  upon  the  delivery  of  the  goods. 

“ 7.  If  in  discovery  of  other  countries  for  trade,  and  return  of  their 
ships  they  shall  need  men  or  victuals,  we  will  that  ye  our  subjects  furnish 
them  for  their  money  as  their  need  shall  require. 

“ 8.  And  that,  without  other  passport,  they  shall  and  may  set  out  upon 
the  discovery  of  Jesso  or  any  other  part  in  or  about  our  Empire.” 

These  certainly  were  privileges  of  the  most  liberal  kind,  and  conclusively 
show  that  the  original  policy  of  Japan  was  not  at  all  one  of  exclusion ; and 
that  Europeans  may  thank  themselves  for  the  introduction  of  that  rigorous 
system  which  has  so  long  shut  her  ports  against  the  commerce  of  nearly  all 
the  civilized  world.  The  Japanese,  when  they  discovered  that  foreigners 
were  conspiring  to  take  their  country  from  them,  did  not  choose  to  permit 
it ; and,  as  the  shortest  mode  of  preventing  it,  sent  out  such  foreigners  as 
were  in  the  country,  and  forbade  any  more  to  come  in.  Now,  whatever 
doubts  may  be  entertained  as  to  the  wisdom  or  expediency  of  such  a remedy, 
no  sane  man  will  question  the  right,  or  find  fault  with  the  desire,  of  the 
Japanese  to  keep  Japan  for  themselves.  If,  unfortunately,  some  of  the  con- 
spirators were  European  ecclesiastics,  they  justly  paid  the  penalty  of  expul- 


INTRODUCTION. 


45 


sion  from  the  kingdom  for  making  their  religion  a part  of  their  politics. 
The  blunder  was  their  own,  not  that  of  the  Japanese. 

The  Emperor  also  sent  by  Captain  Saris  the  following  letter  to  the  King 
of  England : 

“ To  the  King  of  Great  Britain  : 

“Your  Majesty’s  kind  letter  sent  me  by  your  servant,  Captain  John 
Saris,  (who  is  the  first  that  I have  known  to  arrive  in  any  part  of  my  domin- 
ions,) I heartly  embrace,  being  not  a little  glad  to  understand  of  youi'  great 
wisdom  and  power,  as  having  three  plentiful  and  mighty  kingdoms  under  your 
powerful  command.  I acknowledge  your  Majesty’s  great  bounty  in  sending 
me  so  undeserved  a present  of  many  rare  things,  such  as  my  land  affordeth 
not,  neither  have  I ever  before  seen,  which  I receive  not  as  from  a stranger, 
but  as  from  your  Majesty,  whom  I esteem  as  myself.  Desiring  the  contin- 
uance of  friendship  with  your  highness — and  that  it  may  stand  with  your 
good  liking  to  send  your  subjects  to  any  part  or  port  of  my  dominions,  where 
they  shall  be  most  heartily  welcome,  applauding  much  their  worthiness  in 
the  admirable  knowledge  of  navigation,  having  with  much  facility  discovered 
a country  so  remote,  being  no  whit  amazed  with  the  distance  of  so  mighty  a 
gulf,  nor  greatness  of  such  infinite  clouds  and  storms,  from  prosecuting  honor- 
able enterprises  of  discoveries  and  merchandising — ^wherein  they  shall  find 
me  to  further  them  according  to  their  desires.  I return  unto  your  Majesty 
a small  token  of  my  love,  (by  your  said  subject,)  desiring  you  to  accept 
thereof,  as  from  him  that  much  rejoiceth  in  your  friendship.  And  whereas 
your  Majesty’s  subjects  have  desired  certain  privileges  for  trade,  and  settling 
of  a factory  in  my  dominions,  I have  not  only  granted  what  they  demanded, 
but  have  confirmed  the  same  unto  them  under  my  broad  seal  for  better 
establishing  thereof. 

“ From  my  castle  in  Surunga,  this  fourth  day  of  the  ninth  month,  in  the 
eighteenth  year  of  our  Dairi,  according  to  our  computation.  Resting 
your  Majesty’s  friend.  The  highest  commander  in  this  Kingdom  of 
J apan. 

“ MINNA,  MONTTONO.  Yei,  ye,  yeasT 

[lyeyas.] 

Three  years  after  this,  in  1616,  a slight  modification  was  made  in  the 
grant  of  privileges,  without,  however,  injuriously  affecting  the  commercial 
interest  of  England.  The  ships  were  directed,  upon  arriving  on  the  coast, 
to  repair  to  Firando,  and  carry  on  all  their  trade  at  their  factory  there. 
They  might,  however,  in  case  of  opposing  winds  or  bad  weather,  enter  and 
stay  in  any  harbor  of  the  Kingdom  without  paying  anchorage  duties,  and 
though  they  could  not  sell,  they  might  freely  buy  any  necessaries  their  ships 
required.  When  Saris  returned  to  England,  he  left  in  charge  of  the  factory 
he  had  established  at  Firando  Mr.  Richard  Cockes,  who  had  under  his  direc- 


46 


INTRODUCTION. 


tion  eight  Englishmen,  three  Japanese  interpreters,  and  two  native  servants. 
Among  the  Englishmen  was  Adams,  whom  the  company  were  very  glad  to 
employ  at  a liberal  salary.  The  Protestant  factories — Dutch  and  English — 
were  thus  neighbors  at  Eirando,  while  the  Portuguese  were  at  Dezima,  in  the 
harbor  of  Nagasaki,  and  bore  them  no  good  will. 

The  English,  however,  soon  gained  the  friendship  and  confidence  of  the 
natives,  and  Cockes  paid  more  than  one  visit  to  the  Emperor  at  Jeddo.  He 
remained  in  the  country  many  years,  and,  as  it  would  appear  from  his  letters, 
(printed  in  Purchas,)  had  ultimately  trouble  with  his  Dutch  neighbors,  who 
seem  to  us,  at  least,  to  have  systematically  acted,  from  the  first  hour  of  ob- 
taining foothold  in  Japan,  upon  the  policy  of  driving  away  all  European 
traders  but  themselves.  It  is  a policy  from  which  (notwithstanding  their 
professions)  we  think  they  have  never  swerved. 

The  English  company,  it  is  probable,  made  an  injudicious  selection  of 
merchandise  for  shipment  to  Japan;  at  any  rate,  from  this  or  some  other 
cause,  certain  it  is  that  the  business  did  not  prove  remunerative ; and,  dis- 
couraged by  this  and  some  other  circumstances,  the  company,  in  1623,  after 
an  expenditure  of  £40,000,  voluntarily  closed  their  factory  at  Eirando,  and 
withdrew  from  the  country.  But  they  left  with  an  unstained  reputation,  and 
departed  with  the  esteem  of  the  higher  classes  and  the  regrets  of  the  more 
humble.  It  is  useless  to  indulge  in  conjecture  as  to  what  might  have  been 
the  present  condition  of  J apan  had  they  remained.  Possibly,  long  ere  this, 
she  mio-ht  have  had  commercial  relations  established  with  the  rest  of  the 

O 

world.  The  departure  of  the  English  took  place  before  the  bloody  persecu- 
tion of  the  Christians  reached  its  height.  They  left  native  Christians  in 
Japan;  we  are  not  prepared  to  believe  they  would  ever  have  deliberately 
assisted  in  their  extermination.  It  was,  perhaps,  fortunate  for  them  that 
they  were  out  of  the  Kingdom  before  the  bombardment  of  Simabara. 

Thirteen  years  after  the  abandonment  of  their  factory,  the  English  were 
disposed  to  make  a new  attempt.  Accordingly,  four  vessels  were  dispatched, 
bat  they  were  ungraciously  received  at  Nagasaki,  the  only  port  then  open 
to  foreigners,  and  occupied  by  the  Dutch,  and  they  returned  without  accom- 
plishing their  object.  The  Dutch  were  now  becoming  all-powerful  in  the 
east;  established  on  the  ruins  of  the  Portuguese  dominion  at  Amboyna  and 
Timor,  fortified  in  Batavia,  masters  of  the  Moluccas,  Ceylon,  the  coasts  of 
Malabar  and  Coromandel,  they  were  not  likely  to  admit  a rival  among  them, 
and  to  them  the  English,  without  doubt  justly,  attributed  the  failure  of  this 
attempt  to  re-establish  themselves  in  Japan. 

But  they  deemed  it  best,  for  a time,  to  keep  still ; dark  days  were  coming 
upon  England;  the  country  had  to  pass  through  the  civil  wars  that  marked 
the  reign  of  the  first  Charles.  It  was  no  time  to  undertake  bold  commercial 
enterprises.  The  East  India  Company  consequently  did  but  little  more 
for  many  years  than  keep  up  an  intercourse  with  Bantam.  They  wanted  a 


INTRODUCTION. 


47 


time  of  peace  and  a firmly  settled  government  before  they  made  further 
efibrts. 

At  length,  in  1673,  the  company  renewed  its  efforts  to  re-enter  Japan. 
It  had  received  a fresh  and  much  enlarged  grant  of  powers  from  the  King, 
and  was  in  fact  made  little  less  than  a sovereign  power  in  the  east.  The 
ship  that  was  now  sent  was  called  the  “ Return.”  A journal,  as  yet  unpub- 
lished, was  kept  of  the  voyage  ; and  Fraissinet  says  it  is  now  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  Southwell  family  at  London.  He  has  had  access  to  it,  and 
furnishes  irs  with  many  interesting  extracts ; observing  very  justly  that  it 
strikingly  illustrates  three  particulars — the  remarkable  circumspection  of 
the  Japanese,  their  extreme  opposition  to  the  introduction  of  any  strangers 
among  them,  and,  above  all,  their  unappeasable  hatred  of  the  Portuguese. 

Charles  II.,  it  will  be  remembered,  had  married  a princess  of  Braganza, 
and  was  therefore  allied  to  the  royal  family  of  Portugal ; and  the  Dutch 
were  by  no  means  backward  in  communicating  this  fact  to  the  Japanese. 
Accordingly,  on  the  appearance  of  the  English  ship  in  the  Japanese  waters, 
she  was,  from  this  cause  alone,  viewed  with  unusual  suspicion.  We  give 
from  the  journal  alluded  to  above,  or  rather  from  the  French  version  of  it, 
some  of  the  conversations  between  the  English  and  the  Japanese  officials. 

“ Are  you  English  ? ” 

“ Yes.  We  have  come  here  with  the  permission  of  our  sovereign,  the 
King  of  England,  to  carry  on  trade  for  the  East  India  Company,  and 
re-establish  the  commerce  which  our  countrymen  commenced  with  you  and 
left  fifty  years  ago.  We  have  letters  from  our  King,  and  from  the  company, 
to  his  Majesty  the  Emperor  of  Japan;  ” and  with  this  was  handed  to  the 
Japanese  commissioner  a copy  of  the  privileges  of  trade  already  set  before 
the  reader.  This  was  written  in  the  Japanese  character. 

The  governor  next  charged  the  interpi-eter  to  ask  “ if  England  was  at 
peace  with  Portugal  and  Spain;  if  our  King  had  been  long  married  to  the 
daughter  of  the  King  of  Portugal ; whether  there  were  any  children  of  the 
marriage ; what  was  our  religion,  and  what  sort  of  merchandise  we  had  ? ” 

We  answered  that  just  now  we  are  at  peace  with  all  the  world;  that 
our  King  had  been  married  eleven  years;  that  the  Queen  had  no  children; 
that  we  were  Christians  as  the  Dutch  were,  but  not  papists.  As  to  our 
merchandise,  the  cargo  of  the  ship  was  a general  one. 

At  the  next  interview,  the  governor  said,  “ it  is  fifty  years  since  the 
English  were  here  ; we  should  like  to  know  the  reason  of  your  long  absence.” 
The  civil  wars  of  England,  two  wars  with  Holland,  and  the  expense  and 
danger  of  so  long  a voyage  were  assigned  as  reasons  and  seemed  to  be  satis* 
factory.  The  questioning  then  proceeded  ; 

“ Have  you  none  among  you  who  have  been  in  this  country  before  ? ” 

“ Not  one.” 

“ How,  then,  were  you  able  to  find  your  way  here  ? ” 


48 


INTEODUCTION. 


“ By  means  of  marine  charts  which  guided  us.” 

“ What  is  the  religion  of  the  Portuguse  ? Is  it  not  called  Koman  Cath- 
olic ? have  they  not  the  image  of  a woman  whom  they  call  Santa  Maria, 
and  of  a man  named  Santo  Christo  ? do  not  they  worship  these  images  ? 
and  how  many  other  saints  have  they  ? ” 

“We  cannot  answer  the  last  question,  not  knowing  enough  of  the  Ro- 
man religion  to  do  so.” 

“ What  is  your  own  worship  ? Have  you  also  images  like  the  Portu- 
guese ? ” 

“ No.  We  are  of  the  reformed  religion,  which  is  like  that  of  the  Dutch. 
We  offer  our  prayers  to  none  hut  to  Almighty  God,  the  creator  of  heaven 
and  earth,  who  fills  all  things  with  his  presence.  We  never  make  any  image 
or  figure  to  represent  him.” 

“Can  you  tell  me  who  is  that  Santo  Christo,  and  who  is  that  Santa 
31  aria  ? ” 

“ We  call  the  first  the  son  of  God,  and  the  last  the  Virgin  Mary ; but 
we  never  offer  prayers  to  the  Virgin.” 

“ How  do  the  Dutch  worship  God  ? ” 

“ I have  told  you,  as  we  do.” 

“ What  do  they  call  him  ? ” 

“ They  call  him  God.” 

“ And  the  Christ  ? ” 

“ They  call  him  Christ.” 

“ What  name  do  you  Dutch  and  English  give  to  the  religion  of  the  Por- 
tuguese ? ” 

“We  give  the  name  of  the  ‘ Roman  Catholic  religion.” 

“ And  what  to  those  who  profess  it  ? ” 

“We  call  them  papists,  Romans,  Roman  Catholics.” 

“ What  do  the  Portuguese  call  you  ? ” 

“ Hereyes  in  their  language,  in  ours  heretics.’'"' 

Just  at  this  moment  the  British  flag  was  hoisted,  when  instantly  the 
question  was  put : 

“ Why  do  you  hoist  your  flag  to-day,  and  why  have  you  not  done  it  every 
day  since  you  came  in  ? ” 

“ To-day  is  our  Sabbath,  and  it  is  our  custom  always  to  hoist  our  flag 
on  the  return  of  the  seventh  day.” 

“ At  what  times  in  the  day  do  you  pray  ? ” 

“ Every  morning  and  evening.” 

“ And  the  Dutch,  do  they  the  same  ? ” 

“ Certainly.” 

But  the  St.  George’s  cross  in  the  flag  troubled  the  J apanese,  and  they 
made  it  the  suject  of  many  inquiries,  desiring  to  know  why  it  was  there. 

“ We  do  not  carry  the  cross  in  our  colors  from  superstition,  nor  does  i 


INTEODUCTION. 


49 


Lave  any  religious  meaning  there.  It  is  nothing  more  than  our  distinctive 
sign.  Beside,  our  flag  and  cross  and  those  of  the  Portuguese  are  very  dif- 
fez-ent.” 

“ Have  you  ever  been  under  the  dominion  of  Portugal  or  Spain  ? ” 

“ Never.  Our  sovereign  is  king  of  three  great  States.  He  is  a prince 
much  more  powerful  than  the  King  of  Portugal.” 

“ Is  it  not  then  from  either  of  these  nations  that  you  have  received  your 
cross  ? ” 

“We  have  had  it  from  time  immemorial;  for  six  centuries  at  least.” 

Notwithstanding  all  these  explanations,  however,  the  Japanese  officers, 
not  by  command,  but  privately  and  as  friends,  advised  the  English  not  to 
hoist  the  flag  with  the  cross,  as  a great  many  of  the  people  mistook  it  for  the 
Portuguese  standard.  At  length  the  answer  came  from  the  Emperor,  to 
whom  had  been  referred  the  English  application  for  a renewal  of  trade. 

“We  have  received  letters  from  the  Emperor.  Your  request,  as  well  as 
the  reasons  by  which  you  enforced  it,  have  been  duly  considered.  But  you 
cannot  be  allowed  to  trade  here,  because  your  King  has  married  the  daughter 
of  the  King  of  Portugal.  That  is  the  only  reason  why  your  request  is  re- 
fused. The  Emperor  orders  that  you  depart  and  come  back  no  more.  Such 
is  his  will,  and  we  cannot  change  it  in  any  particular.  You  will  therefore 
make  sail  with  the  first  favorable  wind,  and  at  the  latest  within  twenty  days.” 

“ It  is  impossible  for  us  to  leave  before  the  trade  winds  change.” 

“ In  that  case  how  much  time  do  you  wish  us  to  grant  you  ? ” 

“ Forty-five  days ; for  in  that  time  I suppose  we  shall  have  a change.” 

The  English  asked  permission  at  least  to  sell  their  cargo  before  going. 

“ The  Emperor  forbids  it ; we  dare  not  disobey.  It  is  your  unfortunate 
alliance  with  Portugal  which  stands  in  your  way.” 

And  thus  ended  this  attempt  to  revive  the  English  trade.  It  may  be 
that  other  causes  beside  the  Portuguese  marriage  operated ; and  of  these  the 
Dutch,  it  cannot  be  doubted,  would  gladly  avail  themselves ; but  if  there 
were  no  other,  then  it  is  quite  certain  that  the  Hollanders,  by  communicating 
this  unpropitious  fact  to  the  Japanese,  were  the  sole  cause  of  the  exclusion 
of  the  English.  And  such  was  the  opinion  of  all  on  board  the  “Return.” 

More  than  a century  elapsed,  after  this  unsuccessful  experiment,  before 
the  English  made  another  attempt;  but  in  1791,  the  “ Argonaut,”  which  was 
employed  in  the  fur  trade,  on  the  northwestern  coast  of  America,  made  an 
effort  to  barter  with  the  Japanese.  On  the  ai-rival  of  the  vessel,  however, 
she  was  immediately  surrounded,  according  to  the  usual  custom,  by  lines  of 
boats,  and  no  communication  was  allowed  between  the  ship  and  the  shore. 
All  that  was  obtained  was  wood  and  water,  and  with  these  the  “ Argonaut  ” 
took  her  departure. 

In  1803  the  “ Frederick,”  an  English  merchantman,  was  sent  from  Cal- 
cutta with  a cargo  to  Japan,  but  was  refused  admittance  to  the  harbor,  and 
4 


50 


INTRODUCTION. 


was  ordered  to  depart  within  twenty-four  hours.  This  unceremonious  treat- 
ment of  the  English  was,  undoubtedly,  owing  to  the  Dutch.  England  had 
made  great  conquests  in  India,  and  securely  established  her  power  in  the 
east ; some  of  these  conquests,  too,  were  made  at  the  expense  of  the  Dutch. 
Under  Clive  and  Warren  Hastings  all  the  fond  anticipations  the  Hollanders 
had  formed  of  a foothold  in  India  had  been  dissipated.  They  could  not  ac- 
complish their  wishes,  but  they  could  use  the  very  triumphs  of  their  rivals 
as  an  instrument  in  defeating  the  English  efforts  to  increase  their  trade. 
This  was  to  be  effected  by  awakening  the  jealousy  and  alarming  the  appre- 
hensions of  the  J apanese.  These  last  were  uncommonly  well  informed  of 
the  progress  of  events  in  India,  from  the  time  of  Clive  downward.  Where 
could  they  have  learned  them  but  from  the  Dutch  ? The  Hollanders  told 
the  story  with  such  coloring  as  suited  them ; whitewashing  their  own  disgraces 
and  defeats,  and  covering  with  blackness  the  acts  of  their  successful  rivals. 
They  thus  taught  the  Japanese  to  form  an  idea  of  the  English  character  and 
ambition  perfectly  fatal  to  the  establishment  of  friendly  relations.  And,  un- 
fortunately, in  many  instances,  (one  of  which,  in  Japan,  we  shall  detad  di- 
rectly,) the  English  were  furnishing  them,  from  time  to  time,  with  abundant 
material.  We  do  not  mean  to  apologise  for  England’s  misdoings  in  the  east ; 
but  we  do  mean  to  impute  to  the  Dutch  the  seeming  pursuit,  from  the  very  be- 
ginning, of  a uniform  system  of  policy  which,  whether  it  be  so  or  not,  appears, 
at  least,  to  have  sought  the  exclusion  of  Portuguese,  English,  Americans,  and 
every  other  commercial  nation  in  Christendom,  from  any  participation  in  the 
trade  with  J apan,  of  which,  at  the  price  of  a servility  utterly  unworthy  of  the 
noble  deeds  of  Holland’s  past  history,  she  had  procured  the  monopoly. 

The  next  English  visit  we  have  to  record  is  that  of  an  armed  ship-of-war, 
in  1808.  In  October  of  that  year  an  European  vessel,  with  Dutch  colors, 
appeared  off  Nagasaki.  It  was  the  time  when  the  usual  Dutch  trader  was 
expected,  and  M.  Doeff  was  then  director  of  the  factory  at  Dezima.  Suppo- 
sing it  to  be  the  expected  annual  trader  from  Batavia,  two  of  the  employes 
of  the  factory,  one  of  whom  was  a book-keeper,  named  Gozeman,  put  off  to 
the  ship ; according  to  Doeff’s  account,  the  native  interpreters,  who  never 
went  on  board,  reported  on  their  return  that  the  ship’s  boat  put  off  on  the 
approach  of  the  boat  containing  the  two  Dutch  clerks,  as  if  to  meet  them ; 
and  that  the  crew  of  the  ship’s  boat  had  weapons  concealed  on  their  persons. 
The  Japanese  boat,  with  the  interpreters,  was  astern  of  that  from  the  factory. 
As  the  boats  approached,  that  of  the  Dutchmen  was  boarded  from  the  other, 
and  the  two  employes  were  forcibly  carried,  as  prisoners,  on  board  the  ship. 
Be  this  as  it  may,  certain  it  is  that  Grozeman  and  his  companion  did  not  re- 
turn, and  that  they  were  detained  on  board  of  the  strange  vessel.  The  Japa- 
nese could  not  conceal  their  astonishment,  nor  understand  how  Hollanders,  in 
that  part  of  the  Kingdom  where  they  were  permitted  to  be,  and  lawfully 
employed,  too,  could  be  thus  treated  by  men  sailing  under  the  Dutch  flag. 


INXKODUCTION. 


51 


Doeff,  howevei',  instantly,  suspected  that  the  vessel  was  English,  and  he  knew 
that  war  then  existed  between  his  own  country  and  England. 

The  governor  of  Nagasaki,  enraged  beyond  measui-e,  had  driven  the  Jap- 
anese interpreters  from  his  presence,  and  bade  them  not  dare  appear  before 
him  again  without  Grozeman  and  his  companion ; and  instantly  set  about 
making  preparations  for  repelling  a warlike  attack.  But,  to  his  horror,  he 
discovered  that,  at  a strong  point  on  the  harbor,  where  there  should  have 
been  a garrison  of  a thousand  men,  nearly  all  were  absent  without  leave ; the 
commander  was  away,  and  not  more  than  sixty  or  seventy  soldiers  could  be 
mustered.  Though  it  was  not  the  governor’s  duty  to  command  this  point  in 
person,  yet  to  him  belonged  its  oversight ; and  from  the  moment  he  discov- 
ered its  condition  he  considered  himself  as  a dead  man. 

At  eleven  o’clock  that  night,  Doeff  received  a note  in  the  hand-writing 
of  one  of  the  detained  Dutchmen,  in  these  words  : “ The  ship  has  come  from 
Bengal.  The  captain’s  name  is  Pellew ; he  wants  water  and  provisions.” 
The  vessel  was  H.  M.  S.  Phaeton,  belonging  to  the  squadron  of  Admiral 
Drury,  cruising  in  the  eastern  seas.  As  we  have  said,  England  was  at  war 
with  Holland,  which  at  that  time  was  a mere  dependency  of  Prance.  The 
Admiral  had  ordered  Captain  Fleetwood  Pellew  to  cruise  off  the  Japanese 
islands,  for  the  purpose  of  intercepting  the  Dutch  traders  of  Nagasaki.  Cap- 
tain Pellew,  after  cruising  for  a month,  supposed  that  the  Dutch  vessels 
might  have  reached  the  harbor  of  Nagasaki,  and  put  in  to  that  port  in  the 
hope  of  finding  them  there. 

Doeff  did  not  dare  to  send  off  water  and  provisions  without  the  concurrence 
of  the  Japanese  governor ; and  when  the  latter  asked  his  advice  about  acce- 
ding to  the  request,  he  declined  giving  it,  and  said  he  could  give  no  support 
to  any  request  made  by  one  whom  he  now  knew  to  be  the  enemy  of  his 
country. 

In  the  midst  of  the  embarrassment  and  confusion  of  the  poor  governor, 
his  first  secretary  made  his  appearance  to  submit  a proposition,  strikingly 
characteristic  of  some  of  the  traits  of  Japanese  character  : “ This,”  said  he, 
“ is  my  plan.  The  foreign  ship  has  entrapped  the  Dutchmen  by  treachery ; 
therefore,  all  means  are  lawful  to  punish  the  treachery.  I will  contrive,  then, 
to  go  on  board  alone  under  the  guise  of  friendly  professions.  I will  demand 
of  the  captain  the  two  Dutchmen ; if  he  will  not  surrender  them,  I will  strike 
him  dead,  and  then  immediately  kill  myself  with  a dagger  which  I will  con- 
ceal in  my  bosom.  I know  that  assassination  is  repugnant  to  our  national 
character  ; but  the  English  commander,  who  has  thus  dishonorably  invaded 
our  country  to  attack  those  whose  flag  he  has  usurped  for  his  protection,  is 
worthy  of  no  better  fate.  In  short,  to  punish  him,  I am  quite  willing  to 
sacrifice  my  life.” 

M.  Doeff,  however,  represented  to  him  that  the  consequence  of  this  plan 
would  certainly  be  his  own  death,  and  probably  that  of  the  two  Dutchmen 


52 


INTEODUCTION. 


on  board  the  ship ; and  the  governor  concurring  in  this  view,  the  secretarj 
abandoned  his  desperate  scheme. 

The  plan  next  considered,  was  to  detain  the  ship  on  one  pretext  or 
another,  until  the  forces  of  the  neighboring  princes  could  be  collected  for  an 
attack.  In  the  course  of  the  day,  however,  Gozeman  was  sent  on  shore  with 
a note,  as  follows  • “ I have  ordered  my  own  boat  to  set  Gozeman  on  shore  to 
procure  me  water  and  provisions.  If  he  does  not  return  before  evening,  I 
will  enter  the  harbor  early  to-morrow  morning,  and  burn  the  J apanese  and 
Chinese  vessels  that  may  be  there.” 

Gozeman’s  story  was,  that  when  he  was  taken  on  board,  he  demanded  to 
see  the  commander,  whereupon  he  was  carried  before  a youth,  seemingly 
some  eighteen  or  nineteen  years  old,  who,  taking  him  into  the  cabin,  asked 
him  whether  there  were  any  Dutch  ships  in  Japan,  threatening  him  with 
the  severest  punishment  if  he  should  deceive  him.  Gozeman  told  him 
truly,  that  the  Dutch  ships  had  not  arrived  that  year.  The  commander, 
however,  pretended  to  know  better ; accused  the  Dutchman  of  having 
spoken  untruly,  and  said  he  would  enter  the  harbor  and  see  for  himself,  and, 
in  case  he  found  any,  Gozeman  might  consider  himself  a dead  man.  Accor- 
dingly, he  did  enter  in  his  boat,  and  made  examination,  and  on  his  return, 
told  Gozeman  it  was  fortunate  for  him  that  his  statement  had  been  found 
true.  He  then  sent  him  on  shore  with  the  note  given  above,  instructing  him 
to  return,  whether  he  obtained  the  supplies  or  not,  and  informing  him  that  if 
he  did  not  come  back,  his  companion,  who  was  kept  on  board,  should  be 
hanged. 

The  governor  was  transported  with  rage  when  he  heard  this  story,  but 
was  finally  induced  by  what  DoefiF  said  to  him,  to  send  off  water  and  provi- 
sions by  Gozeman.  Soon  after  the  two  Dutchmen  were  sent  on  shore  in 
safety.  And  now  the  Japanese  governor  employed  himself  in  taking 
measures  to  detain  the  ship  (as  was  his  duty)  uutU  the  pleasure  of  the 
government  could  be  known.  But  how  to  do  this  was  a question  not  very 
easy  of  solution.  Doeff  was  again  consulted,  when  he  did  not  conceal  the 
difficulty,  not  to  say  the  impossibility,  of  the  captm-e  by  the  Japanese  of  a 
British  frigate,  in  a perfect  state  of  warlike  equipment.  One  plan  was 
suggested  by  the  prince  of  Omura,  who  promised  to  take  the  lead  in  its 
execution,  and  the  Japanese  by  no  means  lacked  the  comuge  necessary  to 
attempt  it.  They  are  a brave  race.  The  plan  was  to  man  three  hundred 
boats  loaded  with  reeds  and  straw  and  other  combustibles,  to  surroxmd  the 
frigate  and  burn  her.  The  calculation  was  that  if  the  English  destroyed 
two  hundred  of  the  boats,  enough  would  still  be  left  to  effect  the  object. 
The  rowers  were  to  save  themselves  by  swimming. 

But  Doeff  advised  another  course.  He  recommended  to  the  governor  to 
amuse  the  commander  of  the  ship  by  promises  of  water  the  next  day,  so  as 
to  detain  him  as  long  as  possible,  and  to  improve  the  time  by  causing  a 


INTEODUCTION. 


53 


number  of  native  boats  to  go  witli  stones  and  throw  them  into  the  narrow 
channel  by  which  alone  the  ship  could  pass  out  to  the  open  sea.  This  he 
hoped  could  be  done,  without  discovery  by  the  English,  in  the  course  of  the 
next  day  and  night ; and  the  work  was  ordered ; but  before  anything  was 
accomplished,  a favorable  wind  sprung  up,  and  the  Phaeton  stood  out  to  sea. 

MacFarlane  thinks  that,  anywhere  but  in  Japan,  the  whole  affair,  having 
terminated  bloodlessly,  would  have  been  laughed  at  as  a clever  ruse  de 
guerre ; but  it  was  no  matter  for  mirth  to  the  unfortunate  Japanese  officials. 
The  law  of  the  Kingdom  had  been  broken,  and  the  consequence  was  inevit- 
able. In  half  an  hour  after  the  ship  made  sail,  the  governor  of  Nagasaki 
was  dead  by  his  own  hand ; he  had  followed  the  custom  of  the  country  and 
disembowelled  himself.  The  officers  of  the  neglected  garrison  did  the  same 
thing;  the  interpreters  were  ordered  to  Jeddo,  and  never  were  seen  again 
in  Nagasaki ; nor  could  the  Dutch  ever  learn  their  fate ; and  this  “ laughahle" 
ruse  cost  no  less  than  thirteen  J apanese  lives.  The  governor  of  the  province 
(Pizen)  was  the  officer  who  had  supreme  command  of  the  troops  that  belonged 
to  the  garrison ; and  was,  at  the  time  of  the  Phaeton’s  arrival,  residing,  com- 
pulsorily, in  the  distant  capital,  (Jeddo,)  yet  was  he  punished  by  an 
imprisonment  of  one  hundred  days  for  the  delinquency  of  his  subordinate 
officers.  The  visit  of  the  British  frigate  therefore  brought  in  its  train  very 
sad  consequences,  creating  very  strong  prejudices  against  the  English,  and 
to  this  hour  it  is  remembered  in  Japan  with  embittered  feelings. 

Five  years  had  elapsed  after  the  visit  of  the  English  frigate  before 
another  attempt  was  made.  During  that  period  the  wars  of  Europe  had 
cut  off  the  Dutch  at  Dezima,  not  only  from  communication  with  Holland 
and  her  colonies,  but  with  all  the  rest  of  the  world.  They  were  in  profound 
ignorance  of  all  that  had  passed  in  this  interval  outside  of  Japan. 

In  July,  1813,  they  heard  with  joy  that  two  European  ships  under  the 
Dutch  flag  were  off  the  port.  They  showed  also  the  private  Dutch  signal,  so 
that  M.  Doeff  had  no  doubt  they  were  the  long  expected  vessels  that  had 
come  from  Batavia  for  the  annual  trade.  Letters  also  were  sent  on  shore 
to  the  factory,  from  which  he  learned  that  M.  Waar denar,  formerly  president 
of  the  factory,  and  under  whose  patronage  and  friendship  M.  Doeff  had  com- 
menced his  career  as  an  employe  at  Dezima,  was  on  board  one  of  the  ships  in 
the  capacity  of  commissary  of  the  government,  with  his  secretary  and  phy- 
sician ; and  that  on  board  the  other  was  M.  Cassa,  accompanied  by  three  as- 
sistants, and  charged  to  replace  M.  Doeff. 

. Immediately  the  storekeeper,  Blomhoff,  with  another  of  the  Dezima 
officials,  (they  had  but  three  left  in  the  whole  factory,)  put  off  to  meet  the 
ships;  and,  on  their  return,  Blomhoff  told  Doeff  that  M.  Waardenar  was 
indeed  on  board,  and  that  the  Dutch  captain,  Voorman,  who  had  often  been 
to  Dezima  before  commanded  ; “ but,”  added  he,  “ everything  aboard  wore 
a strange  aspect ; and  the  commissary,  instead  of  confiding  to  me,  as  usual. 


54 


I N T E 0 D tr  C T I 0 N , 


the  papers  from  the  government,  said  he  would  deliver  them  to  you  in 
person.”  Presently  the  vessels  came  into  the  harbor;  and  as  all  the  crew 
spoke  English,  the  Japanese,  who  had  been  accustomed  to  hear  that  language 
since  1795,  concluded  that  the  vessels  were  American,  and  that  they  had 
been  hired  at  Batavia  by  the  Dutch,  who  they  knew  had  sometimes  sought 
to  carry  on  their  commerce,  without  risk  of  capture,  under  the  flag  of  the 
United  States.  To  ascertain  the  truth,  M.  DoefF  himself  went  on  board, 
when  M.  Waardenar  met  him  with  evident  embarrassment,  and  handed  him 
a letter.  The  Dutch  di;  ector  saw  that  there  was  something  not  yet  intelli- 
gible to  him,  and  prudeirly  declined  opening  the  letter  until  he  should  reach 
the  factory,  whither  be  s on  returned  accompanied  by  Waardenar  and  his 
secretar}'. 

When  they  reached  Dezima,  DoefF  opened  the  letter  in  the  presence  of 
Blomhoff  and  of  Waardenar,  and  his  secretary.  It  was  signed  “Baffles, 
Lieutenant-Governor  of  Java  and  its  Dependencies,”  and  announced  that  M. 
Waardenar  was  appointed  commissary  in  Japan,  with  supreme  power  over 
the  factory.  The  poor  director  was  utterly  bewildered.  In  his  long  isola- 
tion great  events,  and  among  them  the  utter  absorption  of  his  own  nation 
into  that  of  France,  and  the  subjugation  of  all  the  Dutch  colonies,  had 
occurred ; and  he  asked  in  amazement,  “ Who  is  Baffles  ? ” Then  was 
opened  to  him  the  last  five  years  of  European  history,  and  he  learned  that 
Holland  no  longer  had  an  independent  national  existence,  and  that  Java 
belonged  to  England ; that  Sir  Stamford  Baffles,  who  ruled  there,  had 
oppointed  Waardenar  and  Dr.  Arnslie,  an  Englishman,  as  commissioners  in 
J apan,  and  required  of  him  a surrender  of  everything  into  their  hands.  It 
was  an  ingenious  but  most  hazardous  attempt  on  the  part  of  Baffles  to 
transfer  the  trade  which  the  Dutch  had  so  long  monopolized  to  the  hands  of 
the  English. 

DoefF  instantly  refused  compliance,  on  the  ground  that  Japan  was  no 
dependency  of  Java,  and  could  not  be  afFected  by  any  capitulation  the  Dutch 
might  have  made  on  the  surrender  of  that  island ; and  further,  that  if  J ava 
was  now  an  English  island,  then  the  order  to  him  came  from  an  authority  to 
which  he,  as  a Dutchman,  acknowledging  no  allegiance  to  England,  certainly 
owed  no  obedience.  DoefF,  who  was  exceedingly  shrewd,  saw  also  in  an 
instant  that  the  ships  and  crew  were  completely  at  his  mercy.  He  had  but 
to  tell  the  Japanese  the  facts  he  had  just  learned,  and,  exasperated  as  they 
were  by  the  affair  of  the  Phaeton,  the  destruction  of  the  ships  and  their  crews 
would  inevitably  follow.  He  saw  his  advantage,  and  shaped  his  course  ac- 
cordingly. Fraissinet  (who  in  his  work  on  Japan  is  very  much  of  an  apolo- 
gist for  the  Dutch  in  all  cases)  represents  this  conduct  on  the  part  of  31. 
DoefF  as  an  example  of  exalted  humanity  and  patriotism ; while  3IacFar- 
lane  intimates  that,  such  was  the  hatred  of  DoefF  to  the  English,  he  would 
probably  have  denounced  the  ships  to  the  Japanese  but  for  the  fact  that  31. 


INTRODUCTION. 


55 


Waardenar  was  his  countryman,  his  friend,  and  early  benefactor.  We  can- 
not undertake  to  arbitrate  between  these  conflicting  views,  our  business  is  to 
record  the  fact  that,  in  the  exercise  either  of  loyalty,  or  friendship,  or  human- 
ity, as  the  case  may  be,  he  contrived  to  preserve,  in  all  its  purity,  the  high  repu 
tationof  the  Dutch  for  taking  care  of  their  commercial  interests  in  Japan,  at 
any  expense,  particularly  when  such  expense  could  be  made  to  fall  upon 
others. 

The  Dutch  factory  had  for  five  years  been  without  its  annual  supplies 
from  Batavia,  and  had  consequently  been  obliged  to  contract  a large  debt  to 
the  Japanese  for  their  support  during  this  long  period.  M.  Doeff,  after 
working  upon  the  fears  of  Waardenar  and  Ainslie  by  a threat  of  exposure 
to  the  Japanese,  induced  them  to  enter  into  an  arrangement  with  him,  and 
to  bind  themselves  in  writing  to  the  fulfilment  of  the  contract,  which  was  in 
substance  this  : In  the  first  place,  the  ships  were  to  be  passed  off  as  being  Amer- 
ican, employed  by  the  Dutch,  for  the  sake  of  obtaining  the  protection  of  the 
neutral  flag  of  the  United  States.  Secondly,  the  presence  of  M.  Waardenar, 
well  known  to  the  Japanese  as  a Dutchman,  and  formerly  president  of  De- 
zima,  was  to  give  countenance  to  this  view.  Thirdly,  M.  Doeff  demanded 
as  a price  of  holding  his  tongue,  that  is,  as  the  price  of  saving  the  lives  of 
Waardenar  and  the  English,  that  the  cargoes  of  the  two  ships  should  be 
delivered  to  him,  as  Dutch  factor,  in  the  usual  manner ; that  he  should  dis- 
pose of  them,  and  out  of  the  proceeds  pay  first  all  that  Holland  owed  the 
Japanese  for  the  supplies  of  the  last  five  years.  The  surplus  was  to  be  applied 
to  the  purchase  of  copper,  to  load  the  ships  as  far  as  possible,  though  the 
copper  was  to  be  estimated  at  more  than  the  usual  price  to  the  English  pur- 
chasers. Finally,  it  was  provided  that  when  the  ships  reached  Batavia  and 
sold  the  copper,  twenty -five  thousand  rix  dollars  were  to  be  placed  to  the  jjer- 
sonal  credit  of  M.  Doeff.  On  these  terms  the  Dutch  director  connived  at 
the  imposition  of  a deception  upon  the  Japanese,  and  successfully  managed 
to  secure  the  silence  of  such  of  the  interpreters  as  he  could  not  help  trusting 
with  the  secret.  The  ships  were  loaded  and  dispatched  as  soon  as  possible, 
and  they  certainly  encountered  no  small  risk  while  they  remained  at  Dezima ; 
for  the  son  of  that  governor  of  Nagasaki  who  killed  himself  about  the  affair 
of  the  Phrnton  was  now  a man  of  office  and  influence  at  Jeddo,  and  would 
undoubtedly  have  availed  himself  of  the  opportunity,  had  he  known  it  ex- 
isted, to  avenge  his  father’s  death. 

Sir  Stamford  Raffles  is  generally  supposed  by  his  best  friends  to  have 
made  a mistake  in  sending  these  ships.  If  Doeff  had  surrendered  the  factory, 
the  probability  is  that  as  soon  as  the  Japanese  discovered  it  to  be  transferred, 
and  that,  too,  without  consulting  them,  they  would  have  destroyed  Dezima, 
and  put  all  the  English  there  to  death. 

In  1814,  however.  Raffles  sent  Cassa  back  in  one  of  the  ships,  (Waarde- 
nar was  prqbably  too  wise  to  put  his  neck  into  the  halter  again,)  when  the 


56 


INTEODUCTION. 


same  stratagem  was  resorted  to,  the  same  commercial  profit  was  secured  by 
the  wily  Dutchman,  and  Cassa  failed  entirely  in  superseding  M.  DoefiF  as  direc- 
tor of  Dezima.  The  latter  was  more  than  a match  for  him  in  the  game  of 
cunning  and  trickery  by  which  each  sought  to  countermine  the  stratagems  of 
the  other.  Doeff  kept  Dezima  : and  for  a time  the  flag  of  Holland  floated 
nowhere  else  in  the  world  hut  on  that  distant  spot,  where  it  was  unfurled  by 
suflerance  only.  At  last,  after  the  restoration  of  the  house  of  Orange,  and 
the  return  of  Java  to  the  Dutch,  the  old  trade  was  resumed,  and  Doeff  was 
succeeded  by  a new  director. 

In  1818,  another  attempt  was  made  in  a little  vessel  of  sixty-five  tons, 
that  was  commanded  by  Captain  Gordon,  of  the  British  navy.  She  en- 
tered the  bay  of  Jeddo,  and  was  immediately  surrounded  with  the  usual  line 
of  boats.  Her  rudder  was  unshipped,  and  all  her  arms  and  ammunition  were 
taken  ashore.  The  interpreters,  one  of  whom  spoke  Dutch,  and  one  Eussian, 
and  both  some  English,  inquired  if  the  Dutch  and  English  were  now  friends, 
and  if  the  vessel  belonged  to  the  East  India  Company  ? They  were  quite 
civil,  but  utterly  refused  all  presents  and  trade.  The  last  English  visit, 
prior  to  the  time  of  the  United  States  exj^edition  under  Commodore  Perry, 
was  in  May,  1849.  This  was  made  by  H.  M.  S.  “ Mariner,”  under  Comman- 
der Matheson.  She  went  to  Oragawa,  about  twenty-five  miles  from  Jeddo, 
but  nothing  of  importance  resulted  from  the  visit. 


THE  RUSSIANS. 

The  efforts  of  Eussia  to  obtain  foothold  in  Japan  commenced  in  the  lat- 
ter part  of  the  last  century.  Her  possessions  in  Asia,  her  seizure  and  occu- 
pation of  some  of  the  Kurile  islands  which  belonged  to  Japan,  and  her  small 
portion  of  territory  in  America,  in  the  colony  at  Sitka,  have  placed  her  on 
every  side  of  the  J apanese  Empire  but  the  south.  She  has  pursued  her  pol- 
icy noiselessly ; possibly  meaning  at  the  proper  time  to  make  her  communica- 
tions as  complete  as  circumstances  will  allow  between  her  Asiatic  and  Amer- 
ican possessions.  With  Corea,  Japan,  and  the  Aleutian  islands,  stretching 
over  to  the  promontory  of  Alaska  on  our  northwest  coast,  and  with  a strong 
point  at  Sitka,  she  might  be  in  a situation  to  show  the  world  that  her  plans 
of  extension  were  by  no  means  confined  to  the  limits  of  the  Eastern  hemis- 
phere. With  harbors  on  the  coast  of  Eastern  Asia  and  Western  America, 
opening  on  a sea  which  must  be  the  seat  of  an  immense  and  lucrative  com- 
merce, she  might  aim  to  be  a great  maritime  power,  and  to  rule  mistress  of 
the  Pacific.  If  she  possessed  Japan,  she  would  have  an  abundance  of  harbors, 
unrivalled  in  the  world  for  excellency,  and  with  her  resources  would  control  the 
commerce  of  the  Pacific.  It  is  not,  therefore,  the  interest  of  any  part  of  the 
commercial  world  that  Eussia  should  ever  own  J apan ; but  Eussia  has,  doubt- 


INTRODUCTION. 


5l 

less,  seen  the  importance  to  her  of  its  acquisition.  If  she  aims  at  being  a 
commercial  nation,  the  possession  of  Japan  would  make  her  eminently  so. 

Some  seventy  or  eighty  years  ago,  a Japanese  vessel  was  wrecked  on  one 
of  the  Aleutian  islands  belonging  to  Russia.  The  crew  was  rescued,  and 
was  carried  to  the  Russian  port  of  Okotsk,  or  Irkutzk.  But,  instead  of 
beino-  sent  home  at  once,  they  were  detained  in  Russia  ten  years.  The  ob- 
ject undoutedly  was,  that  the  Japanese  and  Russians  might  learn  each  others’ 
languages.  It  seemed  to  be  a small  matter,  but  it  had  a specific  end.  At 
last,  the  discovery  was  made  that  it  would  be  humane  to  attempt,  at  least, 
the  return  of  these  poor  shipwrecked  Japanese  to  their  country.  Russia, 
probably,  was  ignorant  that  they  would  be  refused  admission.  Had  they 
been  sent  ten  years  before,  the  consequences  would  ha-ve  been  the  same ; but 
Russia  did  not  know  this ; and  beside,  her  later  effort  deprives  her  of  any 
apology  for  her  tardy  humanity. 

The  Empress  Catharine,  however,  directed  the  governor  of  Siberia  to 
send  them  back,  and  to  endeavor  through  their  instrumentality,  to  establish 
such  mutual  relations  as  might  tend  to  the  benefit  of  both  nations.  He  was 
ordered  to  dispatch  an  envoy,  in  his  own  name,  with  credentials  and  suitable 
presents  ; and  was  expressly  forbidden  to  permit  any  Englishman  or  Dutch- 
man to  be  employed  in  the  work.  A Russian  lieutenant,  named  Laxman, 
was  the  agent  employed,  and  in  the  autumn  of  1792,  he  sailed  from  Okotsk, 
in  a transport  ship  called  the  “ Catharine.”  He  soon  made  a harbor  on  the 
northern  coast  of  the  island  of  Jesso,  and  there  wintered ; in  the  succeeding 
summer  he  went  round  to  the  southern  coast  of  the  same  island,  and  entered 
the  harbor  of  Hakodadi.  The  Japanese  were  polite,  but  refused  to  take 
back  their  countrymen,  informing  Laxman  that  it  was  against  their  laws. 
They  also  told  him  that  he  had  subjected  himself  and  his  crew,  as  being 
foreigners,  to  perpetual  imprisonment  for  landing  anywhere  in  the  Kingdom 
except  at  the  appointed  port  of  Nagasaki ; yet,  in  consideration  of  the 
Russian  ignorance  of  this  law,  and  of  their  kindness  to  the  shipwrecked 
-Japanese,  they  would  not  enforce  the  law,  provided  Lieutenant  Laxman 
would  promise  for  himself  and  his  countrymen  to  return  immediately  to  his 
own  country,  and  never  again  come  to  any  part  of  Japan  but  Nagasaki. 

Laxman  left  without  lauding  the  Japanese,  and  the  Empress  Catharine 
made  no  further  attempt  during  her  reign.  In  1804,  her  grandson,  the 
Emperor  Alexander,  renewed  the  effort.  A government  ship,  commanded 
by  Krusenstern,  was  sent  to  Nagasaki,  having  on  board  Resanoff,  sent  as 
special  ambassador  to  Japan.  He  had  hardly  arrived,  however,  before  he 
furnished  abundant  evidence  of  his  unfitness  for  the  delicate  mission  with 
which  he  was  intrusted.  He  commenced  his  intercourse  with  the  Japanese 
officials  by  a dispute  on  a ridiculous  ■ point  of  etiquette,  viz : whether  he 
should  make  a bow  to  the  Emperor’s  representatives.  Next  he  positively 
refused  to  surrender  the  arms  of  the  ship,  according  to  the  usual  custom. 


58 


INTEODUCTION. 


though  it  was  perfectly  useless  to  retain  them,  as  he  had  given  up  all  the 
ammunition  to  the  J apanese.  He  then  very  foolishly  contrived  to  convince 
the  inmates  of  the  Dutch  factory  at  Dezima,  to  whom  he  brought  letters, 
that  he  suspected  them  of  secretly  intriguing  to  defeat  his  purposes  with  the 
J apanese ; while,  in  point  of  fact,  the  sagacious  Dutchman,  DoefF,  who  bad 
charge  of  Dezima,  was  exercising  all  his  ingenuity  to  pursue  such  a nicely 
balanced  system  of  non-committal,  that,  let  the  mission  terminate  as  it  would, 
he  might  be  able  to  exclaim,  “ thou  caust  not  say,  I did  it,”  and  to  turn 
events  to  the  advantage  of  himself  and  his  countrymen.  But,  at  last,  the 
ship  was  brought  into  safe  anchorage,  within  the  harbor ; and  after  a great 
deal  of  negotiation  and  delay,  consent  was  given  that  the  Bussian  ambassador 
might  live  on  land  until  an  answer  to  his  message  was  received  from  the 
Emperor  at  Jeddo.  An  old  fish  warehouse  was  cleaned  out  and  prepared 
for  his  reception,  and  surrounded  with  a high  fence  of  bamboos.  At  last, 
when  he  was  summoned  to  go  to  Nagasaki  to  hear  the  Emperor’s  answer  to 
his  application,  curtains  were  hung  before  the  houses  on  each  side  of  the 
street  through  which  he  passed,  and  the  inhabitants  were  all  ordered  to  keep 
out  of  sight,  so  that  he  saw  nothing  of  the  place.  Indeed,  as  we  read  the 
account  of  ResanofF’s  mission,  it  is  hard  to  resist  the  belief,  that  the  Japa- 
nese took  pleasure  in  mortifying  the  ambassador,  and  in  overwhelming  him, 
at  the  same  time,  with  an  affectation  of  great  personal  politeness.  They 
kept  him  waiting,  too,  until  1805  for  his  answer;  when  it  came,  it  was 
peremptory  enough.  “ Order  from  the  Emperor  of  Japan  to  the  Russian 
ambassador.”  “ Formerly  our  Empire  had  communication  with  several 
nations ; but  experience  caused  us  to  adopt,  as  safe,  the  opposite  principle. 
It  is  not  permitted  to  the  Japanese  to  trade  abroad;  nor  to  foreigners  to 
enter  our  country.”  * * * “ As  to  Russia,  we  have  never  had 

any  relations  with  her.  Ten  years  ago  you  sent  certain  shipwrecked  Japa- 
nese to  Matsmai,  and  you  then  made  us  propositions  of  alliance  and  com- 
merce. At  this  time  you  have  come  back  to  Nagasaki,  to  renew  these  pro- 
positions. This  proves  that  Russia  has  a strong  inclination  for  Japan.  It  is 
long  since  we  discontinued  all  relations  with  foreigners  generally.  Although 
we  desire  to  live  in  peace  with  all  neighboring  States,  the  difference  between 
them  and  us,  in  manners  and  character,  forbids  entirely  treaties  of  alliance. 
Your  voyages  and  your  labors  are,  therefore,  useless.”  * * * 

“ All  communications  between  you  and  us  are  impossible,  and  it  is  my 
imperial  pleasm’e  that,  henceforth,  you  no  more  bring  your  ships  into  our 
waters.” 

Resanoff  departed,  the  J apanese  paying  all  the  expenses  of  the  embassy 
while  it  was  in  Japan.  It  is  easy  to  understand  how  the  indignant  Russian 
envoy  immediately  resolved  to  be  revenged  for  the  treatment  he  had  re- 
ceived. He  gave  way  to  his  angry  feelings,  and  proceeding  to  Kamtsc-hatka, 
directed  two  Russian  naval  officers,  Chwostoff  and  Davidoff,  who  happened 


INTRODUCTION. 


59 


to  lie  there  in  the  temporary  command  of  two  armed  merchantmen  that 
traded  between  Asia  and  the  northwest  coast  of  America,  to  make  a hostile 
landing  upon  the  most  northern  Japanese  islands,  or  their  dependencies. 
He,  himself,  started  for  St.  Petersburg,  and  died  on  the  way. 

The  Russian  officers  did  make  a descent  upon  one  of  the  southern  Kurile 
islands  that  belonged  to  Japan.  That  Empire  had  once  owned  the  whole 
Kurile  archipelago ; but  Russia  had  contrived,  by  some  means,  to  possess 
herself  of  the  northern  islands ; and  it  was  doubtful  to  the  Hutch  whether 
this  appropriation  of  territory  was  even  known  at  Jeddo.  It  is  said  not  to 
be  unlikely  that  the  prince  of  these  islands,  (thus  taken  by  Russia,)  and  his 
spy  secretaries,  deemed  it  expedient  to  conceal  from  the  Emperor  this  loss 
of  a territory,  of  but  little  value,  rather  than  make  known  an  event  which 
would  be  deemed  disgraceful  to  Japan,  and  subject  them  to  punishment.  If 
this  be  so,  they  had,  of  course,  to  buy  up  the  spies  of  government.  The 
islands  were  of  but  little  value  except  from  position.  It  was  precisely  on 
account  of  their  position  that  Russia  desired  them.  On  the  southern  Kuriles, 
however,  their  officers  lauded,  and  wreaked  their  vengeance  on  the  unoffend- 
ing inhabitants,  by  plundering  their  villages,  killing  some  of  the  people,  and 
carryiug  off  others  in  their  vessels.  This  was  in  1807. 

The  news  of  these  events  filled  the  Japanese  court  with  surprise  and  in- 
dignation ; and  they  sought,  through  the  medium  of  the  Dutch,  to  find  out 
whether  they  had  been  authorized  by  the  Emperor  of  Russia.  Some  time 
after,  in  May,  1811,  Captain  Golownin,  of  the  Russian  navy,  was  sent  in  the 
sloop-of-war  “ Diana,”  ostensibly  to  make  a survey  of  the  Kurile  group, 
though  it  was  suspected  (not  proved)  that  he  had  ulterior  objects,  and  was 
instructed  once  more  to  attempt  the  establishment  of  commercial  relations. 
When  he  came  to  the  island  of  Eeterpoo  (which  Siebold  calls  letorop) 
he  landed,  supposing  he  would  find  Kuriles  only ; but  he  was  met  by  a 
Japanese  officer  and  soldiers,  who  asked  him  if  the  Russians  meant  to  treat 
them  as  Chwostoff  and  Davidoff  had  treated  another  island  some  few  years 
before  ? Golownin,  on  this,  thought  it  best  to  get  away  as  soon  as  he  could. 
He  then  went  to  an  island  called  Kunaschier,  and  here  the  Diana  was  fired 
upon.  Golownin,  however,  strove  to  show  them  that  his  purposes  were 
friendly,  and  was  finally,  by  the  cunning  of  the  Japanese,  tempted  to  land 
with  only  a midshipman,  pilot,  four  Russian  seamen,  and  a Kurile  interpreter- 
All  were  made  prisoners,  and  passed  through  various  adventures,  which 
Golownin  has  recorded.  They  were  kept  prisoners  for  a long  time,  avowedly 
in  retaliation  for  the  injuries  that  had  been  committed  to  gratify  the  angry 
feelings  of  Resanoff ; nor  would  the  J apanese  release  them  until  they  were 
satisfied  that  these  injuries  had  not  been  ordered  by  the  Russian  Emperor. 
When  Golownin  left  he  was  furnished  with  a document  warning  the  Russians 
no  more  to  attempt  the  impossibility  of  establishing  trade  with  Japan.  It 
is  but  just  to  the  Japanese  to  add  that  Golownin,  notwithstanding  all  his 


60 


INTRODUCTION. 


sufiferings,  unavoidable  in  a state  of  imprisonment,  gives  to  the  people  of 
J apan  a high  character  for  generosity  and  benevolence. 

Thus  ended  the  efforts  of  Russia,  until  within  a very  recent  period,  of 
which  we  shall  speak  presently. 


THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA. 

The  attempts  of  our  own  country  are  all  recent,  and  need  not  detain  us 
long.  In  the  year  1831  a Japanese  junk  was  blown  off  the  coast,  and,  after 
drifting  about  for  some  time  in  the  Pacific,  at  length  went  ashore  on  the 
western  coast  of  America,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  river.  Kindness 
was  shown  to  the  shipwrecked  Japanese,  and  finally  they  were  carried  to 
Macao,  where  they  received  the  protection  and  care  of  the  American  and 
English  residents.  It  was  determined,  after  a time,  to  return  the  poor 
creatures  to  their  home.  Either  their  benevolent  friends  were  ismorant  of 
the  Japanese  law  which  prohibited  the  return  of  natives  to  Japan,  or,  if 
they  knew  it,  they  supposed  that,  at  any  rate,  those  who  went  to  Japan  on 
such  an  errand  of  mercy  would  not  be  molested  for  entering  one  of  the 
harbors  of  the  Empire.  Accordingly  the  “ Morrison,”  an  American  mer- 
chantman, was  fitted  out  by  the  American  house  of  King  for  the  voyage  to 
Japan ; and  the  more  effectually  to  manifest  her  pui’ely  pacific  purposes,  all 
her  guns  and  armament  were  taken  out.  In  1837  she  made  the  voyage,  notes 
of  which  have  been  published  by  Mr.  C.'W.  King,  an  American  merchant  of 
great  respectability,  who  sailed  in  the^'J  Morrison.”  The  ship  reached  the  bay 
of  Jeddo,  and  the  Japanese  very  sopn  found  out  that  she  was  entirely  unarmed 
and  defenceless.  The  official  visitors  soon  showed  their  contempt  after  making 
this  discovery,  and  early  the  next  day  the  vessel  was  fired  at  with  shotted 
guns.  She  immediately  weighed  anchor  and  ran  to  Kagosima,  the  principal 
town  of  the  island  of  Kiu-siu,  where  she  again  came  to  anchor.  After  a 
while  preparations  were  made  here,  also,  to  fire  upon  the  vessel,  and  before 
she  could  remove,  a battery  opened  upon  her.  The  ship  then  returned  to 
Macao  with  the  Japanese  on  board. 

In  1846  an  expedition  was  sent  from  the  government  of  the  United  States 
to  Japan ; its  business  was,  if  possible,  to  open  negotiations  with  the  Empire, 
The  ships  consisted  of  the  “ Columbus,”  of  ninety  grms,  and  the  corvette 
“ Vincennes.”  Comhiodore  Biddle  commanded  the  expedition.  In  July  the 
vessels  reached  the  bay  of  Jeddo,  and  were,  as  usual,  immediately  surrounded 
by  the  lines  of  guar^  boats.  On  this  occasion  they  numbered  about  four 
hundred.  Some  of  the  Japanese  went  on  board  the  “Vincennes,”  and  one  of 
them  placed  a stick  with  some  sort  of  a symbol  carved  on  it  at  the  head  of  the 
vessel,  and  another  of  similar  kind  at  the  stern.  The  act  was  not  perfectly 
understood  by  the  Americans,  but  they  construed  it  to  mean  taking  posses- 
sion of  the  ship,  and  ordered  the  sticks  to  be  taken  away.  The  Japanese 


IKTEODUCTION. 


Cl 


complied  immediately  without  making  any  objection.  The  ships  remained 
ten  days,  but  no  one  belonging  to  them  landed,  nor  was  anything  accom- 
plished. The  answer  of  the  Emperor  to  the  application  for  license  to  trade 
was  very  short : “No  trade  can  be  allowed  with  any  foreign  nation  except 
Holland.” 

In  February  of  the  year  1849  the  United  States  ship  Preble,  under 
Commander  Glynn,  formed  part  of  the  American  squadron  in  the  China  seas, 
when  information  was  received,  by  way  of  Batavia,  of  the  detention  and  im- 
prisonment in  J apan  of  sixteen  American  seamen,  who  had  been  shipwrecked 
on  the  coast  of  some  of  the  Japanese  islands.  The  Preble  was  immediately 
dispatched  to  demand  their  release.  As  the  ship  neared  the  coast  of  Japan, 
signal  guns  were  fired  from  the  prominent  headlands  to  give  warning  of  the 
approach  of  a strange  vessel;  and  when  she  entered  the  harbor  of  Nagasaki^ 
she  was  met  by  a number  of  large  boats  which  ordered  her  off,  and  indeed 
attempted  to  oppose  further  ingress.  But  the  ship  steadily  standing  on  with 
a firm  breeze,  soon  broke  their  ranks,  and  came  to  anchor  in  a desirable 
position. 

Fleets  of  boats,  crowded  with  soldiers,  shortly  afterward  began  to  arrive, 
and  from  that  time  until  the  Preble’s  departure,  they  poured  in,  in  one  con- 
stant stream,  day  and  night.  The  troops  they  brought  were  encamped  on 
the  elevated  shores  surrounding  the  anchorage  of  the  Preble.  From  these 
heights  also  were  unmasked,  at  intervals,  batteries  of  heavy  artillery,  num- 
bering in  all  sixty  guns,  which  were  trained  upon  the  Preble’s  decks. 

Commander  Glynn  forthwith  commenced  negotiations  for  the  release  of 
the  American  seamen,  who  had  been  imprisoned  for  nearly  seventeen  months, 
and  been  treated  with  great  cruelty  and  inhumanity.  When  they  were 
first  confined,  they  were  made  to  trample  on  the  crucifix,  and  were  told  it 
was  the  “ devil  of  Japan,”  and  that  if  they  refused  to  trample  on  it  their 
lives  should  be  taken.  When  Commander  Glynn  first  demanded  the  release 
of  the  prisoners,  the  Japanese  officials  treated  the  demand  with  well  affected, 
haughty  indifference ; finding,  however,  that  this  would  not  answer,  they  re- 
sorted to  evasive  diplomacy ; when  the  captain  of  the  Preble,  with  the  rough 
bluntness  of  a sailor,  peremptorily  told  them,  in  most  unmistakable  language, 
that  they  must  immediately  give  up  the  men,  or  means  would  be  found  to 
compel  them  to  do  so,  as  the  government  to  which  they  belonged  had  both 
the  power  and  the  will  to  protect  its  citizens.  This  very  soon  changed  their 
tone,  and  deprecating  any  angry  feeling,  a promise  was  immediately  made 
that  the  men  should  be  sent  on  board  in  two  days  from  that  time.  This 
promise  having  been  fulfilled  to  the  letter,  the  Preble  returned  to  join  the 
squadron  on  the  coast  of  China.  The  next  effort  made  by  the  government 
of  the  United  States  was  that  of  which  the  story  was  told  in  the  subsequent 
pages  of  this  work. 

We  have  thus  laid  before  the  reader  the  chief  features  of  the  principal 


62 


INTBODUCTION. 


attempts  made  by  civilized  nations  to  open  commerce  with  J apan ; and,  in 
the  following  tabular  view,  these  may  be  seen  at  a glance,  and  thus,  by 
showing  what  efforts  were  simultaneous,  we  may  facilitate,  perhaps,  the 
understanding  of  the  subject  as  a whole. 


YEAR. 

PORTUGUESE. 

DUTCH. 

ENGLISH. 

RUSSIAN. 

UNITED  STATES. 

1543-45.. 
1550 

1597 

1600 

Cliristianity  in- 

Persecution  of 
Cliristianity 
begins 

1609 

License  to  trade 

1613 

Saris  readies 
Firando 

License  to  trade 
Factory  at  Fi- 

1623 

1636 

Futile  attempt 
to  renew  trade 

1639 

Expelled  from 

Assist  in  perse- 
cuting native 

1641 

Sent  to  Dezima 

1673 

Attempt  again 
to  renew 

1791 

Argonaut's  ’’  fu- 
tile attempt. 

1792 

1803 

‘■'■Fredericks"  at- 

1804 

llesauoff’s  mis- 
sion  

1807 

Descent  on  Ku- 
riles   

1808 

“Pficetoris”  visit 
under  PeUew 

1811 

Capth-ity  of 

Captain  Gol- 

1813 

Defeat  RaiBes’ 

attempt 

Defeat  Raffles’ 

Sir.  S.  Raffles’ 

1814 

Attempt  repeat- 

1818 

Gordon’s  at- 

1837 

“ Jlorrison’s  ” 

visit 

Com.  Biddle’s 

visit 

Glynn,  in  the 

Preble 

Com.  Perry’s 
visit 

1846 

1849 

'■‘■Mari'ner's"  visit 

1852 

INTEODUCTION. 


68 


SECTION  VI. 

PROGEBSS  IN  INDUSTRIAL  ARTS,  AND  EXTENT  OP  CIVILIZATION  IN 

JAPAN. 

The  Japanese  are  an  exceedingly  industrious  and  ingenious  people,  and 
in  certain  manufactures  are  surpassed  by  no  nation. 

Metals. — They  work  well  in  iron,  copper,  gold,  and  silver,  and,  indeed, 
in  all  the  metals  they  have.  Of  iron,  it  is  supposed  the  supply  afforded  by 
their  country  is  not  large;  still  they  have  extracted  the  metal  from  such 
ores  as  they  possess,  and  wrought  it  into  shape.  Copper  is  very  abundant, 
and  they  understand  perfectly  well  the  mode  of  treating  the  ore,  and  pre- 
paring the  metal  for  market  or  for  manufactures.  Gold  also  exists,  and 
probably  to  an  extent  as  yet  undeveloped ; the  deposits  are  likely,  we  think, 
to  prove  large  on  further  and  scientific  exploration.  At  any  rate,  there  does 
not  seem  now  to  be  any  scarcity  of  it  for  the  purposes  to  which  they  apply 
it.  They  have  silver  mines  which  they  work.  They  know,  too,  how  to 
make  some  combinations  of  metals  which  produce  a beautiful  effect.  Thun- 
berg  tells  us  that  they  work  with  great  skill  in  what  they  call  sowas.  This 
is  a mixture  of  gold  and  copper,  which  they  color  with  tousche^  or  ink, 
makiug  it  a fine  blue  or  black,  by  an  art  unknown  among  Europeans.  They 
make  steel,  and  temper  their  sword-blades  admirably.  Clocks  and  watches 
are  also  made  by  them,  but  in  these  they  are  not  entitled  to  the  merit  of 
invention;  they  have  copied  from  European  models.  The  same  may  be 
said  of  their  astronomical  instruments;  they  make  vei’y  well  the  metallic 
portions  of  telescopes,  &c.,  and  buy  miri'or  glasses  from  the  Dutch,  which 
they  grind  into  suitable  lenses.  They  also  manufacture  excellent  metallic 
mirrors ; and  Golownin  says,  he  saw  carpenters’  and  cabinet-makers’  tools, 
particularly  saws,  made  in  Japan,  quite  equal  to  any  English  tools  of  a 
similar  kind.  They  are  exceedingly  quick  in  observing  any  improvement 
brought  in  among  them  by  foreigners,  soon  make  themselves  masters  of  it, 
and  copy  it  with  great  skill  and  exactness.  They  are  very  expert  in  carving 
metal,  and  can  cast  metal  statues.  Their  copper  coinage  is  well  stamped, 
for  they  are  good  die-sinkers ; and  several  of  their  operations  in  metal  are 
carried  on  in  very  large  and  well-ordered  manufactories. 

Wood. — No  people  work  better  than  they  can  in  wood  and  bamboo,  and 
they  possess  one  art  in  which  they  excel  the  world.  This  is  in  lacquering 
wood  work.  Other  nations  have  attempted  for  years,  but  without  success, 
to  equal  them  in  this  department.  In  this  operation  they  select  the  finest 
wood  of  fir  or  cedar  to  be  covered  with  varnish.  They  get  the  gum  from 
which  they  prepare  the  varnish  from  the  rhus  vernix — a tree  that  is  abun- 


G4 


INTEODUCTION. 


dant  in  many  parts  of  their  country.  On  puncturing  the  tree  the  gum 
oozes  out,  of  a light  color,  and  of  the  consistence  of  cream,  but  on  exposure 
to  the  air  grows  thicker  and  blacker.  It  is  so  transparent,  that  when  laid 
unmixed  on  wood,  the  grain  and  every  mark  on  the  wood  may  he  seen 
through  it.  They  obviate  this,  however,  where  it  is  desirable,  by  placing 
beneath  the  varnish  a dark  ground,  one  element  in  the  composition  of  which 
is  the  fine  sludge  caught  in  the  trough  under  a grindstone.  They  also  use 
for  the  purpose  minutely  pulverized  charcoal,  and  sometimes  leaf  gold  ground 
very  fine.  They  then  ornament  the  varnish  with  figures  and  flowers  of  gold 
and  silver.  They  make,  and  thus  varnish,  screens,  desks,  caskets,  cabinets, 
and  other  articles,  exceedingly  beautiful,  and  of  which  specimens  may  from 
time  to  time  he  seen  in  Europe  and  this  country.  It  is  said,  however,  that 
the  best  samples  never  are  sent  out  of  the  Kingdom. 

Glass. — They  know  how  to  make  this  article,  and  can  manufacture  it  now 
for  any  purpose,  both  colored  and  uncolored.  Formerly  they  did  not  know 
how  to  make  the  flat  pane  for  window  glass ; and  probably  what  they  make  is 
an  inferior  article,  as  they  still  purchase  thick  mirror  glass  from  the  Dutch 
to  grind  into  lenses. 

Porcelain. — This  they  make,  and  some  say  in  greater  perfection  than  the 
Chinese  can.  At  any  rate,  specimens  we  have  seen  of  Japanese  porcelain 
are  very  delicate  and  beautiful ; though  some  writers  tell  us,  that,  owing  to 
the  exhaustion  of  the  best  clay,  they  cannot  now  manufacture  such  as  they 
once  could. 

Paper. — Of  this  they  make  an  abundance,  as  well  for  writing  and  print- 
ing, as  for  tapestry,  handkerchiefs,  packing  cloths  for  goods,  &c.  It  is  of 
different  qualities,  and  some  of  it  is  as  soft  and  flexible  as  our  cotton  clotL 
Indeed,  that  used  for  handkerchiefs  might  be  mistaken  for  cloth,  so  far  as 
toughness  and  flexibility  are  concerned.  The  material  of  which  it  is  made 
is  the  bark  of  the  mulberry,  [morus  papyrifera,)  and  the  process  is  described 
as  follows : In  December,  after  the  tree  has  shed  its  leaves ; they  cut  off  the 
branches  about  three  feet  in  length,  and  tie  them  up  in  bundles.  They  are 
then  boiled  in  a ley  of  ashes  in  a covered  kettle,  till  the  bark  is  so  shrunk 
that  half  an  inch  of  the  wood  may  be  seen  projecting  at  either  end  of  the 
branch.  When  they  have  become  cool,  the  bark  is  stripped  off  and  soaked 
in  water  three  or  four  hours  until  it  becomes  soft,  when  the  fine  black  skin 
is  scraped  off  with  a knife.  The  coarse  bark  is  then  separated  from  the 
fine;  the  new  branches  make  the  finest  paper.  The  bark  is  then  boiled 
again  in  fresh  ley,  continually  stirred  with  a stick,  and  fresh  water  from  time 
to  time  is  added.  It  is  then  put  in  a sieve  and  taken  to  a brook,  and  here 
the  bark  is  incessantly  stirred  until  it  becomes  a fine  pulp.  It  is  then  thrown 
into  water  and  separates  in  the  form  of  meal.  This  is  put  into  a small  ves- 
sel with  a decoction  of  rice  and  a species  of  Hibiscus,  and  stirred  until  it 
has  attained  a tolerable  consistence.  It  is  then  poured  into  a larger  vessel, 


INTRODUCTION. 


65 


from  whence  it  is  taken  out  and  put  in  the  form  of  sheets  on  mats  or  layers 
of  grass  straw ; these  sheets  are  laid  one  upon  another  with  straw  between, 
and  pressed  to  force  the  water  out.  After  this  they  are  spread  upon  boards 
in  the  sun,  dried,  cut,  and  gathered  into  bundles  for  sale.  This  paper  will 
better  endure  folding,  and  last  longer  than  ours. 

Woven  fabrics. — They  make  silk,  the  best  of  which  is  superior  to  that 
of  China.  The  best  silks  are  woven  by  criminals  of  high  rank,  who  are 
confined  upon  a small,  rocky,  unproductive  island,  deprived  of  their  proper- 
ty, and  made  to  support  themselves  by  their  labor.  The  exportation  of 
these  silks,  it  is  said,  is  prohibited. 

They  have  but  small  skill  in  producing  cotton  fabrics,  though  such  are 
made.  For  many  purposes  to  which  we  apply  cloth  of  cotton,  they  use  the 
coarse  spongy  paper  to  which  we  have  alluded.  They  require  woollen  cloths, 
for  the  winters  are  cold ; but,  we  believe,  they  make  none.  Indeed,  they 
have  no  sheep  or  goats,  and  therefore  lack  materials  from  which  to  make 
woollen  cloths. 

Leather. — They  convert  the  skins  of  certain  animals  into  this  article ; but, 
as  we  have  stated  on  a previous  page,  all  those  who  have  anything  to  do  with 
tlie  making  or  vending  of  leather  are  outcasts  from  all  the  rest  of  the  pop- 
ulation and  universally  proscribed.  They  never  apply  the  article  as  we  do, 
to  making  shoes,  or  other  coverings  for  the  feet.  They  hardly  ever  wear 
shoes  or  slippers  that  are  not  made  of  plaited  straw.  Thunberg  says  the 
shoes  are  always  the  shabbiest  part  of  the  dress  of  the  Japanese.  As  they 
are  of  straw,  they  consequently  last  but  a little  time.  But  they  are  made  in 
immense  numbers,  cost  but  a trifle,  and  may  be  bought  in  every  town  and 
village  in  the  Empire.  The  pedestrian,  therefore,  throws  away  the  old  pair 
by  the  road  side,  and  buys  new  ones  as  he  goes  along ; while  the  more  provi- 
dent man  takes  two  or  three  pairs  with  him  on  starting.  Immense  numbers 
of  these  discarded  shoes  may  be  found  on  the  sides  of  all  the  roads.  In 
wet  weather  they  wear  under  the  shoe  a wooden  clog,  which  is  attached  to 
the  foot  by  ties  of  plaited  straw.  Dignitaries  sometimes  wear  slippers  made 
of  fine  rattan  slips  neatly  plaited. 

Agriculture. — Japan  is  very  mountainous,  as  we  have  already  stated; 
but  with,  the  exception  of  that  portion  of  the  ground  covered  by  the  roads, 
and  by  the  woods  left  to  supply  timber  and  charcoal,  nearly  every  foot  of 
ground,  to  the  very  tops  of  the  mountains,  is  cultivated.  Of  animals  to  assist 
in  culture  they  have  the  horse,  ox,  and  a large  species  of  buffalo,  which  they 
train  to  draw  carts  and  carry  heavy  goods  on  the  back.  They  plough  with 
both  the  ox  and  cow.  Of  milk  and  butter  they  make  no  use.  When  they 
cannot  use  cattle  to  plough,  as  on  the  steep  sides  of  hills,  men  are  substitu- 
ted ; and  sometimes  the  plough  is  laid  aside,  and  all  the  labor  in  preparing 
the  earth  is  done  by  hand.  Generally,  their  soil  is  rather  poor;  but  by 
means  of  the  immense  labor  they  bestow  upon  it,  by  irrigation,  and  espe- 
5 


66 


INTRODUCTION. 


daily,  by  the  use  of  manures,  which  they  understand  well,  they  make  very 
large  crops. 

Their  chief  grain  is  rice,  of  which  they  are  said  to  produce  the  best  in 
all  Asia.  They  also  make  barley  and  wheat.  The  first  is  used  for  feeding 
the  cattle ; the  other  is  not  much  valued,  and  is  chiefly  used  for  cakes  and 
soy.  This  last  is  made  by  fermenting,  under  ground,  wheat  with  a peculiar 
kind  of  bean  and  salt. 

N ext  to  rice,  in  importance,  is  the  tea  plant.  This  was  not  cultivated  in 
Japan  before  the  beginning  of  the  ninth  century,  when  it  was  introduced  into 
China.  Immense  quantities  of  it  are  now  produced,  for  its  use  is  universal. 
Besides  the  plantations  devoted  to  it,  the  hedges  on  the  farms  are  aU  of  the 
tea  plant.  Siebold  says  the  finer  kinds  require  great  care  and  skill  in  the 
cultivation.  The  plantations  are  situated,  as  far  as  they  conveniently  can 
be,  from  all  other  crops  and  from  human  habitations,  lest  the  delicacy  of  the 
tea  should  be  impaired  by  smoke  or  any  other  impurity.  They  manure  the 
plants  with  dried  anchovies,  and  with  the  juice  pressed  out  of  mustard  seed. 
The  harvesting  is  a process  of  great  nicety.  Dr.  Siebold  thinks  that  the 
green  and  black  tea  are  from  the  same  plant,  and  differ  only  in  the  mode  of 
preparation ; though  others  have  said  the  plants  themselves  differ.  Neither, 
however,  is  ever  dried  on  copper,  but  both  are  dried  in  an  iron  pan. 

Beans  of  various  kinds  are  produced,  and  some  other  vegetables.  Sev- 
eral edible  roots  are  carefully  cultivated.  They  grow  the  mulberry  tree  in 
large  quantities  for  the  sake  of  the  silk  worm,  and  also  for  making  paper. 
In  Loo-Choo  they  make  a coarse  sugar  from  the  cane ; in  Nippon  they  man- 
ufacture it  from  the  sap  of  a tree.  Our  farmers  deem  it  a part  of  their 
business  to  rear  such  animals  as  we  use  for  food;  but  the  Japanese  farmer 
is  most  frequently  a Buddhist  and  cares  nothing  for  animal  food.  The 
Dutch,  a great  while  ago,  introduced  some  sheep  and  goats,  and  some  few 
may,  possibly,  still  be  found  in  the  Kingdom.  If  attended  to  they  would 
thrive  very  well ; but  the  religion  of  the  natives  forbids  them  to  eat  the 
flesh,  and  they  do  not  know  how  to  manufacture  the  wool  and  hair ; hence 
the  animals  are  little  valued.  They  have,  also,  a few  hogs,  which  were  origi- 
nally brought  from  China.  Some  of  the  country  people  near  the  coast  keep 
them,  but  not  to  eat.  They  sell  them  to  the  Chinese  junks  which  are  allowed 
to  come  over  to  trade.  The  Chinese  sailor  has  a passion  for  pork.  The  hog 
thrives  well  and  becomes  very  fat  in  J apan. 

Horticulture. — In  this  department  the  Japanese  are  very  skilful.  They 
possess  the  art,  in  a wonderful  degree,  either  of  dwarfing,  or  of  unnaturally 
enlarging  all  natural  productions.  As  an  evidence  of  the  first,  may  be  seen, 
in  the  miniature  gardens  of  the  towns,  perfectly  mature  trees,  of  various 
kinds,  not  more  than  three  feet  high,  and  with  heads  about  three  feet  in 
diameter.  These  dwarfed  trees  are  often  placed  in  flower  pots.  Fischer 
says  that  he  saw  in  a box  four  inches  long,  one  and  a half  wide,  and  six  in 


INTRODUCTION. 


G7 


heigtt,  a bamboo,  a fir,  and  a plum  tree,  all  thriving,  and  the  latter  in  full 
blossom.  As  proofs  of  the  last,  Meylan  tells  us  that  he  saw  plum  trees  cov- 
ered with  blossoms,  each  of  which  was  four  times  the  size  of  the  cabbage 
rose ; it  produced  no  fruit,  however.  He  also  saw  radishe^wei ghing-freBi 
fifty  to  sixty  pounds ; and  those  of  fifteen  pounds  were  not  at  all  uncommon. 
The  fir  trees  are  represented  as  being  forced  to  an  enormous  size ; we  are 
told  that  the  branches,  at  the  height  of  seven  or  eight  feet  from  the  ground, 
are  led  out,  sometimes  over  ponds,  and  supported  upon  props,  so  that  they 
give  a shade  around  the  tree  three  hundred  feet  in  diameter.  The  cedar, 
also,  is  a tree  which  reaches  a great  size. 

Navigation. — Formerly  the  Japanese  made  voyages,  in  vessels  of  theii’ 
own  construction,  to  Corea,  China,  Java,  Formosa,  and  other  places  at  some 
distance  from  their  own  islands;  but  when  the  Portuguese  were  expelled  a 
decree  was  made  that  the  natives  should  not  leave  the  country ; hence  navi- 
gation declined.  Still,  short  coasting  voyages  are  made  within  the  bounda- 
ries of  the  Kingdom ; and  fishing-smacks  go  to  sea,  but  not  very  far  from 
the  coast.  This  coasting  trade,  however,  is  large ; and  the  J apanese  use 
fish  for  food  so  extensively,  that  the  number  is  immense  of  these  trading 
boats  and  fishing-smacks.  The  Japanese  have  the  compass;  not  divided, 
however,  into  as  many  points  as  ours.  The  construction  of  their  vessels,  as 
to  model,  is  very  clumsy ; and,  as  they  have  seen  and  examined  many  Euro- 
pean ships,  it  may  seem  strange  that  a people  so  skilful  and  ingenious  should 
not,  ere  this,  have  improved  in  naval  architecture.  The  fault  is  not  theirs ; 
the  fact  is  that  they  have,  in  more  than  one  instance,  built  very  good  vessels 
after  European  models ; but  the  law  has  interposed,  for  a special  reason,  and 
retarded  improvement  among  a people  whose  insular  position  would  have 
made  them  sailors,  and  whose  quick  perceptions  would  have  made  them  good 
ones  if  left  to  themselves.  Their  craft  are,  by  law,  made  with  the  stern 
open,  so  that  they  cannot  weather  an  open  and  heavy  sea.  The  smaller  ones 
never,  if  they  can  help  it,  go  out  of  sight  of  land,  and  upon  any  threatening 
appearance  of  rough  weather  they  instantly  run  in  to  make  a harbor.  The 
object  of  this  law  of  construction  is  to  keep  the  natives  at  home. 

Internal  trade  hy  land  and  water. — This  is  large,  resulting  from  the 
variety  of  produce  afforded  by  the  variety  of  climate,  and  from  the  immense 
population.  In  many  places,  town  joins  on  to  town,  and  village  to  village, 
for  miles,  so  that  the  road  looks  like  a continued  street.  Kaempfer  thus 
speaks  of  the  population  : “ The  country  is  indeed  populous  beyond  expres- 
sion, and  one  would  scarcely  think  it  possible  that,  being  no  greater  than  it 
is,  it  should,  nevertheless,  maintain  and  support  such  a vast  number  of  inhab- 
itants. The  highways  are  almost  one  continued  line  of  villages  and  boroughs. 
You  scarce  come  out  of  one,  but  you  enter  another;  and  you  may  travel 
many  miles,  as  it  were,  in  one  street,  without  knowing  it  to  be  composed  of 
many  villages,  save  by  the  differing  names  that  were  formerly  given  them. 


68 


INTRODUCTION. 


and  which  they  after  retained,  though  joined  to  one  another.  It  hath  many 
towns,  the  chief  whereof  may,  of  a certainty,  vie  with  the  most  considerable 
in  the  world  for  largeness,  magnilicence,  and  number  of  inhabitants.” 
Kaempfer  says  of  Jeddo,  that  he  was  one  whole  day,  riding  at  a moderate 
pace,  “ from  Sinagawa,  where  the  suburb  begins,  along  the  main  street,  which 
goes  across,  a little  irregularly  indeed,  to  the  end  of  the  city.” 

As  to  the  variety  of  climate  and  produce,  the  southern  part  of  the 
Kingdom,  reaching  down  as  low  as  the  twenty-fourth  degree  of  north  lati- 
tude, produces  the  sugar  cane  and  the  tropical  fruits;  while  the  northern, 
extending  as  high  up  as  fifty  degrees,  yields  the  products  of  the  temperate 
zones.  The  mineral  wealth  of  the  country  is  very  great,  the  manufactures 
numerous,  and,  under  such  circumstances,  the  internal  trade  among  so  many 
people  is  necessarily  active.  Of  the  facilities  for  carrying  it  on,  we  remark 
that  goods  are  conveyed  by  land  on  pack-horses  and  pack-oxen,  and  that  the 
roads  are  excellent,  and  kept  in  admirable  order.  In  the  rugged  and  moun- 
tainous parts  of  the  country  where  the  road  must  pass,  they  make  it  zigzag 
on  the  side  of  the  mountain,  and,  where  necessary,  cut  steps  in  the  rocks. 
Indeed,  the  roads  must  be  kept  in  order,  otherwise  they  could  not  accomplish 
what  they  do  by  their  postal  arrangements.  As  among  the  ancient  Mexicans 
and  Peruvians,  the  post  is  pedestrian,  and  very  expeditious.  Every  carrier 
is  accompanied  by  a partner  to  take  his  place  in  case  of  accident.  The  men 
run  at  their  utmost  speed,  and  as  they  approach  the  end  of  their  stage,  find 
the  relay  waiting,  to  whom,  as  soon  as  they  are  near  enough,  they  toss  the 
package  of  letters,  when  the  new  runners  set  off  before  the  coming  ones  have 
stopped.  Nothing  must  be  interposed  to  delay  them  a moment  on  the  road. 
The  highest  prince  of  the  Empire,  with  all  his  train,  must  make  way  for 
the  postmen,  if  he  meet  them  on  the  road.  Where  necessary  and  practi- 
cable on  their  roads,  the  Japanese  make  good  bridges,  often  of  stone;  but 
they  do  not  seem  to  have  arrived  at  the  art  of  tunnel-making.  Some  princi- 
ples of  civil  engineering  they  understand  and  apply,  but  of  military  engi- 
neering they  know  nothing.  But  beside  their  roads,  they  use  their  rivers 
and  inland  lakes  for  internal  trade  wherever  it  is  possible ; and  in  those  parts 
of  the  Kingdom  nearest  the  sea,  probably  the  greater  part  of  the  inland 
trade  is  carried  on  by  the  rivers,  which,  though  short,  are  navigable  for  some 
miles  into  the  interior.  On  the  roads,  in  all  parts  of  the  Empire,  stables, 
inns,  tea-shops,  and  other  resting  places,  occur  at  intervals,  and  the  distances 
are  regularly  marked. 

Scientific  knowledge  and  its  applications. — We  have  just  said  that  the 
Japanese  possess  some  knowledge  of  the  principles  of  civil  engiueering. 
They  know  something  of  mathematics,  mechanics,  and  trigonometry.  Thus, 
they  have  constructed  very  good  maps  of  their  coimtry ; they  have  measured 
the  height  of  some  of  their  mountains  by  the  barometer ; they  have  made 
some  very  good  canals;  they  have  constructed  water-mills,  and  lathes  moved 


INTRODUCTION. 


69 


by  water  power.  They  make  clocks,  and  herein,  by  the  way,  they  have 
shown  remarkable  ingenuity  and  skill.  Meylan  gives  the  following  account 
of  a clock  which  they  made,  and  exhibited  to  the  Dutch,  while  he  was  an 
inmate  of  Dezima.  “ The  clock,”  says  he,  “ is  contained  in  a frame  three 
feet  high  by  five  feet  long,  and  presents  a fair  landscape  at  noon-tide.  Plum 
and  cherry  trees  in  full  blossom,  with  other  plants,  adorn  the  foreground. 
The  back-ground  consists  of  a hill,  from  which  falls  a cascade,  skilfully  imi- 
tated in  glass,  that  forms  a softly  flowing  river,  first  winding  round  rocks 
placed  here  and  there,  then  ru'  .ning  across  the  middle  of  the  landscape  till 
lost  in  a wood  of  fir  trees.  A golden  sun  hangs  aloft  in  the  sky,  and,  turning 
upon  a pivot,  indicates  the  striking  of  the  hours.  On  the  frame  below,  the 
twelve  hours  of  day  and  night  are  marked,  where  a slowly  creeping  tortoise 
serves  as  a hand.  A bird,  perched  upon  the  branch  of  a plum  tree,  by  its 
song  and  the  clapping  of  its  wings,  announces  the  moment  when  the  hour 
expires ; and  as  the  song  ceases,  a bell  is  heard  to  strike  the  hour — during 
which  operation,  a mouse  comes  out  of  a grotto  and  runs  over  the  hill. 
* * * * Every  separate  part  was  nicely  executed ; but  the  bird  was 

too  large  for  the  tree,  and  the  sun  for  the  sky,  while  the  mouse  scaled 
the  mountain  in  a moment  of  time.”  Whatever  may  have  been  the  defects 
of  taste,  the  ingenuity  and  skill  in  this  piece  of  mechanism  are  very  appa- 
rent. 

Fischer  also  tell  us  a story  of  the  ingenuity  of  a Japanese  fisherman, 
of  which,  perhaps,  the  specimen  may  now  be  found  among  ourselves.  The 
Japanese,  like  many  other  people  of  lively  temperaments,  have  a passion 
for  things  that  are  strange  and  odd,  and  rather  prefer  sometimes  to  be  gulled. 
This  fisherman,  availing  himself  of  this  passion,  contrived  to  unite  the  upper 
half  of  a monkey  to  the  lower  half  of  a fish,  so  neatly  as  to  defy  ordinary 
inspection.  He  then  announced  that  he  had  caught  a strange  animal  alive 
in  his  net,  but  that  the  creature  had  soon  died  when  taken  out  of  the  water, 
and  invited  his  countrymen  to  come,  and,  for  a consideration,  to  see  the 
curiosity.  After  he  had  put  money  in  his  purse  to  some  considerable  extent 
by  this  bold  reliance  on  human  credulity,  he  improved  on  the  original  story, 
and  said  that  during  the  few  moments  of  its  life  the  strange  creature  had 
spoken  to  him,  (whether  in  the  language  of  Japan  or  in  that  of  the  Fee-jee 
islands,  he  did  not  say,)  and  had  predicted  a certain  number  of  years  of 
great  fertility,  to  be  followed  or  accompanied  by  a most  fatal  epidemic ; and 
that  against  this  last  the  only  remedy  would  be  the  possession  of  a likeness 
of  the  marine  nondescript,  half  human,  half  fish.  Pictures  of  the  mermaid 
were  forthwith  in  demand,  and  the  sale  was  immense.  Presently,  as  the 
alfair  had  well  nigh  had  its  run  in  Japan,  this  mermaid,  or  one  made  like  it, 
was  sold  to  the  Dutch  factory  at  Dezima,  and  was  sent  off  in  the  next  ship 
to  Batavia.  Here  one  of  our  speculating  brethren  of  the  “ universal  Yan- 
kee nation  ” contrived  to  get  it,  and  forthwith  repaired  to  Europe,  where  he 


70 


I N T E 0 D U C T I O N . 


very  successfully  played  the  part  of  proprietor  and  showman  of  a veritable 
mermaid,  during  the  years  1822-’23,  thus  settling  a disputed  question  in 
natural  history  and  filling  his  pockets  at  the  same  time.  "We  are  inclined  to 
think  that  this  is  the  identical  mermaid  which  graces  the  collection  at  the 
New  York  Museum;  if  it  be  not,  then  our  Japan  fisherman  furnished  the 
parent,  (so  ingeniously  made  as  to  elude  detection,)  from  which  was  born 
the  Fee-jee  prodigy. 

But  another  more  remakable  and  far  more  creditable  instance  of  the 
ingenuity  and  talent  of  a Japanese  fisherma.  is  related  in  the  Dutch  annals 
of  Dezima.  It  occurred  during  the  presidency  of  M.  Doeff.  The  Dutch  at 
Batavia,  during  the  war,  feared  the  English  cruisers  too  much  to  send  one  of 
their  own  ships  on  the  annual  voyage  to  Japan.  They  therefore  more  than 
once  hired  American  vessels.  One  of  these  having  taken  in  at  Dezima  the 
irsual  cargo  of  copper  and  camphor,  as  she  set  sail  in  the  night,  struck  upon 
a rock  in  the  harbor,  filled  and  sunk.  The  crew  reached  the  shore  in  boats, 
and  the  authorities  of  Nagasaki,  the  Dutch  factory,  and  the  American  cap- 
tain, were  all  alike  concerned  to  devise  means  of  raising  the  vessel.  Japan- 
ese divers  were  sent  down  to  fetch  up  the  copper,  but  the  camphor  had 
dissolved,  and  the  efBuvia  thus  disengaged  cost  two  of  the  divers  their  lives. 
The  idea  of  unloading  her  was  then  abandoned.  Efforts  were  then  made  to 
raise  her  as  she  was,  but  without  success.  A simple  fisherman  named  Kiye- 
mon,  who  now  perhaps  for  the  first  time  in  his  life  saw  an  European-built 
ship,  for  he  did  not  live  in  Nagasaki,  promised  to  raise  the  ship,  provided 
his  mere  expenses  in  doing  it  were  paid ; if  he  did  not  succeed  he  asked 
nothing.  He  was  laughed  at  by  the  people  for  his  presumption,  but,  as  the 
case  was  hopeless,  those  interested  permitted  him  to  make  the  attempt.  At 
low  tide  he  fastened  on  either  side  of  the  vessel  fifteen  or  seventeen  boats, 
such  as  those  by  which  the  Dutch  ships  are  towed  in,  and  connected  them  all 
together  firmly  by  props  and  stays.  He  then  waited  for  a spring  tide,  when 
he  came  in  a Japanese  coasting  vessel,  which  he  attached  firmly  to  the  stern 
of  the  sunken  ship,  and  at  the  moment  when  the  tide  was  highest,  he  set 
every  sail  of  every  boat.  The  simken  vessel  was  lifted,  disengaged  herself 
from  the  rock,  and  ways  towed  by  the  fisherman  to  the  strand,  where  she 
could  be  unloaded  and  repaired.  Fraissinet  says  he  was  handsomely  rewarded 
for  this.  The  reader  will  be  amused  to  learn  that  his  reward  consisted  in 
being  allowed  to  wear  two  sabres,  (which  is  the  badge  of  elevated  rank,)  and 
to  bear  as  his  coat  of  arms  a Dutch  hat  and  two  Dutch  tobacco  pipes.  TTe 
have  never  read  in  any  narrative  of  the  circumstance  that  he  received  any 
money  with  which  to  support  his  rank.  The  Dutchmen  and  the  American 
captain  should  have  furnished  that.  If  the  circumstances  had  been  changed, 
and  either  Hollander  or  Yankee  had  raised  the  vessel  for  the  Japanese,  it 
would  have  been  very  soon  intimated  to  the  natives  that  two  swords  with  a 
picture  of  a Dutch  hat  and  two  tobacco  pipes  afforded  very  inadequate  com- 


INTRODUCTION. 


71 


pensation  for  such  a valuable  service.  We  think  it  would  scarcely  have 
satisfied  the  Japanese  mermaid  maker,  had  he  been  the  fortunate  fisherman 
instead  of  the  modest  Kiyemon. 

Medicine. — All  the  writers  on  Japan  agree  in  the  statement  that  on  the 
visit  of  the  Dutch  president  to  Jeddo,  his  European  physician,  who  accom- 
panies him,  is  always  visited  by  the  native  physicians,  and  closely  questioned 
on  points  purely  professional.  Their  object  is  to  gain  information.  But 
they  already  know  something.  They  have  not,  however,  availed  themselves 
at  all  of  post  mortem  examinations,  either  to  investigate  disease  or  to  study 
anatomy.  We  cannot  suppose  they  are  without  opportunities  of  thus  acquir- 
ing knowledge,  for  we  read  that  after  a criminal  is  executed  it  is  not  uncom- 
mon for  his  body  to  be  hacked  in  pieces  by  the  young  nobility,  that  they 
may  try  the  temper  and  edge  of  their  sword  blades.  But  superstition  is  in 
the  way.  To  come  into  contact  with  death  is  deemed  pollution.  Without 
such  examinations,  it  is  obvious  that  the  knowledge  of  the  physician  and 
surgeon  must  be  but  .imperfect  at  best. 

There  are,  however,  in  J apan,  original  medical  works  constantly  appear- 
ing, and  translations  are  also  made  of  all  such  as  they  can  obtain  in  the 
Dutch  language,  which  they  best  understand.  The  European  medical  gentle- 
men, who  have  come  in  contact  with  their  professional  brethren  of  Japan, 
report  favorably  of  them ; and  Dr.  Siebold  speaks  with  high  praise  of  the 
zeal  with  which  the  native  physicians  thronged  around  him,  from  all  parts 
of  the  Empire,  seeking  to  enlarge  the  stores  of  their  knowledge.  He  bears 
testimony  also  to  their  intelligence,  as  evinced  by  the  questions  they  asked. 
Acupuncture  and  moxa  burning  are  both  used  in  Japan  and  are  native  inven- 
tions. They  have  an  original  treatise  on  the  first,  and  the  proper  cases  for 
its  use.  Their  drugs  are  mostly  animal  and  vegetable ; they  are  too  little 
acquainted  with  chemistry  to  venture  upon  mineral  remedies.  They  study 
medical  botany,  however,  with  great  attention,  and  their  remedies  are  said 
to  be  generally  efficacious.  Some  of  their  medicinal  preparations  are  very 
remarkable,  producing  most  singular  effects.  Of  these  there  is  one  spoken 
of  by  Titsingh,  who  saw  its  application  and  its  consequences ; and  from  some 
of  the  officers  of  our  own  expedition  we  have  heard  of  this  preparation,  of 
which,  we  believe,  they  have  brought  home  specimens.  Titsingh  thus  writes : 
“ Instead  of  enclosing  the  bodies  of  the  dead  in  coffins  of  a length  and 
breadth  proportionate  to  the  stature  and  bulk  of  the  deceased,  they  place 
the  body  in  a tub,  three  feet  high,  two  feet  and  a half  in  diameter  at  the  top, 
and  two  feet  at  bottom.  It  is  difficult  to  conceive  how  the  body  of  a grown 
person  can  be  compressed  into  so  small  a space,  when  the  limbs,  rendered 
rigid  by  death,  cannot  be  bent  in  any  way.  The  Japanese  to  whom  I made 
this  observation,  told  me  that  they  produced  the  result  by  means  of  a par- 
ticular powder  called  Dosia,  which  they  introduce  into  the  ears,  nostrils,  and 
mouth  of  the  deceased,  after  which,  the  limbs,  all  at  once,  acquire  astonish- 


72 


INTBODUCTION. 


iug  flexibility.  As  they  pi’omised  to  perform  the  experiment  in  my  presence, 
I could  not  do  otherwise  than  suspend  my  judgment,  lest  I should  condemn, 
as  an  absurd  Action,  a fact  which,  indeed,  surpasses  our  conceptions,  but  may 
yet  be  susceptible  of  a plausible  explanation,  especially  by  galvanism,  the 
recently  discovered  effects  of  which  also  appeared  at  first  to  exceed  the 
bounds  of  credulity.  The  experiment  accordingly  took  place  in  the  month 
of  October,  1783,  when  the  cold  was  pretty  severe.  A young  Dutchman 
having  died  in  our  factory  at  Dezima,  I directed  the  physician  to  cause  the 
body  to  be  washed  and  left  all  night  exposed  to  the  air,  on  a table  placed 
near  an  open  window,  in  order  that  it  might  become  completely  stiff.  Next 
morning,  several  Japanese,  some  of  the  officers  of  our  factory,  and  myself, 
went  to  examine  the  corpse,  which  was  as  hard  as  a piece  of  wood.  One  of 
the  interpreters,  named  Zenby,  drew  from  his  bosom  a santock,  or  pocket- 
book,  and  took  out  of  it  an  oblong  paper,  filled  with  a coarse  powder  resem- 
bling sand.  This  was  the  famous  Dosia  powder.  He  put  a pinch  into  the 
ears,  another  pinch  into  the  nostrils,  and  a third  into  the  mouth ; and  pres- 
ently, whether  from  the  effect  of  this  drug,  or  of  some  trick  which  I could 
not  detect,  the  arms,  which  had  before  been  crossed  over  the  breast,  dropped 
of  themselves,  and  in  less  than  twenty  minutes  by  the  watch,  the  body  recov- 
ered all  its  flexibility. 

“ I attributed  this  phenomenon  to  the  action  of  some  subtle  poison,  but 
was  assured  that  the  Dosia  powder,  so  far  from  being  poisonous,  was  a most 
excellent  medicine  in  child-bearing,  for  diseases  of  the  eyes,  and  for  other 
maladies.'  An  infusion  of  this  powder,  taken  even  in  pefect  health,  is  said 
to  have  virtues  which  cause  it  to  be  in  great  request  among  the  Japanese  of 
aU  classes.  It  cheers  the  spirits  and  refreshes  the  body.  It  is  carefully 
tied  up  in  a white  cloth  and  dried,  after  being  used,  as  it  will  serve  a 
great  number  of  times  before  losing  its  virtues. 

“ The  same  infusion  is  given  to  people  of  qualitj’’  when  at  the  point  of 
death  ; if  it  does  not  prolong  life,  it  prevents  rigidity  of  the  limbs ; and  the 
body  is  not  exposed  to  the  rude  handling  of  professional  persons,  a circum- 
stance of  some  consequence  in  a country  where  respect  for  the  dead  is  carried 
to  excess.  I had  the  curiosity  to  procure  some  of  this  powder,  for  which  I 
was  obliged  to  send  to  Kidjo,  or  the  nine  provinces,  to  the  temples  of  the 
Sintoos,  which  enjoy  the  exclusive  sale  of  it,  because  they  practice  the  doc- 
trine of  Kobou-Daysi,  its  inventor.  The  quantity  obtained  in  consequence 
of  my  first  application  was  very  small,  and  even  this  was  a special  favor  of 
the  priests,  who  otherwise  never  part  with  more  than  a single  pinch  at  a 
time.” 

Titsingh,  however,  obtained  a considerable  quantity  afterward,  which  he 
carried  home  with  him  in  1784.  It  has  the  appearance  of  sand,  and  when 
it  is  fully  perfected  for  use  is  as  white  as  snow.  It  is  obtained  on  the  moun- 
tain of  Kongosen  or  Kinbensen  in  the  province  of  Yamatto,  where  there  are 


INTRODUCTION. 


73 


many  mines  of  gold  and  silver.  The  process  by  which  it  is  prepared  is  the 
secret  of  the  priests.  Their  knowledge  is  doubtless  the  result  of  accidental 
experience  ; for  their  acquaintance  with  chemistry  is  so  slight  that  we  may 
safely  conclude  they  do  not  understand  the  rationale  of  its  preparation. 

Astronomy. — In  this  science  they  have  made  very  considerable  pro- 
ficiency. They  understand  the  use  of  European  instruments,  and  have 
caused  many  of  them  to  be  very  successfully  imitated  by  native  workmen. 
Meylan  says  he  saw  good  telescopes,  chronometers,  thermometers,  and 
barometers,  made  by  Japanese  mechanics.  They  calculate  eclipses  accu- 
rately, and  yearly  almanacs  are  prepared  in  the  Jeddo  and  Dairi  colleges. 
Lalande’s  treatises  and  other  astronomical  works  have  been  translated  from 
Dutch  into  Japanese,  and  are  studied  with  great  ardor.  They  have  in  their 
division  of  time  a cycle  of  sixty  years,  calculated  out  of  their  zodiac,  which, 
like  ours,  has  twelve  signs,  differing  from  ours  in  their  names  only.  But 
this  is  not  the  place  to  consider  minutely  their  astronomical  system.  We 
cannot  leave  it,  however,  without  the  remark  that,  on  a comparison  of  it  with 
that  of  the  Muiscas,  an  ancient,  semi-civilized,  and  now  extinct  race,  that 
once  inhabited  the  plains  of  Bogota,  in  New  Granada,  the  resemblances  were 
so  striking  that  they  produced  on  our  mind  a conviction  that  the  astronomi- 
cal systems  of  the  two  people  were  substantially  the  same. 


SECTION  VII. 

LITERATURE  AND  THE  FINE  ARTS. 

Paper  was  made  by  the  J apanese  as  early  as  the  beginning  of  the  seventh 
century,  and  printing  from  blocks,  after  the  Chinese  fashion,  was  introduced 
in  the  year  1206  of  our  era.  The  city  of  the  Mikado  appears  to  be  the 
great  metropolis  of  literature  in  Japan.  A great  many  books  are  there  made, 
and  a great  many  reside  there  whose  occupation  is  that  of  letters.  Semina- 
ries of  learning  of  different  grades  have  existed  in  the  country  ever  since 
Europeans  knew  anything  about  it.  Xavier  says  that  in  his  day  there  were 
four  “ academies  ” in  or  near  Miako,  each  having  between  three  and  four 
thousand  pupils ; and  he  adds  that  much  larger  numbers  were  taught  at  an 
institution  near  the  city  of  Bandone,  and  that  such  seminaries  were  universal 
throughout  the  Empire.  Beside  the  colleges  or  higher  institutions  at  the 
city  of  Miako,  we  know  of  similar  ones  at  Jeddo,  and  of  one  at  Nagasaki. 
How  many  there  may  be  in  the  Kingdom  we  cannot  say ; but  education, 
such  as  it  is,  is  by  no  means  neglected  in  Japan.  There  would  seem  to  be 
something  like  a common  school  system,  for  Meylan  states  that  children  of 


74 


INTRODUCTION. 


both  sexes  and  of  all  ranks  are  invariably  sent  to  rudimentary  schools ; 
whether  supported  by  the  State  or  not  he  does  not  say.  Here  the  pupils  are 
all  taught  to  read  and  write,  and  are  initiated  into  some  knowledge  of  the 
history  of  their  own  country.  Thus  much  the  meanest  peasant  child  is 
expected  to  learn.  There  are  immense  numbers  of  cheap,  easy  books  contin- 
ually issuing  from  the  J apan  press,  which  are  designed  for  the  instruction 
of  children  or  poor  people ; so  it  will  be  seen  they  have  their  “ cheap  litera- 
ture.” Books  innumerable  of  a higher  order  are  provided  for  the  rich,  and 
all,  of  both  kinds,  are  profusely  illustrated  with  wood-euts,  engraved  on  the 
same  block  with  the  type.  Some  of  these  books,  which  we  have  examined, 
show  also  that  an  art  but  recently  introduced  in  Europe  and  America  is  very 
old  in  Japan,  viz  ; that  of  printing  in  colors.  So  that  in  our  modern  inven- 
tions of  stereotyping  and  printing  in  colors,  and  in  our  manufacture  of  cheap 
literature  for  the  people  generally,  J apan  has  anticipated  us  by  centuries. 
Their  books  consist  of  works  of  science,  history,  biography,  geography, 
travels,  moral  philosophy,  natural  history,  poetry,  the  drama,  and  encyclo- 
paedias. Reading  is  a favorite  occupation  with  both  sexes ; and  it  is  said  to 
be  common  in  J apan  to  see,  when  the  weather  permits,  a group  of  ladies  and 
gentlemen  seated  by  a cool  running  stream,  or  in  a shady  grove,  each  with 
a book. 

Of  the  merits  of  the  Japanese  books  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  speak  with 
much  confidence.  Very  few  Europeans  or  Americans  know  anything  of  the 
language ; it  is  not  the  easiest  of  acquisition ; and  yet,  all  we  have  of  the 
Japanese  books  is  in  translation.  We  doubt  if  any  western  scholar  has  ever 
yet  mastered  it  thoroughly,  for  opportunity  has  been  wanting ; and  very  sure 
we  are  that  Klaproth  accuses  Titsingh  of  ignorance,  and  Siebold  and  HoflF- 
man  similarly  accuse  Klaproth,  while  a Japanese  at  our  side  informs  us 
that  all  are  mistaken.  Now,  without  a thorough  understanding  of  the  lan- 
guage, no  translation  can  convey  a correct  idea  of  the  sentiments  expressed, 
much  less  of  the  spirit  embodied  in  the  original.  An  ex  cathedra  critical 
opinion  on  the  Japanese  literature  is,  therefore,  premaiure.  Let  us  hope 
that,  ere  long,  both  Europeans  and  Americans  will  master  the  language  com- 
pletely; and  then  let  them  speak. 

Music. — The  Japanese  music,  of  which,  by  the  way,  the  natives  are  pas- 
sionately fond,  has  nothing  in  it  to  recommend  it  to  the  ears  of  Europeans 
or  Americans.  The  principal  instrument  is  the  samsic  or  guitar,  and  every 
young  female  of  the  upper  classes  is  taught  to  play  upon  it.  It  is  the  in- 
variable accompaniment  of  ladies  when  they  go  to  parties ; and  on  these 
occasions  the  female  guests  sing  and  play  by  turns.  They  have,  besides, 
various  other  instruments,  but  little  can  be  said  in  commendation  of  their 
music. 

Arts  of  design,  paintings,  prints,  &c. — In  this  department  they  have 
made  some  progress,  and  in  certain  branches  have  attained  to  no  smaR  skill. 


INTKODUCTION. 


Of  anatomy,  as  we  have  already  said,  they  know  nothing,  and  consequently 
are  no  sculptors ; neither  are  they  portrait  painters.  They  are  ignorant  of 
perspective,  and,  therefore,  cannot  paint  a landscape  ; hut  in  the  representation 
of  a single  object,  their  accuracy  of  detail  and  truthful  adherence  to  nature 
cannot  be  surpassed.  Their  deficiency  is  in  composition.  Nothing  is  more 
beautiful  than  their  delineations  of  a flower,  or  a fruit,  and  especially  of 
birds.  The  drawing  is  accurate  and  the  coloring  perfect.  They  make,  too, 
colors  which  European  artists  pronounce  to  be  unrivalled ; and  some  of  which 
excel  any  we  can  produce.  The  J apanese  are  very  fond  of  painting,  and  are 
eager  collectors  of  pictures.  They  sketch  boldly  with  charcoal  or  ink ; and 
of  an  isolated  object  the  drawing,  as  we  have  said,  is  apt  to  be  good.  They 
do  not  paint  in  oil,  at  all ; all  their  specimens  are  in  water  colors,  the  man- 
agement of  which  they  certainly  understand  very  well. 

They  have  prints  in  great  abundance;  all,  however,  are  made  from  wood 
cuts,  and  very  often  are  printed  in  colors.  Engraving  on  copper  has  but  re- 
cently been  introduced  among  them,  and  as  it  has  been  adopted  with  great 
eagerness,  it  will  probably  be  prosecuted  with  success. 

We  have  already  said  that  they  make  castings  in  metal  of  vases  and 
images,  and  the  sides  of  their  bells  are  adorned  with  has-relief. 

They  cannot  be  said  to  understand  architecture  as  an  art,  though  they 
cut  stone  and  lay  it  skilfully  enough ; nor  have  they  any  skill  in  the  work  of 
the  lapidary.  The  country  produces  precious  stones,  but  they  do  not  know 
how  to  cut  or  polish  them.  Hence  there  is  very  little  jewelry  worn  by 
either  sex.  But  they  have  a substitute  for  jewels,  such  as  we  cannot  make. 
This  is  called  syahfdo^  in  which  various  metals  are  so  blended  and  combined 
that  they  produce  an  effect  resembling,  very  much,  flne  enamel.  This  is  used, 
instead  of  precious  stones,  for  girdle  clasps,  sword  hilts,  boxes,  and  other 
ornamental  work. 


SECTION  VIII. 

NATURAL  PRODUCTIONS. 

Mineral  wealth. — Ksempfer,  whom  we  believe  to  be  as  accurate  as  any 
wi’iter  on  Japan,  remarks  that,  “ the  greatest  riches  of  the  Japanese  soil,  and 
those  in  which  this  Empire  exceeds  most  known  countries,  consist  in  all 
sorts  of  minerals  and  metals,  particularly  in  gold,  silver,  and  copper.”  The 
gold  is  found  in  many  parts  of  the  Empire.  Sometimes  it  is  obtained  from 
its  own  ore,  sometimes  from  the  washings  of  the  earth  or  sand,  and  some- 
times it  is  mixed  with  the  copper.  The  quantity  in  the  country  is  undoubted- 
ly great.  An  old  Spanish  writer  of  the  seventeenth  century  tells  us  that,  in 


\ 


7G 


INTRODUCTION. 


bis  day,  the  palace  of  the  Emperor  at  Tedo,  as  well  as  many  bouses  of  tbe 
nobility,  were  literally  covered  with  plates  of  gold.  In  tbe  beginning  of  tbe 
Dutch  trade,  tbe  annual  export  was  £840,000  sterling  ; and  in  tbe  course  of 
sixty  years  tbe  amount  sent  out  of  tbe  Kingdom,  through  tbe  Dutch  alone, 
was  from  twenty-five  to  fifty  millions  sterling. 

Silver  mines  are  quite  as  numerous  as  those  of  gold.  In  one  year,  tbe 
Portuguese,  while  they  bad  tbe  trade,  exported  in  silver,  £587,500  sterling. 

Copper  abounds  through  the  whole  Japanese  group,  and  some  of  it  is 
said  to  be  not  surpassed  by  any  in  tbe  world.  Tbe  natives  refine  it  and  cast 
it  into  cylinders  about  a foot  long  and  an  inch  thick.  Tbe  coarser  kinds  they 
cast  into  round  lumps  or  cakes. 

Quicksilver  is  said  to  be  abundant,  but  this,  so  far  as  we  know,  has  never 
been  an  article  of  export. 

Lead,  also,  is  found  to  be  plentiful,  but,  like  quicksilver,  it  has  not  been 
sent  out  of  tbe  Kingdom. 

Tin  has  also  been  discovered  in  small  quantities,  and  of  a quality  so  fine 
and  white  that  it  almost  equals  silver;  but  of  the  extent  of  this  mineral 
little  is  known,  as  tbe  Japanese  do  not  attach  much  value  to  it,  and  therefore 
have  not  sought  for  it. 

Iron  is  found  in  three  of  tbe  provinces,  and  probably  exists  in  others. 
Tbe  Japanese  know  bow  to  reduce  tbe  ore,  and  tbe  metal  they  obtain  is  of 
superior  quality,  of  which  they  make  steel  unsurpassed  in  excellency. 

Coal. — “They  have  no  want  of  coals  in  Japan,”  says  Kmmpfer,  “they 
being  dug  up  in  great  quantities  in  tbe  province  of  Slkusen  and  in  most  of 
tbe  northern  provinces.  ” Dr.  Siebold  also  speaks  of  coal  as  being  in  com- 
mon use  throughout  tbe  country ; and  on  visiting  one  of  tbe  mines  be  saw 
enough  to  convince  him  that  it  was  skilfully  worked.  For  domestic  purposes 
they  convert  tbe  coal  into  coke.  Viewed  in  tbe  light  of  commercial  inter- 
course between  tbe  two  hemispheres,  this  coal  is  worth  more  than  all  tbe 
metallic  deposits  we  have  enumerated. 

Native  sulphur. — In  a region  so  volcanic,  this  is,  as  might  be  expected, 
an  abundant  mineral.  In  some  places  it  lies  in  broad  deep  beds,  and  may  be 
dug  up  and  removed  with  as  much  ease  as  sand.  A considerable  revenue  is 
derived  by  the  government  from  sulphur. 

Precious  stones. — No  diamonds  have  been  found,  but  agates,  carnelians, 
and  jaspers  are  met  with,  some  of  them  of  great  beauty.  But  the  wealth 
of  the  Kingdom  in  precious  stones  is  imperfectly  known,  as  the  Japanese  are 
not  lapidaries. 

Pearls. — These  are  fished  up  on  nearly  all  parts  of  the  coast,  and  are  fre- 
quently large  and  beautiful.  The  Chinese  taught  the  natives  their  value  by 
offering  them  very  high  prices  for  the  finest  qualites. 

Mother  of  pearl,  corals,  ambergris  and  naphtha  are  also  to  be  enumerated 
among  the  articles  of  export. 


INTKODUCTION. 


77 


Forest  and  fruit  trees. — The  most  common  forest  trees  are  the  fir  and 
tlxe  cypress ; and  so  sensible  are  the  Japanese  of  the  necessity  of  preserving 
their  timber  trees,  that  neither  of  those  above  named  can  be  cut  but  by  permis- 
sion of  the  local  magistrate ; and  the  law  requires  that  for  every  full  grown 
tree  that  is  felled  a young  one  must  be  planted.  The  cedar  grows  to  an  im- 
mense size ; sometimes  more  than  eighteen  feet  in  circumference.  An  Eng- 
lish ship  at  Nagasaki,  within  a recent  period,  wanted  some  small  spars;  they 
were  furnished ; all  were  cedar,  about  ninety-six  feet  long.  This  tree  would, 
no  doubt,  prove  a very  valuable  article  of  export. 

There  are  two  varieties  of  oak,  both  good  and  both  different  from  the 
oaks  of  Europe.  The  acorns  of  one  kind  are  boiled  and  eaten  for  food,  and 
are  said  to  be  both  palatable  and  nutritious. 

The  mulberry  grows  wild  in  great  abundance ; but  it  is  so  useful  that  the 
people  transplant  and  cultivate  it.  Of  the  varnish  tree  we  have  already 
spoken. 

The  camphor  tree  is  valuable  and  lives  to  a great  age.  Siebold  visited 
one  which  Charlevoix  had  described  as  having  been  seen  by  him.  one  hundred 
and  thirty-five  years  before.  It  was  healthy  and  covered  with  foliage,  with 
a circumference  of  fifty  feet.  The  country  people  make  the  camphor  by  a 
decoction  of  the  root  and  stems  cut  into  small  pieces. 

The  chestnut  and  walnut  are  both  found,  and  the  former  yields  excellent 
fruit.  There  is  also  the  pepper  tree,  or  a tree  which  bears  a species  of 
pepper. 

Of  fruit  trees  there,  are  the  orange,  the  lemon,  the  fig,  the  plum,  the  cherry, 
and  the  apricot.  The  plum  and  cherry,  however,  are  not  cultivated  as  much 
for  their  fruit  as  for  their  flowers.  The  vine  is  very  little  cultivated  ; and  of 
the  tea  plant  we  have  already  spoken. 

Having  thus  endeavored  to  furnish  the  reader  with  a condensed  view  of 
the  leading  features  that  characterize  the  past  progress  and  present  condition 
of  Japan,  we  would  at  once  proceed  to  the  narrative  of  the  expedition ; but 
there  is  a duty  which  we  owe  to  our  country,  and  which  we  will  now  endeavor 
to  perform. 

Of  certain  events  which  have  transpired  since  the  successful  expedition 
under  Commodore  Perry,  or  occurred  during  its  progress,  it  is  due  to  the 
claims  of  truth  that  something  should  be  said.  It  had  been  more  gratifying 
to  us  to  be  silent  on  the  topics  to  which  we  are  about  to  allude  ; but  ofilcial 
publications  by  other  nations,  as  well  as  statements  by  some  individuals,  have 
been  put  forth,  the  obvious  purpose  of  which  is  to  deprive  our  country  and  her 
officers  of  whatever  merit  may  attach  to  the  fact  that  the  United  States  were 
the  first,  by  peaceful  negotiations,  to  cause  an  alteration  in  the  policy  of 
excluding  foreigners  hitherto  pursued  by  Japan. 

On  the  24th  of  November,  1852,  Commodore  Perry  left  our  shores  on 
his  mission  to  Japan.  That  such  a mission  had  been  resolved  on  by  our  gov- 


78 


INTRODUCTION. 


erument  was  announced  to  the  world  some  twelve  months  before  the  time  of 
its  leaving,  and  had  formed  the  subject  of  comment  in  more  than  one  country 
of  Europe.  The  general  opinion  abroad  was  that  the  mission  would,  like  the 
/ many  others  that  had  been  attempted  by  various  powers,  prove  fruitless. 
Er.  Von  Siehold,  in  particular,  whose  long  residence  in  Japan  was  supposed 
to  give  great  importance  to  his  opinions,  thus  wrote  to  a friend  concerning 
it : “ My  mind  accompanies  the  expedition.  That  it  will  be  successful  by 
peaceful  means  I doubt  very  much.  If  I could  only  inspire  Commodore 
Perry,  he  would  triumph,”  &c.  The  progress  of  the  expedition  was,  of 
course,  watched  by  foreign  powers  with  grekt  interest. 

Commodore  Perry  cast  anchor  in  the  bay  of  Yedo,  the  commercial  cap- 
ital of  Japan,  on  the  8th  of  July,  1853.  On  the  22d  of  August,  1853,  a 
Pussian  squadron,  under  the  command  of  Admiral  Pontiatine,  anchored  in  the 
bay  of  Nagasaki.  We  know  not  precisely  of  what  vessels  this  expedition 
was  composed;  but  we  believe  that,  beside  the  frigate  Pallas  and  the 
steamer  Vostock,  the  Aurora^  of  48  guns,  and  the  corvette  Navarino,  of  22, 
were  sent,  the  one  to  the  Pacific,  and  the  other  ostensibly  to  Kamtschatka, 
while  it  is  quite  certain  that  not  long  after  a Russian  squadron  of  several 
vessels-of-war  was  at  Copenhagen,  the  ofiBcers  of  which  said  that  they  were 
destined  to  remain  five  years  in  the  waters  of  the  Japanese  archipelago.  An 
unusually  large  Russian  naval  force  was  therefore  collected  in  the  Pacific, 
and  in  the  vicinity  of  Japan,  to  be  there  on  the  expected  visit  of  Commo- 
doi’e  Perry.  There  were  not  wanting  those  who  suspected  that  Russia  was 
silently  pursuing  her  own  system  of  policy.  If  Commodore  Perry  unfortu- 
nately should  fail  in  his  peaceful  attempts,  and  be  brought  into  hostile  col- 
lision with  the  Japanese,  Russia  was  on  the  spot,  not  to  mediate,  but  to 
tender  to  Japan  her  aid  as  an  ally  in  the  conflict,  and  if  successful,  to  avail 
herself  of  the  moment  of  confidence  quietly  to  get  a foothold  in  some  part  of 
the  Kingdom,  with  the  intention,  at  the  proper  time,  of  absorbing  all.  There 
is  no  power  in  the  other  hemisphere  to  which  the  possession  of  Japan,  or  the 
control  of  its  affairs,  is  as  important  as  it  is  to  Russia.  She  is  on  one  side  of 
the  islands,  the  United  States  on  the  other.  The  Pacific  ocean  is  destined  to 
be  the  theatre  of  immense  commercial  undertakings.  Russia  is,  in  a great 
degree,  shut  out  by  her  local  position  from  easy  access  to  the  Atlantic ; but 
with  such  harbors  on  the  Pacific  as  Japan  would  give  her,  she  might  hope  to 
become  the  controlling  maritime  power  of  the  world.  Our  friendly  relations 
and  influence  with  the  Japanese,  therefore,  might  interfere  materially  with 
the  ulterior  plans  of  Russia.  Hence  she  was  first  in  the  field  to  watch  all 
our  movements.  Thus,  we  say,  some  interpreted  her  conduct.  We  do  not 
mean  to  assert  that  they  interpreted  it  correctly,  or  that  such  was  the  policy 
Russia  had  resolved  on.  But  the /aci  is,  as  we  have  stated,  that  simultane- 
ously with  our  expedition  she  did  largely  increase  her  naval  armament  in  the 
waters  of  Japan.  Commodore  Perry  was  at  some  loss  to  understand  pre- 


INTRODUCTION. 


79 


cisely  the  policy  of  Kussia.  In  a letter  of  November  12th,  1853,  the  Eus- 
sian  admiral  made  a distinct  proposition  of  joining  his  forces  to,  and  entering 
into  full  co-operation  with,  the  American  squadron.  This  may  have  been 
prompted  by  an  expectation  of  our  success  and  a doubt  of  his  own.  At  any 
rate,  the  Commodore  civilly,  but  decidedly,  declined  the  proposal,  and,  in  a 
letter  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  assigned  most  satisfactory  reasons  for  so 
doing.  He  stated  that  it  was  “ inconsistent  with  our  policy  of  abstaining 
from  all  alliances  with  foreign  powers ; and  for  the  reason,  also,  that  his  co- 
operation cannot  advance  the  interest  of  the  United  States,  however  it  might 
benefit  the  objects  of  the  Eussian  Emperor,  of  the  nature  of  whose  designs  I 
(says  the  Commodore)  am  utterly  ignorant.”  But  whatever  were  her  secret 
purposes  to  promote  her  own,  or  throw  obstacles  in  the  way  of  our  success, 
if  she  had  any,  one  thing  is  certain,  for  that  success  we  are  not  indebted  in 
the  slightest  degree  to  Russia,  by  any  direct  act  of  hers  to  that  end.  Indi- 
rectly, however,  she  may  have  furthered  the  object.  We  are  in  possession 
of  very  recent  information  from  Japan,  tending  to  show  that  the  imperial 
government  seems  to  be  distrustful  of  the  purposes  of  Eussia.  The  move- 
ments of  that  nation  on  the  Amoor  river  have  been  viewed  with  so  much  ap- 
prehension, that  the  Emperor  some  time  ago  dispatched  a special  agent  to 
discover,  if  possible,  their  ulterior  purposes.  The  Japanese  have  resolved 
that  they  will  raise  an  efficient  army,  and  equip  a navy,  not  composed  of 
junks,  but  of  vessels  built  after  the  European  model.  The  restrictions  on 
ship-building  have  been  removed,  and  already,  since  our  treaty  was  signed, 
one  vessel  for  commercial  purposes  has  been  built  and  rigged  like  ours.  The 
Japanese  have  heard,  too,  of  the  war  in  which  Eussia  is  at  present  engaged. 
The  information  produced  intense  excitement,  and  it  was  resolved  by  the  im- 
perial council  that  treaties  similar  to  that  made  with  the  United  States  should 
be  made  with  all  nations  seeking  them.  This  opens  Japan  to  the  trade  of 
the  world.  They  knew,  too,  that  the  British  Admiral  Stirling  was  seeking 
the  Eussian  vessels  in  the  neighborhood  of  Japan,  and  they  were  hence  the 
more  willing  to  make  treaties  with  all,  as  the  means  of  securing  Japan  from 
aggression  by  any,  and  of  enabling  her  to  preserve,  as  she  wishes,  a strict  neu- 
trality. 

The  visit  of  Eussia,  however,  led  to  no  treaty.  The  squadron  left  Naga- 
saki on  the  23d  of  November,  1853,  and  returned  to  it  early  in  1854.  It 
left  again,  after  several  fruitless  interviews  with  the  Japanese  authorities, 
on  the  5th  of  February,  and  was  absent  until  the  20th  of  April,  when  it 
reappeared  at  Nagasaki,  but  it  remained  until  the  26th  only,  when  it  took 
its  final  departure. 

But  other  foreign  powers  have  eontributed  as  little  to  the  success  of  our 
negotiations  as  Eussia  has.  On  the  7th  of  September,  1854,  Admiral  Stir- 
ling, in  command  of  the  English  squadron,  arrived  at  Nagasaki,  one  purpose 
of  his  visit  being  to  make  a treaty,  in  which  he  succeeded.  But  the  English 


so 


INTRODUCTION. 


never  pretended  that  they  facilitated  our  negotiations;  they  may  possibly 
have  indirectly  derived  some  benefit  from  our  success ; but  we  will  not 
undertake  to  assert  that  they  did.  We  think  that  they  are  more  indebted 
to  the  Japanese  apprehension  of  Eussia’s  designs,  and  to  the  fact  of  the  war 
in  which  she  is  now  engaged,  than  to  anything  else.  We  may,  indeed,  by 
having  induced  the  first  departure  from  the  long  established  rule  to  exclude 
all  foreigners  but  the  Dutch  and  Chinese,  have  made  it  more  easy  to  com- 
mence negotiation,  but  our  aid  goes  not  beyond  this  accidental  assistance. 
Of  the  precise  terms  of  the  English  treaty  it  is  not  here  necessary  to  speak. 
One  of  the  officers  of  Admiral  Stirling  thus  speaks  of  it  in  a public  commu- 
nication through  the  English  newspapers : “ The  treaty  now  made  with 
J apan  contains  nothing  about  commerce^  yet  it  opens  the  way  and  prepares 
for  future  negotiation  on  this  important  point.”  “ It  is  highly  probable  that 
what  has  been  done  by  Sir  James  Stirling  at  Nagasaki  may  exceed  in  dura- 
bility and  value  the  work  done  at  Yedo  by  the  Americans,  although  that 
cost  a special  mission,  and  was  heralded  to  the  world  with  a very  loud  flour- 
ish of  trumpets  indeed.” 

To  this  pert  outbreak  of  transparent  envy,  we  have  only  to  say  we  ear- 
nestly hope  that  when  a treaty  is  made  which  does  say  something  “ about 
commerce,'''’  it  may  prove  both  durable  and  valuable  to  England ; and  to 
add,  that  we  should  be  sorry  to  think  such  flippant  impertinence  as  is  here 
exhibited  is  a common  characteristic  of  British  naval  officers.  From  the 
brave  we  look  for  “ high  thoughts  seated  in  a heart  of  courtesy?'’ 

But  the  Dutch  have  claimed,  and  that  by  an  official  document,  that 
they,  in  effect,  did  most  of  our  work  for  us.  It  is  strange  that  a nation  of 
which  all  Christendom  has,  for  more  than  two  hundred  years,  supposed  that 
it  has  sought  uniformly  to  secure  to  itself  a monopoly  in  the  trade  of 
Japan,  should  venture,  when  their  monopoly  is  destroyed,  to  stand  forth  and 
say,  in  substance,  that  they  always  lamented  its  existence  and  labored  for 
its  demolition.  Has  Christendom  been  so  long  deceived?  W^  fear  the 
world  will  ask  embarrassing  questions.  It  will  say : “ Did  not  the  Dutch 
do  what  they  could  to  drive  out  the  Portuguese  ? Did  they  not  assist 
in  the  bombardment  at  Simabara,  and  contribute  to  the  extirpation  of  the 
native  Christians,  who  were  supposed  to  sympathize  with  the  Portuguese  ? 
Did  they  not  manifest  hostility  toward  their  Protestant  neighbors  of  the 
English  factory  at  Firando,  established  by  Saris  and  conducted  by  Cockes, 
until  the  English  left  ? When,  in  the  reign  of  Charles  II.,  the  English 
sought  to  renew  the  trade  with  Japan,  was  it  not  the  Dutch  who  hastened 
to  inform  the  imperial  government  that  the  wife  of  Charles  was  the  daughter 
of  the  King  of  Portugal,  thus  arraying  the  deep-seated  and  ancient  Japanese 
hatred  of  the  Portuguese  against  the  English  ? When  the  ‘ Phaeton,’  under 
Pellew,  visited  Nagasaki,  in  1808,  was  it  not  M.  Doeff,  the  Dutch  chief  at 
Dezima,  who  devised  and  counselled  the  plan  whereby  the  English  were  to 


INTEODUCTION. 


81 


♦ 


have  been  murdered  to  a man  ? When  J ava  was  in  possession  of  the  Eng- 
lish, and  Holland,  for  a time,  had  been  blotted  from  the  list  of  nations,  was 
it  not  the  same  M.  Doeff,  who,  to  the  craft  of  the  trader,  added  the  cunning 
of  the  diplomatist,  and,  by  treachery  to  the  Japanese  in  the  bribery  of  their 
officials,  contrived,  at  one  and  the  same  time,  to  pay  the  debts  of  Hezima 
and  enrich  himself  personally,  out  of  the  two  expeditions  sent  by  Sir  Stam- 
ford Raffles  ? ” 

And  now,  when  the  United  States  have,  without  seeing  a Dutchman,  or 
using  a Dutch  document,  successfully  negotiated  a treaty,  Holland  stands 
forth,  and  by  a formal  official  report  from  her  minister  of  colonies,  declares 
that  she  will  now  “ perform  the  agreeable  task  of  showing  the  persevering 
and  disinterested  efforts  which  the  Dutch  government  has  made  ” to  cause 
Japan  to  open  her  ports  to  the  commerce  of  the  United  States.  A brief 
notice  of  this  extraordinary  document  is  called  for  by  a regard  to  the  truth 
of  history. 

The  statement  of  the  Dutch  “ minister  of  colonies,”  when  condensed,  is 
substantially  this : That  in  the  year  1844,  about  the  time  of  Commodore 
Biddle’s  visit  to  Japan,  the  then  King  of  Holland,  William  II,  wrote  a let- 
ter to  the  Emperor  of  Japan,  in  which  attention  was  called  to  the  introduc- 
tion of  steam  in  navigation,  the  consequent  increased  development  of  com- 
merce in  the  J apanese  seas,  and  the  danger  likely  to  result  to  J apan  from 
her  rigid  system  of  excluding  foreigners  from  the  Kingdom.  It  recom- 
mended friendly  and  commercial  relations  as  the  surest  means  of  avoiding 
collisions ; and  finally,  from  a grateful  sense  of  the  long-continued  favor 
shown  to  the  Dutch  by  the  Japanese,  it  tendered  to  the  latter  the  “ disinter- 
ested counsel  to  relax  the  laws  against  foreigners,”  and  offered  to  send  an 
envoy  to  give  fuller  explanations  to  Japan  of  what  she  should  do,  provided 
the  Emperor  desired  it.  This  letter,  the  Dutch  document  states,  contains 
the  principles  which  have  formed  the  basis  of  all  Holland’s  subsequent 
action,  so  far  as  other  powers  are  concerned. 

In  1845,  the  Emperor  caused  an  answer  to  be  sent  to  the  letter,  in  which 
it  was  politely,  but  very  decidedly,  announced,  that  Japan  had  no  wish  to 
alter  her  ancient  laws  with  respect  to  foreigners. 

With  this  the  Dutch  remained  content ; and,  so  far  from  pressing  the 
subject  in  any  way,  in  1846  they  became  the  medium  of  announcing  to  the 
civilized  world  an  edict  of  Japan,  forbidding  foreigners  to  make  charts  and 
drawings  of  the  Japanese  waters  and  coasts,  and  forbidding  shipwrecked 
Japanese  sailors  to  return  to  their  country  in  any  ships  hut  those  of  the 
Netherlands  and  China. 

Presently,  when,  in  1852,  it  became  certain  that  an  expedition  was  to  be 
sent  from  the  United  States,  under  Commodore  Perry,  the  Dutch  forthwith 
sent  out  orders  to  their  governor  general  in  the  Indies  to  address  the  gov- 
ernor of  Nagasaki,  requesting  that  he  would  appoint  a confidential  agent  to 

6 


82 


IJJTRODUCTION. 


enter  into  negotiations  with  the  Dutch  chief  at  Dezima,  “ about  the  means 
that  the  latter  should  indicate  in  order  to  preserve  Japan  against  the  dan- 
gers that  threatened  her."  And  at  the  end  of  the  governor  general’s  letter 
was  an  intimation  to  the  Nagasaki  authorities  that  the  Dutch  might  he  forced 
to  abandon  Japan  entirely,  if  hostile  collisions  with  other  nations  should  he 
the  result  of  perseverance  in  her  system  of  exclusion.  This,  it  is  claimed, 
was  a renewal  of  the  effort  to  open  J apan  on  the  principles  set  forth  in  the 
letter  of  William  II,  in  1844.  From  1844  to  1852  the  Dutch  made  no  effort 
at  all,  on  the  ground,  as  the  document  alleges,  that  it  was  expedient  to  wait 
a more  favorable  opportunity. 

In  1852,  the  Dezima  chief  was  furnished,  by  the  governor  general,  with 
instructions  to  urge  upon  the  Japanese  government  a change  in  its  policy  of 
exclusion,  not  particularly  with  reference  to  the  Americans^  but  in  favor  of 
all  nations  who  hitherto  had  lived  in  peace  with  J apan.  At  the  same  time 
powers  to  negotiate  with  Japan  were  sent  to  the  Dezima  chief,  and  the  draft 
of  a treaty  was  furnished  him  by  his  government.  He  was  also  ordered  to 
conform  to  the  instructions  of  the  governor  general  and  the  draft  of  the 
treaty,  if  he  should  be  consulted  “ in  the  Japanese  American  affairs.”  The 
draft  of  the  treaty  was  substantially  this : 

Article  !.•  The  relations  now  existing  between  Japan  and  the  Nether- 
lands to  be  confirmed. 

Article  II.  The  port  of  Nagasaki  to  be  opened  to  other  nations  beside 
the  Dutch  for  the  following  purposes,  viz : to  procure  provisions  and  navy 
stores ; to  repair  vessels ; and  to  take  care  of  sick  seamen. 

Article  III.  Other  nations  beside  the  Dutch  “ may  even  he  admitted  to 
trade  : ” provided  they  conclude  a treaty  with  Japan  on  the  bases  expressed 
in  the  next  article. 

Article  IV.  (a)  Trade  to  he  limited  to  the  port  of  Nagasaki. 

(b)  Every  nation  admitted  to  trade  to  have  its  own  consul. 

(c)  Japanese  government  to  indicate  to  foreign  merchants  a quarter  in 
Nagasaki  for  their  residence. 

(d)  Trade  to  be  carried  on  with  the  privileged  Japanese  merchants  of 
the  five  imperial  cities,  Yedo,  Miako,  Ohosaka,  Sahai,  and  Nagasaki,  and 
placed  under  the  care  of  the  governor  of  Nagasaki. 

(e)  Agents  of  the  Japanese  princes  allowed  to  buy  foreign  wares,  and 
to  pay  for  them  with  the  products  of  their  principalities. 

{f)  Japanese  government  to  make  regulations  as  to  the  manner  of  car- 
rying on  traffic;  such  regulations  to  he  enforced  by  the  police  of  Nagasaki 

(y)  Japanese  government  to  issue  notes,  payable  at  the  imperial  treasury, 
to  facilitate  trade  with  foreigners. 

(7i)  Foreign  traders  allowed  to  pay  out  and  receive  the  Japanese  copper 
coin,  in  the  matter  of  daily  household  expenses. 


INTRODUCTION. 


83 


(i)  Right  reserved  to  the  Japanese  government  of  imposing  a moderate 
tariff  of  duties  on  foreign  importations. 

(y)  All  differences  arising  in  trade  to  be  settled  by  the  consul  of  the 
foreign  trader  and  the  governor  of  Nagasaki,  or  his  proxy. 

{k)  Crimes  committed  by  a foreigner  to  be  tried  and  punished  by  the 
nation  to  which  the  criminal  belongs. 

(Z)  The  Japanese  government  to  indicate  two  places  where  the  foreign 
nations,  admitted  to  trade,  may  establish  depots  for  coal.  One  shall  be  in 
the  bay  of  “ Good  Hope,”  in  Jesso,  in  the  northern  part  of  the  Empire ; 
and  the  other  in  the  southern  part,  on  one  of  the  islands  of  the  Linschop 
archipelago. 

Article  V.  The  stipulations  above  mentioned  shall  he  submitted  to  every 
foreign  power  that  desires  to  make  a treaty  with  Japan,  and  shall  form 
the  bases  of  such  treaty. 

Article  VI.  In  case  treaties  are  made  with  foreign  powers  on  the  fore- 
going bases,  the  Dutch  shall  have  all  the  privileges  granted  to  the  most 
favored  nation. 

This  draft  was  accompanied  by  a document  from  his  Majesty  the  King 
of  the  Netherlands,  entitled  “ Explanatory  note  to  the  draft  of  the  treaty 
to  be  concluded  between  his  Majesty  the  King  of  the  Netherlands  and  his 
Majesty  the  Emperor  of  Japan.” 

This  commences  with  the  declaration  that  “ his  Majesty  appreciates 
the  difficulties  which  exist  in  the  Japanese  institutions,  in  satisfying  the  de- 
mands of  foreign  powers  for  entering  into  commercial  negotiations  with  that 
Empire,  and  foresees  the  dangers  to  which  J apan  is  inevitably  exposed,  if  the 
government  of  that  Empire  does  not  listen  to  reasonable  demands  of  that 
kind.”  It  then  proceeds  to  state  that  “ his  Majesty,  by  the  communications  of 
his  subjects,  who  have  long  navigated  to  Japan,  and  are  well  acquainted  with 
the  affairs  of  that  Empire,  esteems  himself,  indeed,  better  able  than  any 
other  prince  to  make  propositions  to  the  sovereign  of  that  Empire,  in  order 
to  mitigate  the  severe  laws  against  foreigners.”  “ Therefore,  the  King  has 
taken  the  resolution  to  cause  to  be  drawn  up  and  presented  a treaty  between 
their  Majesties  the  King  of  the  Netherlands  and  the  Emperor  of  Japan,  in 
which,  in  respecting  the  laws  and  the  ancient  customs  of  the  Empire  of 
Japan,  is  indicated  the  way,  by  means  of  which,  for  the  future,  may  be 
maintained,  not  only  friendly  commercial  relations  with  the  subjects  of  his 
Majesty  the  King  of  the  Netherlands,  but  also  with  those  maritime  nations 
who  desire  commerce  with  Japan,  or  who,  having  peaceful  purposes,  are 
thrown  by  accident  on  the  coasts  of  the  Empire.”  “ For  the  elucidation  of  a 
treaty  drawn  up  in  that  spirit,  his  Majesty  causes  the  following  lines  to  be 
written.”  Then  follows  a separate  comment  on  each  of  the  articles  of  the 
treaty,  and  particularly  on  each  of  the  bases  enumerated  under  Art.  IV, 
I’ecommending  and  enforcing  them  all. 


84 


INTRODUCTION. 


These  documents  were  all  prepared  and  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Dutch 
ofiGicials  as  soon  as  possible  after  the  government  of  the  Netherlands  became 
certain  that  an  expedition  would  sail  from  the  United  States,  and  some 
months  before  Commodore  Perry  left  our  shores. 

In  anticipation  of  the  contemplated  enterprise,  the  government  of  the 
United  States,  in  July,  1852,  (at  which  time  the  Dutch  draft  of  a treaty  had 
been  sent  out  on  its  way  to  Dezima,)  applied  respectfully  to  the  government 
of  the  Netherlands,  announcing  officially  that  the  American  squadron  would 
be  sent,  that  its  visit  was  meant  to  be  friendly,  and  that  its  object  was,  if 
possible,  to  obtain  from  Japan  some  mitigation  of  her  system  of  exclusion ; 
it  asked,  also,  that  instructions  might  be  given  to  the  Dezima  chief  to  afford, 
if  it  should  be  desired  by  us,  his  official  co-operation  in  furthering  the  accom- 
plishment of  our  object.  This  request  was  answered  by  a promise  that  such 
instructions  should  be  given ; and,  by  request,  copies  were  furnished  to  the 
United  States  of  the  letter  of  William  II,  of  1844,  and  of  the  Emperor’s 
answer  to  it  of  1845 ; but  of  the  draft  of  a Dutch  treaty  then  on  its  way  to 
J apan,  or  of  any  accompanying  instructions  to  the  Dutch  officials  in  the  east, 
the  United  States,  of  course,  heard  and  knew  nothing. 

Thus  affairs  stood  when  our  squadron  sailed  on  the  24th  of  November, 
1852.  Long  before  it  arrived  in  the  Japanese  waters,  the  Dutch  chief  at 
Dezima  had  been  endeavoring  to  carry  out  his  instructions,  and  negotiaie 
with  the  Japanese  the  treaty  of  which  the  draft  had  been  sent  to  him. 
But  the  authorities  of  Japan  persisted  in  their  refusal  to  appoint  a person  of 
consideration  as  their  confidential  agent  to  negotiate  any  treaty  at  all.  In 
this  state  of  affairs,  the  Dezima  chief,  “ rightly  resolving  not  to  sacrifice  the 
business  to  a mere  matter  of  form,”  as  the  Dutch  document  expresses  it,  at 
once  addressed  the  governor  of  Nagasaki,  and  attempted  to  open  a negotia- 
tion with  him.  He  laid  before  him  the  several  items  in  the  draft  of  the 
treaty  with  which  he  had  been  furnished,  accompanying  them  with  expla- 
nations, and  set  forth  what  he  deemed  the  principles  which  were  for  the 
Japanese  interest,  and  which  should  predominate  in  the  negotiations  which 
he  thought  might  result  from  the  anticipated  propositions  of  the  United 
States;  for  both  he  and  the  Japanese  knew  that  our  squadron  was  on  its 
way.  He  concluded  his  letter  as  follows:  “His  Majesty,  the  King  of  the 
Netherlands,  expects  that  the  peace  of  the  Japanese  Empire  can  be  pre- 
served, if  the  government  of  Japan  will  answer  the  propositions  of  the 
United  States  in  the  manner  indicated;  ” that  is,  on  the  bases  set  forth 
in  the  Dutch  draft  of  a treaty.  But  the  Japanese  treated  this  attempt 
as  they  had  all  the  previous  ones  from  the  Dezima  chief;  and  its  only 
effect  was  to  quicken  their  native  shrewdness,  and  prompt  to  more  nu- 
merous demands  for  explanations,  and  more  thorough  investigations  into  the 
subject. 

At  length,  in  June,  1853,  the  American  squadron,  purposely  avoiding 


INTRODUCTION. 


85 


Nagasaki,  made  its  appearance  in  the  bay  of  Yedo,  and  thus  was  in  Japan 
before  the  Dutch  were  able  to  anticipate  the  American  commissioner  in 
making  a treaty.  The  American  squadron  never  was  at  Nagasaki,  and  our 
representative  never  had  the  least  communication  with  the  Dutch  chief  at 
Dezima. 

The  Russian  squadron  soon  after  entered  the  port  of  Nagasaki,  and  the 
result  of  that  visit  has  already  been  stated.  Russia  made  no  treaty  with 
Japan. 

Commodore  Perry  signed  the  treaty  with  Japan  on  the  last  day  of  March, 
1854;  and  the  Dutch  government  dispatched  their  war  steamer  Soemhing 
from  Batavia  for  Japan  on  the  25th  of  July,  1854.  This  was  deemed  a 
measure  of  expediency,  as  the  sight  of  the  American  and  Russian  steamers 
had  excited  the  liveliest  interest  in  the  Japanese.  The  Soemhing,  during 
her  stay,  was  visited  by  men  of  the  highest  rank,  and,  in  fact,  was  made  a 
school  of  instruction  for  a large  number  of  Japanese.  Finally,  the  English 
squadron,  under  Admiral  Stirling,  came  in  on  the  7th  of  September,  1854, 
and  deepened  the  impression  which  had  been  made  in  Japan  by  the  spectacle 
of  so  many  armed  ships  of  different  nations. 

The  document  before  us  concludes  by  claiming  great  merit  for  the  Dutch, 
in  having  opened  Japan  to  the  world.  It  thus  speaks  : “ The  Netherlands 
have  understood  their  mission,  when,  in  consequence  of  the  course  of  events, 
they  placed  themselves  at  the  head  to  operate,  in  the  interest  of  all,  a miti- 
gation in  the  system  of  exclusion  that  existed  relative  to  foreign  nations  in 
Japan.  The  letter  of  his  Majesty,  the  late  William  II,  is  thereof  an  irre- 
fragable proof.”  “ The  United  States  of  North  America  have  obtained,  by 
treaty,  the  opening  to  their  flag  of  two  ports  in  the  Japanese  Empire  ; and 
one  other  power  seems  to  have  succeeded  in  a similar  manner.  In  the  face 
of  such  results,  we  cannot  deny  or  undervalue  the  impression  and  effect  pro- 
duced by  the  presence  of  powerful  fleets,  or  the  influence  exerted  by  the 
simultaneous  and  serious  attempts  of  different  nations.  But  we  wish  to  see 
acknowledged  the  part  that  the  Netherlands  had  in  it  by  their  advice  and 
persuasion.  Indeed,  these  fleets  realized  the  predictions  of  your  Majesty’s 
royal  father,  and  served  to  procure  a more  ready  acceptance  of  his  disinter- 
ested advice.  The  draft  of  a treaty  of  1852 — the  letter  of  the  chief  at 
Dezima  of  the  2d  of  November,  1852 — the  communication  of  the  Governor 
of  Nagasaki  of  the  9th  of  November,  1853 — finally,  the  comparing  of  the 
said  draft  of  a treaty  with  the  convention  concluded  by  the  United  States — 
all  this  presents  the  undeniable  fact,  that  the  measures  taken,  in  consequence 
of  your  Majesty’s  orders,  have  powerfully  contributed  to  the  results  obtained 
by  other  nations. 

“ In  fact,  the  Netherlands  have  always  desired  an  opening  of  Japanese 
ports,  in  the  general  interest,  and  in  favor  of  commerce.  Attached  disin- 
terestedly to  that  policy,  the  Netherlands  have  sought  no  privileges  for  them- 


86 


INTRODUCTION. 


selves  in  J apan ; but  they  have,  in  equity,  desired  and  obtained  treatment 
similar  to  that  of  others,  when  to  these  favors  were  granted.” 

These  are  the  facts  as  set  forth  by  the  Dutch,  and  this  the  extent  of  their 
claims ; nor  would  we  in  the  slightest  degree  detract  from  what  may  be  justly 
their  due.  We  confess,  however,  that,  to  us  the  importance  as  well  as  effects 
of  Dutch  co-operation  in  our  treaty  seem  to  be  somewhat  exaggerated.  It 
sometimes  happens  that  men  and  nations  cannot  work  to  the  production  of 
their  own  particular  ends  without  thereby  contributing,  whether  they  wish  it 
or  not,  to  the  accomplishment  of  similar  ends  sought  by  others.  The  suc- 
cess, however,  of  others,  which  they  never  sought,  and  which  is  but  an  acci- 
dent resulting  from  their  efforts  to  another  end,  can  scarcely  be  claimed  as  a 
ground  of  merit,  or  demand  very  loud  acknowledgments  from  those  who  may 
have  been  thus  casually  benefited.  The  basis  of  a claim,  quantum  meruit, 
is  some  benefit  purposely  done  by  one  to  another,  or  some  loss  purposely 
sustained  for  his  advantage.  We  readily  concede  that  the  Dezima  chief, 
with  the  draft  of  the  Dutch  treaty  in  his  possession,  strove  faithfully  and 
judiciously,  as  became  him,  to  induce  the  Japanese  authorities  to  accede  to 
the  terms  of  that  treaty  and  sign  it,  before  our  ambassador  could  reach 
Japan.  Of  this  we  have  no  right  to  complain.  We  concede  also  that  his 
proceedings  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Japanese  what  the  nature  of  a 
commercial  treaty  was,  and  furnished  them  also  with  some  valuable  hints  as 
to  some  of  its  provisions,  which  afforded  them  topics  of  reflection  and  inves- 
tigation, and  prepared  them  for  the  consideration  of  our  treaty  when  it  should 
be  proposed ; but  it  will  scarcely  be  pretended  that  the  Dutch  action  was 
prompted  by  the  direct  design  of  aiding  the  United  States ; and  still  less, 
that  it  induced  the  Japanese  government  to  depart  from  its  long  established 
policy  of  exclusion.  The  Dutch  were  themselves  endeavoring  to  negotiate 
a treaty  ; and  such  a departure  must  be  pre-supposed  before  it  was  expedient 
to  present  the  terms  of  a treaty  at  all. 

But  further,  as  to  this  point  of  departing  from  their  settled  policy,  it  is 
on  the  record,  that  the  letter  of  the  King  of  Holland  himself  on  this  very 
snbject,  written  in  1844,  was  answered  by  the  Japanese  government  in  1845, 
with  a most  explicit  declaration  that  they  would  not  abandon  their  ancient 
policy  and  usage.  At  this  time  then  (1845)  the  Dutch  seem  to  have  accom- 
plished nothing;  and  it  js  not  on  the  record  that  they  ever  renewed  their 
effort  from  this  time  forward  until  1852,  when  they  hnew  the  American  ex- 
pedition would  certainly  be  sent ; and  the  mode  of  renewal  was  to  offer  to 
Japan  a treaty  which  they  had  prepared  to  suit  themselves,  and  which  was 
for  their  own  benefit.  For  it  will  be  remembered  that  by  that  treaty  no 
foreign  nation  was  to  be  allowed  by  treaty  to  trade  with  Japan,  but  on  cer- 
tain bases,  laid  down  in  the  4th  article  of  the  Dutch  draft.  Kow  suppose 
Japan  had  signed  the  treaty  proposed  to  her  by  Holland,  what  would  have 
necessarily  resulted  ? The  following  consequences,  viz  : 


INTKODUCTION. 


87 


1.  That  the  Dutch  should  alone  dictate  what  kind  of  treaties  all  other 
foreign  nations  might  make  with  Japan. 

2.  That  Japan,  an  independent  power,  should  preclude  herself  from  the 
right  of  making  any  treaty  but  such  as  Holland  should  approve. 

3.  That  as  Holland  was  to  be  placed  on  the  footing  of  the  most  favored 
nations  in  any  treaty  Japan  might  make,  the  Dutch,  in  addition  to  the  privi- 
leges they  already  possessed  in  Japan,  and  in  addition  to  any  others  they 
might  obtain  by  future  negotiation,  should  have  also  every  privilege  of  every 
kind  that  any  nation  might  chance  to  get  by  treaty. 

Had  the  Dezima  chief  succeeded  in  negotiating  his  treaty  before  Com- 
modore Perry’s  arrival,  would  it  have  benefited  the  United  States? 

But  this  is  not  all.  We  are  constrained,  from  public  documents  of  the 
Dutch  themselves,  to  believe  that  they  never  cordially  furthered  our  efforts 
to  effect  a treaty  which  should  open  Japan.  In  a letter  from  the  Dutch 
governor  general  of  the  Indies,  written  from  Java  on  the  22d  September, 
1852,  addressed  to  Commodore  Perry,  (then  on  his  way  to  Japan,)  the  com- 
Ijaodore  is  informed  that  a dispatch  for  the  Dezima  chief  is  enclosed,  which 
the  commodore  may  transmit  to  him,  in  case  he  wishes  his  co-operation. 
Now,  at  this  very  time,  the  governor  general  well  kneV  that  the  Dezima 
chief  had  the  draft  of  a treaty,  and  instructions  to  have  it  ratified  if  possible ; 
and  every  effort  was  being  made  to  have  it  thus  ratified  before  Commodore 
Perry  could  arrive.  Had  it  been  thus  ratified,  we  have  seen  above  what 
sort  of  co-operation  the  Dezima  chief  would  have  rendered ; it  would  have 
been  to  allow  Japan  to  negotiate  just  such  a treaty  as  Holland  had  seen  fit 
to  make  for  her  and  for  us.  But  further  still — the  last  clause  of  the 
governor  general’s  letter  to  Commodore  Perry  is  suggestive  of  a fact  preg- 
nant with  evidence  as  to  the  cordiality  with  which  Holland  seconded  our 
efforts.  “ I beg  to  remark,  in  view  of  the  object  at  present  contemplated  by 
both  our  governments,  that  in  case  the  Netherlands  chief  of  the  factory  at 
Dezima  should  have  succeeded  in  opening  negotiations  with  the  government 
of  Japan,  it  is  not  unlikely  that  any  proof  of  co-operation  between  America 
and  Holland  would  prejudice  these  negotiations,  as  you  are  aware  that  the 
American  expedition  to  Japan  has  not  always  been  represented  to  be  of  a 
wholly  friendly  and  peaceful  character."  Of  course,  these  latter  words,  to 
have  any  meaning,  must  imply  that  the  Japanese  had  doubts  of  the  friendly 
nature  of  our  visit.  Now,  who  told  the  J apanese  that  it  was  unfriendly  ? 
The  Dutch  were  the  only  Europeans  with  whom  they  had  any  intercourse, 
or  from  whom  they  could  hear  anytl^ing  about  it.  And  from  the  Dutch 
they  did  hear  it ; for,  in  anticipation  of  the  American  movements,  instruc- 
tions were  sent  by  the  Netherlands  to  their  governor  general  in  Batavia  to 
write  to  Japan  and  invite  negotiation  about  the  means  that  should  be  adopted 
“ to  preserve  Japan  from  the  dangers  that  threatened  her.”  The  Dutch, 
therefore,  told  the  Japanese  to  look  for  danger  from  our  visit. 


88 


INTEODUCTION. 


Commodore  Perry  never  invoked  the  aid  of  the  Dutch,  from  the  begin- 
ning to  the  end  of  his  mission,  hut  purposely  avoided  them ; and  the  treaty 
which  he  made  is  essentially  different  from  that  which  the  Dutch  had  pro- 
vided. The  draft  from  the  Hague  made  Nagasaki  the  only  port  open  to 
foreign  ships  for  obtaining  supplies,  repairing  vessels,  and  recruiting  the 
sick;  and  provided  that  foreigners  might  “even  be  admitted  to  trade,”  after 
they  had  made  a treaty  on  the  Dutch  basis. 

The  two  ports  of  Simoda  and  Hakodadi,  with  a considerable  space  around 
each,  are,  by  the  American  treaty,  thrown  open  for  trade ; and  in  case  of 
distress,  or  when  driven  by  stress  of  weather,  all  the  ports  in  Japan  are 
open  to  ships  of  the  United  States ; and  as,  when  Holland  shall  succeed  in 
making  a commercial  treaty  with  Japan,  we  cannot  but  hope  and  believe 
she  will  be  admitted  to  like  favors  with  ourselves,  we  have  been  inclined  to 
think  that  the  Dutch  are  far  more  indebted  to  us  for  releasing  them  from 
their  imprisonment  of  two  centuries  and  a half  at  Dezima,  than  we  are  for 
any  aid  they  have  rendered  us,  directly  or  indirectly,  in  negotiating  our 
treaty  with  Japan.  That  Holland  should  seek  to  advance  her  own  interesW 
is  both  natural  and  proper ; when  other  nations  succeed  in  promoting  theirs, 
it  is  scarcely  graceful  or  dignified  to  deny  to  them  the  modicum  of  merit 
which  may  attach  to  their  success. 

It  only  remains  to  say  a word  about  the  singular  statements  of  Dr.  Yon 
Siebold.  This  individual  was  the  physician  employed  by  the  Dutch  at 
Dezima,  and  has  published,  more  largely  than  all  his  predecessors  combined, 
the  result  of  his  observations  during  his  residence.  Of  the  value  of  his  pub- 
lications we  have  already  spoken  During  his  continuance  in  the  Empire, 
however,  a circumstance  is  said  to  have  occurred  involving  a very  melancholy 
catastrophe,  in  which  Von  Siebold  was  an  unwilling  actor.  The  story  is  thus 
related  by  a modern  writer  on  Japan.  Siebold  had  been  with  Colonel  \ an 
Strurler,  the  Dezima  chief,  to  Yedo;  the  Japanese  astronomer,  Takahasi 
Lakusaimon,  had,  in  violation  of  the  law,  furnished  him  with  a copy  of  a 
recently  made  map  of  Japan.  The  draughtsman  who  made  the  copy  having 
become,  from  some  cause,  offended  with  the  astronomer,  denounced  him  to 
the  authorities  An  investigation  followed,  Siebold’s  correspondence  with 
Takahasi  was  demanded,  and  the  topographical  and  geographical  information 
contained  therein,  added  to  the  fact  that  Siebold  was  not  by  birth  a Hol- 
lander, led  to  the  suspicion  that  the  physician  of  Dezima  was  a Russian 
sjpy.  This  caused  the  investigation  to  become  more  rigorous  still,  and 
severe  measures  were  threatened.  All  who  were  known  to  be  fi-iends  and 
correspondents  of  Siebold,  with  a single  exception,  were  thrown  into  prison. 
The  excepted  individual  was  made  a witness  for  the  government.  He  broke 
his  oath  in  the  cause  of  friendship,  and  privately  informed  Siebold  of  what 
was  designed  against  him.  This  warning  enabled  him  to  place  his  most 
valuable  documents  in  security,  and  to  prepare  copies  for  the  use  of  the 


INTRODUCTION. 


89 


government  commissioners,  before  bis  papers  were  seized  and  his  person 
arrested  at  Dezima.  Siebold  was  repeatedly  examined  by  the  governor  of 
Nagasaki,  and  steadily  refused  to  name  any  of  his  Japanese  accomplices; 
and  requested  to  be  permitted  to  pass  the  residue  of  his  life  in  a Japanese 
prison,  as  a hostage  for  the  innocence  of  his  friends,  and  as  a penalty  for  the 
consequences  of  his  transgressions.  The  investigation  lasted  nearly  a year. 
Siehold  ivas  banished  from  Japan  ; and  Takahasi  and  the  draughtsman  who 
accused  him  both  committed  suicide.  Whether  this  story  be  true  or  not, 
in  every  particular,  it  was,  at  least,  circulated  on  the  continent  of  Europe, 
and  in  this  form  it  had  reached  the  United  States  before  our  expedition 
sailed. 

After  Commodore  Perry  had  been  designated  as  commander,  Siebold 
applied  for  employment  as  a member  of  the  expedition,  and  so  anxious  was 
he  to  go,  that  he  caused  great  and  unusual  influence  to  be  exerted  for  the 
accomplishment  of  his  wishes.  Commodore  Perry,  for  several  reasons,  and 
particularly  from  a desire  not  to  compromit  himself,  or  hazard  the  success  of 
his  mission  by  taking  back  to  Japan  a man  generally  believed  to  have  been 
banished,  resisted  all  influences,  even  the  highest,  and  persisted  in  his  positive 
refusal  to  have  Siebold  in  any  vessel  of  the  squadron. 

At  length  our  treaty  was  made,  and  the  fact  announced  to  the  world. 
Within  a few  months,  and  since  such  announcement,  has  appeared  a pam- 
phlet, by  Siebold,  published  at  Bonn,  and  bearing  the  following  title  : 
“ Authentic  account  of  the  eflForts  of  the  Netherlands  and  of  Russia  toward 
the  opening  of  Japan  to  the  navigation  and  commerce  of  all  nations.”  We 
regret  its  publication  for  the  author’s  sake.  It  subserves  no  scientific  end, 
nor  does  it  add  a single  fact  concerning  Japan  to  what  the  author  has  already 
communicated  in  his  previous  valuable  writings.  It  is  evidently  the  product 
of  mortified  and  irritated  vanity,  and  has  two  objects  in  view  which  are 
perfectly  obvious.  The  one  is  to  glorify  the  author,  the  other  to  disparage 
the  United  States  and  its  Japan  expedition.  Appreciating,  as  we  sincerely 
do,  the  voluminous  writings  of  Pr.  Von  Siebold  concerning  Japan,  we  regret 
exceedingly  the  egotism,  vanity,  and  self-importance  exhibited  in  the  pursuit 
of  the  one  object ; while  we  are  not  disposed  to  overlook,  without  rebuke, 
the  misrepresentations  and  impertinence  displayed  in  the  accomplishment  of 
the  other.  The  tenor  and  spirit  of  the  whole  work  may  be  found  at  the  com- 
mencement, on  the  third  page  of  the  book,  in  the  following  statement : “ We 
have  now  to  thanh  the  Russians,  and  not  the  Americans,  for  the  opening 
of  JapanR  When  we  remember  that,  up  to  a vei-y  late  period,  the  Rus- 
sians had  effected  no  treaty  at  all  with  Japan,  the  reader  may  possibly 
incline  to  the  belief,  that  the  shrewd  Japanese  were  not  far  from  the  truth, 
when  they  suspected  Von  Siebold  to  be  a Russian  spy,  and  banished  him. 

Of  his  intimate  connexion  with  Russia  there  can  be  no  doubt;  the 
pamphlet  itself  shows  it ; and  though  in  the  revelations  it  makes,  its  purpose 


90 


INTRODUCTION. 


is  to  glorify  tlie  author  and  show  his  great  political  importance,  yet  his  boasts 
of  services  rendered  to  Russia,  his  published  extracts  from  the  flattering  let- 
ter of  a Russian  official  of  high  rank,  his  acknowledgment  of  a summons 
and  visit  to  St.  Petersburgh,  and  his  declaration  that  Japan  knows  Russia 
to  he  the  most  powerful  nation  in  the  world,  are  aW.  facts  indicative  of  the 
author’s  close  and  interested  relation  to  the  great  northern  power.  Indeed, 
it  has  been  said  by  some,  that  by  his  advice  the  Russian  squadron  was  sent 
to  checkmate  us  in  our  attempt  to  open  Japan.  If  this  be  so,  then  his 
extreme  desire  to  go  in  our  squadron  may  have  been  produced  by  his  entire 
conviction,  nay,  assured  knowledge,  that  his  presence  alone  would  have 
proved  fatal  to  the  success  of  our  mission. 

Of  the  inordinate  conceit  and  self-importance  of  Von  Siebold  there  is, 
unfortunately,  abundant  evidence.  Thus,  he  informs  us,  that  he  it  was  who 
induced  King  William  II,  in  1844,  to  write  to  the  Emperor  of  Japan;  and 
states  that  the  original  of  the  King’s  letter  was  deposited  with  him  and  is 
still  in  his  possession.  He  dwells,  at  length,  upon  the  vast  amount  of  valua- 
ble information  he  had  acquired  in  J apan,  upon  the  admirable  opportunities 
he  enjoyed  for  that  purpose,  and  more  than  insinuating  that  all  the  rest  of 
the  world,  compared  with  him,  is  in  almost  entire  ignorance,  he  contrives  to 
make  the  pamphlet  an  advertisement  of  his  really  valuable  works,  of  which 
he  retains,  we  believe,  the  sale  in  his  own  hands;  at  least  we  know  that  it 
was  not  to  be  obtained  in  the  book-stores  of  Europe,  and  that  the  copy  pro- 
cured for  the  Astor  library  was  purchased  by  the  accomplished  superin- 
tendent from  Von  Siebold  himself. 

So,  too,  the  services  he  has  rendered  to  Russia  lose  nothing  of  their  val- 
ue and  importance  in  his  representations;  and  we  are  furnished  with  an 
extract  of  a letter  from  a distinguished  Russian  statesman,  addressed  to  our 
author,  the  publication  of  which  by  Von  Siebold  proves  that  the  noble  cor- 
respondent of  whom  he  boasts  could  not  have  enumerated  modesty  among  the 
personal  qualities  for  which  he  commends  the  learned  physician. 

We  are  also  told  of  his  intimacy  with  some  of  the  Japanese  nobility, 
though  he  dared  not  show  his  face  in  Japan,  nor  was  he  at  liberty  even  to 
address  to  them  a letter. 

A letter  from  M.  Von  Siebold,  addressed  to  one  of  the  gentlemen  of  the 
expedition,  whom  he  ostentatiously  calls  in  his  pamphlet,  “ my  correspondent 
on  board  of  the  Mississippi,”  is  now  lying  before  us.  A single  extract  will 
illustrate  the  weakness  of  which  we  have  spoken  : 

“ 1 see  with  much  pleasure  that  Commodore  Perry  knows  how  to  appre- 
ciate my  profound  knowledge  and  long  experience  of  Japanese  afl'airs.  I 
was  very  sorry  not  to  have  been  called  upon  to  trace  a programme  for  the 
American  expedition  to  Japan.  I would  have  produced  a plan  to  open  the 
Japanese  Empire  to  the  world,  under  the  watchwords  ‘ humanity  and  patience.’ 
I do  not  transgress  the  bounds  of  modesty  when  I say  that  J,  only,  am  able 


INTRODUCTION, 


91 


to  trace  such  a plan.  The  Netherland  government  knows  my  views,  and  has 
undertaken  to  support  the  peaceful  intentions  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States  towards  the  Japanese  government.” 

“ Probably  all  overtures  will  be  declined,  or  they  will  try  to  delay,  as 
long  as  possible,  giving  a final  answer.  The  Japanese  government  under- 
stands perfectly  the  art  of  protracting  diplomatic  negotiations,  to  exhaust 
patience ; of  spinning  out  endlessly  the  thread  of  objections  against  overtures 
for  a commercial  treaty.  They  will  recall  constantly  the  unalterable  nature 
of  their  laws ; will  urge  the  danger  of  breaches  of  etiquette  or  courtesy,  the 
want  of  articles  for  exportation,  the  great  influx  of  foreigners.  It  will  also 
be  pretended  that  the  Siogun  is  not  allowed  to  enter  into  negotiations  with 
foreign  nations  (other  than  the  Hollanders)  without  the  co-operation  of  the 
Mikado ; and  it  is  easy  to  understand  that  the  Mikado  will  decide  for  or 
against  a treaty  according  to  the  will  of  the  Council  of  State.  All  these 
are  only  pretexts,  and  the  sole  reason  why  the  Japanese  object  to  more  inti- 
mate relations  with  foreigners  is  the  fear  that  Christianity  may  be  introduced 
into  the  country,  and  so  the  Siogun  dynasty,  which  consolidated  itself  by  the 
extermination  of  Christianity,  may  be  put  in  jeopardy.  The  fanatic  GrutzlaflF 
and  Father  Forcade  (now  in  heaven,  I hope),  the  narrow-minded  missiona- 
ries, have,  by  their  conduct  of  late,  cotitributed  to  excite  afresh  the  fears  of 
the  Japanese  government,  who  saw  in  these  two  missionaries  the  whole  of 
Christendom  marching  against  J apan. 

“ It  shows  a want  of  caution,  in  that  the  letter  of  the  honorable  President 
states  that  the  messengers  whom  he  has  sent  to  the  Emperor  of  Japan  are 
not  missionaries.  Why  insert  this  assurance,  calculated  to  excite  distrust  ? 
It  is  a matter  of  course  that  an  ambassador  is  not  a missionary;  and  what 
guarantee  can  be  given  to  the  Japanese  government  that  there  prevails  no 
intention  to  propagate  Christianity  in  Japan?  No  maritime  power  but  Hol- 
land enjoys  her  confidence.  Holland  only  can  make  a movement  to  open 
J apan  to  the  commerce  of  the  world.  Holland  has  not  listened  to  my  advice, 
and  will  repent  it.” 

“ Please  to  pray  Commodore  Perry  not  to  allow  his  patience  to  be 
exhausted,  to  receive  quietly  the  objections  of  the  Japanese  government; 
but  then  he  must  declare  decidedly,  that  America  will  not  trouble  herself 
about  the  present  religion  and  politics  of  Japan.  America  leaves  these 
untouched,  but  insists  on  a commercial  treaty  to  be  effected  by  peaceful  nego- 
tiation. Probably  the  proposals  will  not  be  listened  to ; but  beg  Commodore 
Perry  not  to  make  hostile  demonstrations  against  the  good,  faithful,  innocent 
people  of  Japan,  but  to  intimate  to  the  Japanese  government  that  it  is  in  his 
power  to  destroy  their  cities,  ships,  and  men,  but  that  to  do  so  would  give  him 
pain;  that  he  will,  therefore,  give  them  a year  to  consider  his  proposals, 
because  he  would  not  by  force  of  arms  seek  to  obtain  conditions  which  might 
as  well  be  secured  by  friendly  measures.” 


92 


INTEODUCTION. 


“ Then,  if  notice  is  given  to  me  in  proper  time,  I would  still  he  willn  g 
to  submit  a plan  by  which  the  United  States  government  may  attain  its 
purposes.” 

With  reference  to  this  letter,  in  the  pamphlet  before  us  M.  Von  Siebold 
states  that  by  means  of  his  “ correspondent  on  board  the  Mississippi  ” he 
did  not  fail  “ to  advise  Commodore  Perry  to  follow  a peaceful  plan,  which 
counsel  seems  to  have  borne  good  fruit.” 

It  is  very  remarkable  how  strikingly  facts  in  the  history  of  our  negotia- 
tion have  contradicted  the  confident  predictions  of  this  gentleman,  who  pro- 
fessed such  “ profound  knowledge  and  long  experience  of  Japanese  affairs.” 

The  Dutch,  he  states,  were  the  only  people  who  could  establish  a commer- 
cial treaty  with  Japan,  and  they  had  undertaken  to  sustain  our  effort.  The 
facts  are,  that  they  were  not  able  to  make  a treaty  for  themselves  until 
long  after  ours  was  consummated ; that  their  support  of  our  efforts  consist- 
ed, as  we  have  shown,  in  the  attempt  to  make  a treaty  for  themselves  before 
our  arrival,  committing  the  Japanese  to  agree  to  no  treaty  with  any  foreign 
power  but  such  as  they  j^rescribed ; and  that  from  the  arrival  to  the  depart- 
ure of  our  ships,  in  no  mode,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  did  they  have  any 
communication  with  the  Dutch,  nor  was  the  aid  of  the  latter  either  invoked 
or  employed  in  the  slightest  degree  in  the  negotiation  of  our  treaty. 

M.  Von  Siebold  predicted  that  our  overtures  would  be  declined,  or  that 
a final  answer  would  be  delayed  as  long  as  possible.  The  facts  are,  that  our 
overtures  were  not  declined,  and  that,  under  the  circumstances  of  the  death 
of  the  Emperor  and  other  events,  the  delay  was  not  unreasonably  long. 
The  squadron  returned  to  Yedo  bay  on  the  1.3th  of  February,  and  all  the 
terms  of  the  treaty  were  substantially  agreed  on  by  the  23d  of  jMarch,  and  it 
was  formally  signed  on  the  31st  of  that  month.  So  that  about  six  weeks 
elapsed  from  the  commencement  of  the  negotiation  to  its  close  in  a treaty. 

M.  Yon  Siebold  predicted  that  various  pretexts  would  be  resorted  to  by 
the  Japanese  to  protract  the  negotiation.  Singularly  enough,  the is, 
that  of  the  six  anticipated  objections  specified  by  Von  Siebold,  not  one  was 
urged  in  the  negotiation  as  insurmountable,  and  five  were  not  mentioned  at 
all.  The  only  one  named  was  the  unalterable  nature  of  the  Japanese  laws. 

And  as  to  the  complacency  with  which  M.  Von  Siebold  congrat’ilates 
himself  on  the  “ good  fruit  ” resulting  from  his  counsel,  we  have  only  to  re- 
mark that  we  are  very  sorry  his  good  advice  did  not  arrive  in  time  to  afford 
the  Commodore  any  aid,  inasmuch  as  his  course  had  been  fully  decided  on, 
and  in  part  followed  without  the  slightest  reference  to  it.  In  fact,  Commo- 
dore Perry  never  saw  M.  Von  Siebold' s letter  at  all. 

Of  the  disposition  to  disparage  the  United  States  and  its  expedition  to 
Japan,  the  proofs  are  quite  as  unequivocal  as  those  we  have  given  above 
of  self-conceit  and  arrogance.  Our  country  is  more  than  once  brought  into 
disadvantageous  comparison  with  Russia ; is  accused  of  being  influenced  by 


\ 


INTRODUCTION. 


93 


the  most  selfish  motives ; of  seeking  her  own  advantage  without  the  slightest 
regard  to  that  of  Japan  or  of  the  rest  of  the  civilized  world ; and  in  this 
respect  her  conduct  is  contrasted  with  that  of  Holland,  which  is  affirmed  to 
have  been  always  prompted  by  a most  liberal  desire  to  open  Japan  to  the 
commerce  of  the  world.  Kussia,  also,  is  said  to  be  benevolently  pursuing 
the  same  end,  and  also  to  be  seeking  tlie  free  exercise  of  Christian  worship 
for  all  Russian  subjects  in  Japan.  With  Russia’s  zeal  for  the  protection  of 
Christians  in  Japan  we  have  nothing  to  do ; we  may  remark,  however,  it  is  a 
little  curious  that  Russia  should  not  be  warned  to  avoid  the  subject  of  Chris- 
tianity in  Japan,  while  Commodore  Perry  is  so  decidedly  advised  by  M.  Von 
Siebold,  carefully  to  proclaim  that  he  is  no  Christian  missionary ; and  is  in- 
formed that  the  dread  of  the  introduction  of  Christianity  is  the  only  real  ob- 
stacle to  Ills  success. 

The  chief  magistrate  of  our  country  is  also  rebuked  for  a want  of  the  usual 
diplomatic  form,  and  of  the  dignified  tone,  so  necessary  to  be  used  toward 
the  sovereign  of  a country  so  much  accustomed  to  etiquette. 

Piqued  at  Commodore  Perry’s  success  in  the  bay  of  Yedo,  when  M. 
Von  Siebold  had  predicted  that  he  would  be  obliged  to  go  to  Nagasaki,  and 
that  his  proposals  would  not  be  listened  to  anywhere  else,  if,  indeed,  they 
would  be  listened  to  at  all,  he  sneeringly  attributes  his  success  to  what  he 
imputes  as  a fault,  viz  : that  Commodore  Perry  informed  the  Japanese  that 
the  mere  request  to  go  to  Nagasaki  would,  if  repeated,  be  construed  into  an 
insult  to  the  United  States.  And,  finally,  though  we  have  succeeded,  it  is  to 
be  of  but  little  value  to  us,  inasmuch  as  Russia  and  the  Netherlands  can  bet- 
ter supply  Japan’s  wants  than  we  can,  and  their  political  and  commercial 
regulations  are  such  as  the  Siogoon  can  sympathize  with,  while  ours  are 
not. 


Of  the  selfishness  of  our  motives  we  readily  admit  that  we  sought  com 
mercial  intercourse  with  Japan,  because  we  supposed  it  would  be  advanta 
geous.  Such,  we  believe,  is  the  motive  of  all  intelligent  nations  in  estab- 
lishing friendly  relations  with  others.  We  can  only  smile  at  the  simplicity 
of  those  who  expect  to  deceive  the  world  by  professions  of  pure,  disinterested 
friendship  from  one  nation  toward  another,  irrespective  of  all  considerations 
of  national  benefit.  We  think  that  evei-y  nation  which  has  sought  intercourse 
with  Japan  has  supposed  that  such  intercourse  would  prove  advantageous 
to  the  seeker  ; nor  are  we  aware  that  there  is  anything  very  criminal  or  sel- 
fish in  the  desire  that  advantage  may  result  from  the  communication.  But 
it  is  quite  possible  to  believe  that  benefit  to  both  nations  may  result  from 
the  intercourse  we  would  establish,  and  such  benefit  may  be  honestly  desired, 
even  while  we  seek  our  own  interest.  This  is  not  selfishness.  But  further, 
we  beg  distinctly  to  state  the  fact  that  Commodore  Perry  did  express  to  the 
Japanese  commissioners  the  desire  that  other  nations  might  have  the  benefits 
of  our  treaty,  or  of  one  similar  to  it,  and  received  for  reply  that  there  were 


94 


INTEOBUCTION. 


many  commercial  nations  on  the  globe  ; and  that  if  they  wished  to  have  a 
treaty  they  should  do  as  we  had  done,  visit  J apan  and  seek  to  make  one. 

That  our  late  President  (Mr.  Fillmore)  should  have  been  wanting  in  the 
courtly  proprieties  of  diplomatic  etiquette,  and  prove  himself  ignorant  of  the 
dignified  language  in  which  it  became  him  to  address  a sovereign,  is  certainly 
very  lamentable.  But  we  are  comforted  by  the  refiection  that  his  Japanese 
majesty  was  not  offended  by  the  manly,  yet  respectful,  frankness  of  our  re- 
publican chief ; that  the  Emperor  seems  perfectly  to  have  understood  what 
he  said,  (which  is  something  unusual  in  diplomacy ;)  and  that,  through  his 
commissioners,  he  responded  in  a very  friendly  and  cordial  manner  to  the 
propositions  made  by  our  President.  At  all  events,  we  made  a treaty  with 
Japan  satisfactory  to  both  governments.  Our  rude  ignorance  of  propriety 
was  thus  kindly  overlooked;  and  we,  therefore,  hope  that  M.  Von  Siebold, 
the  self-constituted  court  chamberlain  of  Japan,  will  henceforth  generously 
forbear  to  speak  of  the  shortcomings  of  such  a semi-civilized  people  and  gov- 
ernment as  ours.  It  may  indicate  our  barbarism,  but  we  would  rather  be 
clowns  than  calumniators. 

We  plead  guilty,  too,  to  the  charge  that  Commodore  Perry  went  to  the 
bay  of  Yedo  and  refused  to  go  to  Nagasaki;  and  that  he  added  to  this  enor- 
mity the  very  plain  declaration  that  “ the  Americans  will  never  submit  to 
the  restrictions  which  have  been  imposed  upon  the  Dutch  and  Chinese,  and 
any  further  allusion  to  such  restraints  wiU  be  considered  offensive ; ” to 
which  we  will  add  that  the  Japanese  commissioners  put  in  writing,  as  one 
of  the  points  agreed  upon  between  them  and  Commodore  Perry,  that  “ the 
citizens  of  the  United  States  will  not  submit  to  degradations  like  those  im- 
posed upon  the  Dutch  and  Chinese.”  And  Commodore  Perry’s  countrymen 
expected  him  to  say  precisely  what  he  did  say,  and  are  quite  satisfied  with 
the  result. 

It  only  remains  to  be  added  that,  until  since  the  return  of  our  expedition, 
neither  the  Dutch  nor  Russians  were  able  to  effect  a treaty.  England  and 
the  United  States  alone  succeeded  ; and  England  readily  admits  that,  in  point 
of  time,  ours  was  the  first.  This  is  all  we  have  ever  said ; and  we  conclude 
with  the  wish  that  all  the  powers  of  Europe,  seeking  commercial  treaties  with 
Japan,  may  succeed  as  well  as  England  and  ourselves,  and  that  most  inter- 
esting Empire  thus  be  opened  to,  and  enriched  by,  free  communication  with 
the  civilized  world. 


f 


1 


1 


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{ 


u 


CHAPTEE  I. 


Probabilities  of  a successfal  mission  from  tbe  United  States  to  Japan. — Such  a mission  proposed  to  the 
Government  by  Commodore  Perry.— Expedition  resolved  on. — Vessels  selected  for  the  squadron.— 
Vexatious  delay  in  their  equipment. — Commodore  Perry  sent  in  the  Mississippi  to  the  Gulf  of  St. 
Lawrence. — Applications  of  scientific  men  to  join  the  Expedition  refused. — Causes  of  such  refusal. — Dr. 
Von  Siebold.— Visit  of  the  President  and  Secretary  of  the  Navy  to  Annapolis  to  take  leave  of  the 
Expedition.— Failure  of  the  machinery  of  the  steamship  Princeton  on  the  passage  down  Chesapeake 
Bay.— Substitution  of  steamer  Powhatan  in  place  of  the  Princeton. — Pinal  departure  of  Commodore 
Perry  on  the  mission  with  the  Mississippi  alone. 

HE  treaty  wliicli  closed  the  war  of 
the  United  States  with  Mexico 
transferred  to  the  former  the  terri- 
tory of  California.  Its  position  on 
the  Pacific  could  not  hut  suggest 
the  thought  of  an  extended  field 
for  commercial  enterprise ; and 
with  our  territory  spreading  from 
ocean  to  ocean,  and  placed  mid- 
way between  Europe  and  Asia,  it 
seemed  that  we  might  with  pro- 
priety apply  to  ourselves  the  name 
by  which  China  has  loved  to  desig- 
nate herself,  and  deem  that  we 
were,  in  truth,  “ the  Middle  King- 
dom.” If  the  shortest  route  be- 
tween Eastern  Asia  and  Western 
Europe  be  (in  this  age  of  steam)  across  our  continent,  then  was  it  obvious 
enough  that  our  continent  must,  in  some  degree  at  least,  become  a highway 
for  the  world.  And  when,  soon  after  our  acquisition  of  California,  it  was 
discovered  that  the  harvest  there  was  gold,  nothing  was  more  natural  than 
that  such  discovery  should  give  additional  interest  to  the  obvious  reflections 
suggested  by  our  geographical  position. 

Direct  trade  from  our  western  coast  with  Asia  became,  therefore,  a 


96 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


familiar  thought ; the  agency  of  steam  was,  of  course,  involved,  and  fuel  for 
its  production  was  indispensable.  Hence  arose  inquiries  for  that  great  min- 
eral agent  of  civilization,  coal.  Where  was  it  to  he  obtained  on  the  long 
route  from  California  to  Asia  ? Another  inquiry  presented  itself : With 
what  far  distant  eastern  nations  should  we  trade  ? China  was  in  some 
measure  opened  to  us ; but  there  was,  beside,  a terra  incognita  in  Japan, 
which,  while  it  stimulated  curiosity,  held  out  also  temptations  which  invited 
commercial  enterprise.  True,  we  knew  not  much  about  its  internal  regu- 
lations ; we  knew  that  it  had,  for  centuries,  isolated  itself,  as  it  were,  from 
the  world,  and  persisted  in  a system  of  excluding  foreigners  from  inter- 
course ; that  but  one  European  nation  was  allowed  to  approach  for  purposes 
of  trade,  and  that  repeated  efforts  made  by  others  for  a similar  privilege 
had  unifoi-mly  failed  of  success.  But  we  knew,  too,  that  it  possessed 
valuable  productions,  and  ought  to  be  brought  into  communication  with 
the  rest  of  the  world.  By  some,  indeed,  the  proposition  was  boldly  avowed 
that  Japan  had  no  right  thus  to  cut  herself  off  from  the  community  of 
nations;  and  that  what  she  would  not  yield  to  national  comity  should  be 
wrested  from  her  by  force. 

It  was,  perhaps,  but  natural  that  the  minds  of  our  naval  officers  should 
be  drawn  strongly  to  a consideration  of  the  subject  of  intercourse  with 
Japan.  Not  simply  to  the  desii-ableness  or  probable  advantages  of  such 
intercourse,  for  on  those  points  all  men’s  minds  readily  reached  the  same 
conclusion ; but  on  the  means  by  which  the  wished  for  end  might  be  best 
attained.  And  this  part  of  the  subject  required  some  study  and  calm  reflec- 
tion, aided  by  such  experience  and  knowledge  of  men  of  all  latitudes  as  a naval 
officer  would  be  apt  to  acquire  in  many  years  of  active  service  on  shipboard. 

Commodore  Perry,  in  common  with  other  members  of  his  profession  and 
with  the  rest  of  his  countrymen,  had  his  thoughts  directed  to  the  subject, 
with  especial  reference  to  the  probabilities  of  accomplishing  the  end  in  view. 
He  knew  that  there  must  be  causes  for  a state  of  things  so  singular  as  was 
presented  in  the  complete  voluntary  isolation  of  a whole  people ; and  his 
first  object  was,  therefore,  to  obtain  a correct  history  of  the  past  career  of 
Japan.  For  this  purpose  he  mastered  all  that  he  could  derive  from  books, 
and  found  that  the  exclusive  system  of  Japan  was  not  the  result  of  any 
national  idiosyncrasy,  but  was  caused  by  peculiar  circumstances,  long  since 
passed,  and  was,  in  fact,  in  direct  opposition  to  what  history  proved  to  be 
the  natural  temperament  and  disposition  of  the  Japanese  people.  He  also 
found,  in  a careful  examination  of  the  repeated  efforts  of  other  nations  to 
break  down  the  barrier  that  shut  them  out,  what  he  supposed  to  be  the 
secret  of  their  failures.  Peculiar  circumstances  in  the  then  political  condi- 
tion of  the  power  seeking  admission ; the  rivalry  of  different  nations  striving 
to  th't^H  each  other ; the  indiscretion,  not  to  say  arrogance,  of  some  of 
those  erousted  with  the  mission,  who  sought  to  bully  a brave  people  into 


MISSION  TO  JAPAN. 


97 


acquiescence  with  their  wishes ; a misconception  of  the  true  character  of  tho 
Japanese,  who  readily  distinguish  between  obsequious  servility  and  a manly 
spirit  of  conciliation,  founded  on  the  principle  of  doing  what  is  kind  and 
just,  but  submitting,  not  for  an  instant,  to  what  is  insulting  or  wrong ; all 
these  seemed  to  him  to  be  elements  of  failure  clearly  to  be  traced,  in  a 
greater  or  less  degree,  in  the  efforts  that  had  been  made.  Beside,  a disad- 
vantage under  which  the  European  nations  labored,  was,  that  Japan  had 
known  something  concerning  all  of  them  for  many  years,  and,  indeed,  had 
been  more  or  less  brought  into  contact  with  them.  Thus  Portugal  had 
given  early  and  unpardonable  offence  in  encouraging  domestic  treason; 
England  (who  once  had  foothold)  had  abandoned  it;  one  of  her  kings  had 
married  a Portuguese  princess ; one  of  her  officers  (Pellew)  had  committed 
what  the  Japanese  deemed  an  insolent  outrage  in  their  waters;  Russia  had 
taken  possession  of  some  of  her  islands,  had  excited  suspicions  of  ulterior 
designs  by  fortifying  on  another  “ annexed  ” territory,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Amoor,  and,  as  the  Japanese  Emperor  said,  “had  an  inclination  for  Japan;” 
while  Holland  had  so  quietly  submitted  to  degradation,  imprisonment  and 
insult  for  two  hundred  years,  that  the  Japanese  unquestionably  formed  their 
opinion  of  European  foreigners,  in  some  measure,  from  the  Dutch. 

The  United  States  occupied  a different  position  from  all  the  above  named 
powers,  for  they  had  not  been  brought  into  such  contact  with  Japan  as 
awakened  unpleasant  associations.  The  only  effort  we  had  made  toward 
opening  friendly  relations,  (and  it  scarcely  deserves  the  name,)  was  in  send- 
ing two  ships  under  Commodore  Biddle,  which  remained  at  anchor  some 
eight  or  ten  days,  accomplished  nothing,  and  quietly  left  when  the  J apanese 
desired  it. 

Commodore  Perry,  after  careful  examination,  believed  that,  under  all  the 
circumstances,  there  was  a favorable  opportunity  for  our  country  to  establish 
commercial  relations  with  Japan,  and  avowed  his  belief  to  several  of  his 
brother  officers,  as  well  as  to  some  of  the  dignitaries  of  the  government,  and 
eminent  citizens,  long  before  the  subject  was  publicly  discussed,  and  the  ex- 
pedition resolved  on.  There  were  doubtless  others  (and  among  them  pro- 
bably some  of  high  station  in  the  government)  whose  minds  had  been  led  to 
a similar  conclusion,  and  who,  like  Commodore  Perry,  anticipated  popular 
opinion  on  the  subject  of  an  expedition.  Indeed,  instructions  had  been  sent 
out  to  Commodore  Aulick,  then  on  the  East  India  station,  directing  him  to 
proceed  to  Japan;  and  the  State  Department,  then  under  the  charge  of  Mr. 
Webster,  had  sought  information  concerning  Japan  from  the  officer  who  com- 
manded the  Preble  on  her  visit.  Commander  GUynn,  who  very  strongly  felt  and 
urged  the  importance  of  establishing,  if  possible,  a friendly  communication 
between  that  Kingdom  and  our  own  country.  We  believe,  however,  we  do 
no  wrong  to  any  one,  when  we  say  that  the  thought  of  making  an  immediate 
effort  was  urged  by  Commodore  Perry ; and  at  all  events,  on  the  recall  of 
7 


98 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


Cominodore  Aulick,  lie  formally  proposed  to  tke  goTemment  of  the  United 
States  the  expedition,  which  was  finally  sent.  The  proposition  was  favorably 
received,  and  it  was  determined  that  a squadron  should  be  dispatched,  under 
his  command,  on  the  peaceful  mission  of  endeavoring  to  open  a friendly  com- 
mercial intercourse  with  the  Japanese.* 

The  expedition  having  been  resolved  on,  the  following  vessels  were 
selected  to  compose  the  squadron,  viz  : The  Mississippi  steamer,  which  had 
been  the  flag  ship  of  Commodore  Perry  in  the  Gulf  during  the  Mexican 
war,  and  was  deservedly  his  favorite  vessel ; the  Princeton  and  Alleghany 
steamers;  the  Vermont,  74;  and  the  sloops-of-war  Yandalia  and  Macedonian. 
The  steamship  Susquehanna,  and  sloops-of-war  Saratoga  and  Plymouth  were 
already  on  the  East  India  station,  and  were  to  form  part  of  the  squadron. 
The  armed  storeships  Supply,  Lexington,  and  Southampton,  were  also  at- 
tached to  the  expedition.  The  liveliest  interest  in  the  undertaking  was 
manifested  by  the  President,  (Mr.  Fillmore,)  by  Mr.  Webster,  and  his  suc- 
cessors in  the  State  Department,  (Messrs.  Conrad  and  Everett,)  by  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  (Mr.  Kennedy,)  and  indeed  by  all  the  members  of  the 
Cabinet.  The  most  liberal  equipment  was  authorized,  and  the  commander 
i of  the  expedition  was  invested  with  extraordinary  powers,  diplomatic  as  well 
as  naval,  because  much  was  necessarily  confided  to  his  prudence  and  discre- 
tion. The  instructions  from  the  department  designated  the  East  India  and 
China  seas  and  Japan  as  the  field  of  service;  but  the  great  objects  of  the 
expedition  wei’e  to  procure  friendly  admission  to  Japan  for  purposes  of  trade, 
and  to  establish,  at  proper  points,  permanent  depots  of  coal  for  our  steamers 
crossing  the  Pacific. 

Orders  were  given  to  fit  the  squadron  for  sea  with  as  little  delay  as 
possible ; yet  such  was  the  mismanagement  in  the  equipment  of  the  vessels, 
that  more  than  once  the  public  were  led  to  suppose  that  the  enterprise  had 
been  abandoned,  simply  from  the  delay  in  its  departure.  More  than  nine 
months  had  passed  beyond  the  time  when  the  chief  of  the  Bureau  of  Con- 
struction and  Equipment  had  promised  that  the  Princeton  should  be  ready, 
before  that  vessel  was  reported  as  completed ; and  when  thus  reported,  she 
was  found,  on  trial,  to  be  utterly  inefficient  for  the  intended  service,  owing 
to  the  imperfection  of  her  boilers.  Some  new,  and  in  this  country  untried, 
plan  had  been  adopted  in  their  construction  or  arrangement,  and  the  experi- 
ment cost  the  expedition  the  loss  of  a year.  The  Princeton  never  formed 
part  of  the  squadron,  as  the  Powhatan  was  substituted  for  her. 

Amid  these  vexatious  delays,  however,  the  Commodore  was  not  idle. 

* The  subject  of  establishing  commercial  relations  with  the  East  occupied  the  minds  of  so 
many  of  our  countrymen,  that  it  is,  of  course,  impossible  to  say,  with  certainty,  ^vith  whom 
its  discussion  originated.  It  is,  however,  due  to  one  gentleman,  (Aaron  H.  Palmer,  esq.,  of 
New  York,)  to  say  that  he  was,  at  least,  among  the  earliest  to  call  attention  to  its  impor- 
tance. 


APPLICATIONS  OF  SCIENTIFIC  MEN. 


99 


While  he  was  waiting  for  the  completion  of  the  Princeton,  the  misunder- 
standing arose  concerning  the  fisheries  in  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  and  it 
became  necessary  to  dispatch  an  armed  vessel  to  that  region.  The  Missis- 
sippi was  ready  for  sea,  and  Commodore  Perry  was  ordered  to  repair  in  her 
to  the  fishing  grounds,  and  assist  in  amicably  adjusting  the  respective  rights 
of  the  English  and  American  fishermen.  Having  performed  this  duty  satis- 
factorily to  the  government,  he  returned  to  New  York,  earnestly  hoping  that 
he  should  find  removed  all  obstacles  to  his  speedy  departure  on  his  mission 
to  the  East. 

As  soon  as  it  was  publicly  announced  that  the  United  States  had  resolved 
on  sending  an  expedition  to  Japan,  applications  came  from  all  quarters  of 
the  civilized  world  for  permission  to  take  part  in  the  service.  Literary  and 
scientific  men,  European  as  well  as  native,  and  travellers  by  profession,  '' 
eagerly  sought  to  accompany  the  expedition  ; and  extraordinary  influences, 
in  some  instances,  were  brought  to  bear  upon  our  government  inducing  it  to 
second  some  of  the  applications  thus  made  ; but  Commodore  Perry  resolutely 
persisted  in  an  unqualified  refusal  to  all  such  requests. 

And  here  it  may  be  well  to  explain  the  grounds  of  such  refusal.  The 
duties  confided  to  the  commander  were  of  a peculiar  nature,  and  required 
the  most  prudent  and  delicate  management  on  his  part.  He  had  his  own 
views  of  what  he  had  to  accomplish,  and  of  the  best  mode  of  doing  it ; and 
an  essential  element  of  success  was  the  possession  of  absolute  authority  for 
the  time  being.  It  was  indispensable  that  the  most  exact  order  and  discipline 
should  be  maintained.  To  effect  this,  strict  military  control  would  be  neces- 
sary ; but  civilians  could  not  be  expected  to  submit  patiently  to  the  restraints 
of  naval  discipline,  to  the  confinement  on  shipboard,  and  to  the  sanitary  regu- 
lations necessary  to  preserve  health  in  crowded  ships. 

But,  further,  after  the  accommodation  of  the  proper  officers  of  the  vessels 
there  would  be  but  little  room  left  for  that  of  scientific  men,  who  were  ac- 
customed to  the  comforts  and  conveniences  of  life  on  shore,  with  abundant 
space  for  their  books  and  instruments ; and  beside,  they  would  severely  feel 
the  disappointment  of  not  being  able  to  go  and  come  at  their  pleasure,  when 
curiosity  and  their  scientific  researches  might  make  it  desirable,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  embarrassments  they  might  cause  to  the  commander  when 
they  did  land,  by  collisions  with  the  people,  arising  from  inadvertence  or 
inexperience. 

But  paramount  as  a ground  of  refusal  was  the  fact  that  the  object  of  the 
expedition  was  not  scientific,  but  naval  and  diplomatic ; to  attempt  both 
would  probably  be  to  succeed  in  neither.  If  one,  the  last  named,  were 
prosecuted  to  a favorable  result,  the  door  would  then  be  opened  for  success 
in  the  other.  At  any  rate  the  commander  thought  it  would  be  best  to  do 
one  thing  at  a time,  and  that  the  one  thing  confided  to  him  for  performance, 
must  take  precedence  of  every  thing  else. 


100 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


Another  matter,  of  no  little  delicacy  in  its  adjustment,  was  likely  to 
arise  from  the  presence  of  scientific  gentlemen  not  subject  to  the  strict 
discipline  of  the  navy.  The  Commodore’s  instructions  required  of  him  to 
prohibit  those  under  his  command  from  making  any  communications  to  the 
newspapers  and  other  public  prints  touching  the  movements  of  the  squadron 
or  the  discipline  and  internal  regulations  of  the  vessels  composing  it ; and 
even  private  letters  to  friends  were  to  avoid  these  topics.  All  journals  and 
private  notes  kept  by  members  of  the  expedition  were  to  be  considered  as 
belonging  to  the  government  until  permission  should  be  given  from  the 
Navy  Department  to  publish  them.  The  object  of  these  regulations  was  to 
withhold  information  from  other  powers  which,  if  commimicated,  might 
jeopard  the  success  of  our  mission.  It  was  known  that  other  nations,  par- 
ticularly Russia,  had  ordered  ships  to  Japan  as  soon  as  it  was  known  that 
the  United  States  had  sent  there  a squadron.  Now,  the  correspondence  of 
scientific  gentlemen  with  their  friends  and  families  was  a delicate  subject 
to  be  discussed  between  them  and  the  commander.  The  latter  would 
neither  demand  to  see  their  letters  nor  prescribe  the  topics  on  which  they 
might  write.  It  was,  therefore,  best  to  avoid  embarrassment  by  preventing 
the  possibility  of  its  occurrence. 

Some  professional  feeling  also  influenced  the  determination  of  the  Com- 
modore. He  supposed  that  it  was  desirable  to  cherish  a taste  for  scientific 
observation  and  study  among  the  officers  of  the  navy,  many  of  whom  are 
already  not  without  reputation  in  science.  If  an  opportunity  were  aflPorded 
them,  and  facilities  furnished  for  observation,  it  would  make  them  students 
of  science : and  though  they  might  not  always,  in  their  early  efforts,  be  able 
to  account  philosophically  for  what  they  saw,  yet  they  could  record  facts 
which  others  might  explain ; and,  as  they  would  never  forget  the  facts  or  the 
explanations,  they  would  thus  be  adding  to  their  stores  of  scientific  know- 
ledge. Many  of  the  officers  of  our  army  are  scientific  men;  there  is  no 
reason  why  our  naval  officers  should  not  be  so  also. 

These  were  the  general  causes  which  led  the  Commodore  to  the  determi- 
nation we  have  mentioned,  without  reference  to  persons.  It  is  proper,  how- 
ever, to  add,  that,  with  respect  to  one  individual,  who  manifested  extraordi- 
nary desire  to  be  of  the  expedition,  and  who  has  published  untruths 
concerning  it  since  its  return,  (Dr.  Von  Siebold,)  Commodore  Perry  refused 
on  personal  grounds.  From  information  received  from  abroad,  he  suspected 
him  of  being  a Russian  spy,  and  he  knew  that  he  had  been  banished  from 
Japan,  where,  by  a violation  of  law,  he  had  forfeited  his  life. 

On  the  Commodore’s  return  from  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  he  found 
that  the  vessels  under  his  command  were  by  no  means  ready  for  sea ; and, 
leaving  New  York,  he  proceeded  in  the  Mississippi  to  Annapolis.  He  was 
not  long  in  making  the  discovery  that,  unless  he  sailed  alone  and  trusted  to 
the  chances  of  being  joined  at  uncertain  periods  by  the  vessels  assigned  to 


i»EPAETUBE  FROM  THE  UNITED  STATES.  101 


Lis  command,  ajid  then  under  equipment,  he  might  he  detained  in  the  United 
States  several  months  longer.  He  therefore,  with  the  approbation  of  the 
Navy  Department,  determined  to  proceed  on  his  voyage  in  the  Mississippi 
without  further  delay ; with  the  understanding  that  he  should  be  followed, 
as  soon  as  possible,  by  the  other  vessels  of  the  squadron. 

Before  leaving  Annapolis,  President  Fillmore,  with  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy  and  many  other  persons  of  distinction,  both  ladies  and  gentlemen,  vis- 
ited the  ship  and  bade  farewell  to  the  Commodore  and  his  officers.  As  the 
Mississippi  and  Princeton  steamed  down  the  Chesapeake  bay,  the  discovery 
was  made  of  the  entire  unfitness  of  the  last-named  vessel  to  make  the  con- 
templated voyage.  Her  machinery  failed,  and  it  was  on  the  arrival  at 
Norfolk  that  the  Powhatan  (which  had  then  just  arrived  from  the  West 
Indies)  was  substituted  for  the  Princeton. 

The  Commodore,  tired  of  delays,  was  not  disposed  to  wait  any  longer 
for  a consort,  and,  accordingly,  on  the  24th  of  November,  1852,  the  Missis- 
sippi alone  took  her  departure  from  Norfolk,  on  the  mission  to  Japan,  with 
the  intention  of  touching  on  the  outward  passage,  for  supplies  of  coal  and 
refreshments,  at  Madeira,  the  Cape  of  Hood  Hope,  Mauritius,  and  Singa- 
pore. 


CHAPTER  II. 


Voyage  from  the  Capes  of  the  Chesapeake  to  Madeira. — View  of  the  Island.— Funchah — Hospitality  of  the 
Inhabitants. — Salubrity  of  the  Climate. — Exports  of  the  Island. — Novel  Mode  of  Conveyance. — Depar- 
ture from  Madeira  and  Arrival  at  the  Canaries. — Early  Failure  of  Northeast  Trades. — Extraordinary 
Swell  from  the  Northwest — General  Order  as  to  Private  Journals  and  Communications  to  Public 
Prints. — General  Order  as  to  Scientille  Investigations  by  Olficers. — The  “Harmattan,”  Consideration  of 
Hypotheses  as  to  its  Origin. — Southeast  Trades. — Ship  steered  for  St  Helena — Observations  on  the 
Currents. — Chaplain’s  Observations  on  the  Zodiacal  Lights. — Arrival  at  St  Helentt — Description  of  the 
Island. — Jamestown.^ — Longwood. — Tomb  of  Napoleon. — The  Calculating  Hospitality  of  the  Inhabitants 

of  the  Island. — Adventure  of  Lieutenant  . — Fortifications  of  the  Island.— Their  Sufficiency 

against  Sailing  Vessels. — Probable  Insufficiency  against  an  Approach  from  the  West  by  Steam.— De- 
parture from  St.  Helena. 


N leaving  the  capes  of  the  Chesa- 
peake, the  wind  for  ten  days  was 
strong  from  the  southward ; it 
then  changed  to  N.  N.  E.,  making 
a heavy  “wallowing”  sea;  and 
then,  hauling  to  the  westward,  blew 
with  such  violence  as  to  render  the 
ship  uncomfortable.  She,  however, 
sustained  the  high  opinion  the 
Commodore  entertained  of  her  good 
qualities,  behaving  (as  she  always 
had  done)  most  admirably,  and  av- 
eraging more  than  seven  knots  dur- 
ing the  whole  passage.  Though 
unusually  deep  in  the  water,  but  eight  of  her  twelve  furnaces  were  put 
in  requisition,  and  her  daily  consumption  of  Cumberland  coal  was  about 
twenty-six  tons. 

After  crossing  the  Gulf  stream  a southwestern  current  of  about  a knot 
per  hour  was  experienced ; and  this  continued  until  the  ship  was  within  a 
thousand  miles  of  Madeira,  when  it  ceased  entirely.  No  other  current  was 
observed  during  the  remainder  of  the  passage  to  the  island. 


TIKW  OF  FUNOnAI,,  MADEIRA. 


*>1 


l^i 


IP ^ wf  ,.i. 


rS^Ttii''  .,  . 

A - ■■■S'"  :T,  ,'C  ’ 

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. .,,  ■»■  ■ ■ -'**•  ■ '^- '^fo^ 

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'/''^i.^'  flfr”  •'  -‘I  '' ' ' •■■>■  l'i(»»»-w*U  ,| 


»rw  ■*'*<*' 


»r;- 


^"•l#  '‘  %J 


AL  , • 

'■iAi-.r^‘ 


FUNCHAL. 


103 


The  land  was  made  on  the  evening  of  December  11th,  seventeen  days  y 
after  leaving  Norfolk.  On  making  the  northern  extremity  of  the  island, 

“ Point  Atristow,”  the  wind  was  blowing  a gale  from  the  W.  S.  W. ; which 
occasioned  a heavy  “ rolling  ” sea.  The  ship  was,  therefore,  run  along  the 
northern  end  of  the  island  with  the  view  of  finding  smoother  water,  the 
more  conveniently  to  bend  the  cables. 

In  coasting  the  island,  several  very  pretty  villages  were  observed  occupying 
sheltered  nooks,  usually  at  the  bottom  of  some  ravine,  and  near  an  indenta- 
tion of  the  coast,  which  offered  indifferent  anchorage  to  the  small  vessels 
employed  in  transporting  the  produce  of  the  island  to  the  shipping  port, 

“ Funchal.” 

What  added  to  the  beauty  of  the  scenery  and  roused  the  admiration  and 
enthusiasm  of  the  artists  of  the  expedition  was,  that,  as  the  rainy  season  had 
just  passed,  the  torrents  could  be  seen  from  the  ship  rushing  down  the  sides 
of  the  mountains  and  forming  in  their  descent  many  beautiful  cascades. 

Knowing  that  the  wind,  for  the  last  few  days,  must  have  thrown  into  the 
bay  of  Funchal  a heavy  swell,  rendering  anchorage  there  unsafe,  it  was 
determined  to  run  under  the  lee  of  the  “ Deserters,”  and  there  wait  a favor- 
able moment  for  anchoring  in  the  roads.  But  on  rounding  the  southeastern 
point  of  the  island  it  was  found  that  the  wind  had  considerably  abated,  and 
had  hauled  to  the  northward  of  west,  making  it  safe  to  proceed  immediately 
to  the  anchorage ; and  accordingly,  just  at  dark,  on  the  12th,  the  ship  came 
to  anchor  in  thirty-three  fathoms,  the  castle  back  of  the  town  just  open  with 
the  Loo  rock. 

The  vice  consul  of  the  United  States,  Mr.  Eayman,  with  several  coal 
agents,  was  soon  alongside,  and  arrangements  were  promptly  made  to  send 
on  board  all  the  coal  and  water  that  might  be  requu-ed,  so  that  the  vessel 
would  be  ready  to  sail  on  the  next  W ednesday  night.  Accordingly,  at  day- 
light the  next  morning,  (Monday,  the  13th,)  lighters  containing  coal  and 
water  were  seen  coming  off,  and  by  Wednesday,  at  four  o’clock,  p.  m. , 
between  four  and  five  hundred  tons  of  coal,  and  ten  thousand  gallons  of 
water,  with  many  other  articles,  had  been  received  on  board.  It  may  here 
be  remarked,  that  the  coal  agents  were  very  desirous  that  the  vessel  sljould 
be  anchored  much  nearer  the  town,  in  about  ten  fathoms,  and  in  a position 
where  she  would  be  sheltered  from  the  westerly  winds  by  the  Loo  rock; 
but  upon  an  observation  of  the  locality,  the  Commodore  was  satisfied  that 
in  blowing  weather  it  would  be  difiicult  even  for  a steamer  to  get  safely  out 
from  such  an  anchorage,  and  he  therefore  positively  forbade  the  removal  of 
the  vessel  to  the  spot  indicated.  The  anchorage  anywhere  in  Funchal  bay 
is  unsafe  in  the  winter  season,  and  vessels  lying  in  the  road,  when  expecting 
a gale  from  S.E.  around  to  W.S.W.  generally  put  to  sea,  and  remain  out 
until  the  return  of  fine  weather.  In  fact,  Funchal,  which  lies  on  the 
south  side  of  the  island,  has  only  an  open  roadstead,  with  a very  rocky  and 


104 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


uneven  anchorage.  The  whole  island  is  a mass  of  basalt.  From  November 
to  February  gales  prevail  from  the  southeast  and  southwest,  rendering  the 
roadstead  very  dangerous. 

Funchal  still  retains  its  character  for  hospitality,  and  by  no  one  was  this 
virtue  more  gracefully  exercised  towards  the  members  of  the  expedition 
than  by  Mr.  J.  H.  March,  who  for  more  than  thirty  years  has  filled  the 
office  of  consul  of  the  United  States,  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  his  large  for- 
tune takes  delight  in  making  welcome  to  his  houses,  both  in  town  and  coun- 
try, such  of  his  countrymen  as  are  deserving  of  his  attentions. 

The  town  consists  of  a wide  street  along  the  sea  shore,  containing  seve- 
ral good  buildings.  From  this,  numerous  small  streets  extend  back  at  right 
angles,  for  a considerable  distance  up  the  slope  of  the  hill.  The  population 
amounts  to  some  twenty  thousand.  The  commerce  of  the  island  is  consid- 
erable, and  most  of  it  is  with  England.  Its  exports  have  been  said  to 
amount  to  the  value  of  £500,000  per  annum.  Wine  is  the  principal  com- 
modity. When  the  island  was  first  settled  by  the  Portuguese,  sugar  was 
cultivated  to  a considerable  extent,  but  this  was  discontinued  after  the  West 
Indies  were  brought  under  culture,  and  wine  became  the  staple. 

The  salubrity  of  the  climate  has  made  Funchal  a resort  for  invalids,  and 
hence  it  is  not  difficult  to  find  in  it  agreeable  and  refined  society.  The 
greater  number  of  those  who  visit  the  island  are  English,  and  the  known 
love  of  Englishmen  for  exercise  in  the  open  air  has  led  to  the  introduction 
of  some  novel  modes  of  affording  to  invalids  the  benefit  of  locomotion. 


Carriage  on  Sled. 


As  the  streets  of  the  city  are  paved  in  such  manner  as  to  forbid  the  use 
of  wheel  carriages,  sedan  chairs  and  hammocks  were,  until  very  recently,  used 
not  only  for  invalids,  but  by  all  persons  making  visits.  The  inconvenience 
of  these  vehicles  has  led  to  a substitute,  which  consists  of  nothing  more  than 


FUNCHAL  CATHEDRAL. 


1 


b ^ »v  ■ t 'f-  #~  a » o .1  ■-  V # .'.  ^ 

SPi  , ' .-,  X. 

.i/ivM  ‘fti  i><i 


i^T' m'*  •■  '» 


.•^;rw4 


.f»ri  ,^>**-U'  ':  i * "*  ' *>UW«4! 

..f  v'i.  v.  IP  ?:.  J'^  0m^ 

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..  .....  ,,,...  - ^ ..'la|>  'Sflfy 

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l.ff'^,*..'>f|^,^.i't'«'  .-At  <•  V» ' 

>■  ‘>41* 


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; 4 ^ ...V*  t 


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f .- 


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2«.‘-’’. 


r ^r'  •^i'' -J^  ^r-TH-i- J.„  • ^ J 


■Ho 


A, 


i*=.t  'V 


M 


. H(..'y,ls 


commodore’s  view  of  his  mission.  105 


the  ordinary  sledge  used  for  transporting  casks  of  wine  and  other  heavy  arti- 
cles through  the  streets,  surmounted  by  a gaily  decorated  carriage  body,  and 
drawn  by  a yoke  of  oxen.  This  is  now  the  fashionable  conveyance,  and  in 
such  an  one  did  the  Commodore,  with  his  flag  captain  and  aid,  make  all  his 
ofllcial  visits.  There  are  stands  in  the  streets,  as  for  our  cabs  and  carriages, 
where  these  vehicles  may  be  found  with  the  oxen  yoked,  and  all  things  pre- 
pared for  immediate  transportation. 

It  must  not,  however,  be  supposed  that  there  are  no  other  modes  of  con- 
veyance ; horseback  riding  may  be  seen,  and  the  fair  equestrian  makes  her 
appearance  without  an  attendant  cavalier  or  groom,  but  with  a footman, 
who  keeps  pace  with  the  easy  gait  of  the  horse,  and  protects  him  from  the 
annoyance  of  flies  and  other  insects.  Asses  are  common,  and  are  probably 
the  best  beasts  of  burden  on  such  roads  as  the  island  possesses. 

While  the  ship  was  at  Madeira,  the  Commodore,  who  had  reflected  much 
and  anxiously  on  the  important  mission  with  which  he  had  been  entrusted, 
thought  it  best  to  bring  distinctly  before  the  department  the  views  he  enter- 
tained of  the  steps  he  ought  to  undertake,  more  particularly  as  so  much  was 
necessarily  conflded  to  his  discretion.  He  accordingly  addressed  to  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  an  ofiicial  communication,  which  is  here  presented, 
not  only  as  affording  a record  of  his  matured  opinions  on  the  important  work 
before  him,  but  also  as  furnishing  the  reader  with  the  means  of  ascertaining, 
as  he  proceeds  in  the  narrative,  how  far  the  Commodore’s  anticipations  were 
fulfilled,  and  how  nearly  he  was  enabled  to  follow  out  his  original  intentions. 

Commodore  Perry  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy. 

United  States  Steam  Fkigate  Mississippi, 

Madeira,  December  14,  1852. 

Sir  : Since  leaving  the  United  States  I have  had  leisure  to  reflect  more 
fully  upon  the  probable  result  of  my  visit  to  Japan,  and  though  there  is  still 
some  doubt  in  my  mind  as  to  the  chances  of  immediate  success  in  bringing 
that  strange  government  to  any  practicable  negotiation,  yet  I feel  confident 
that  in  the  end  the  great  object  in  view  will  be  effected. 

As  a preliminary  step,  and  one  of  easy  accomplishment,  one  or  more 
ports  of  refuge  and  supply  to  our  whaling  and  other  ships  must  at  once  be 
secured  ; and  should  the  Japanese  government  object  to  the  granting  of  such 
ports  upon  the  main  land,  and  if  they  cannot  be  occupied  without  resort  to 
force  and  bloodshed,  then  it  will  be  desirable  in  the  beginning,  and  indeed, 
necessary,  that  the  squadron  should  establish  places  of  rendezvous  at  one 
or  two  of  the  islands  south  of  Japan,  having  a good  harbor,  and  possessing 
facilities  for  obtaining  water  and  supplies,  and  seek  by  kindness  and  gentle 
treatment  to  conciliate  the  inhabitants  so  as  to  bring  about  their  friendly 
intercourse. 

The  islands  called  the  Lew  Chew  group  are  said  to  be  dependencies  of 


106 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN, 


J apan,  as  conquered  by  that  power  centuries  ago,  but  their  actual  sovereignty 
is  disputed  by  the  government  of  China. 

These  islands  come  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  prince  of  Satsuma, 
the  most  powerful  of  the  princes  of  the  Empire,  and  the  same  who  caused 
the  unarmed  American  ship  Morrison,  on  a visit  of  mercy,  to  be  decoyed 
into  one  of  his  ports  and  then  fired  upon  from  the  batteries  hastily  erected. 
He  exercises  his  rights  more  from  the  influence  of  the  fear  of  the  simple 
islanders  than  from  any  power  to  coerce  their  obedience  ; disarmed,  as  they 
long  have  been,  from  motives  of  policy,  they  have  no  means,  even  if  they 
had  the  inclination,  to  rebel  against  the  grinding  oppression  of  their 
rulers. 

Now,  it  strikes  me,  that  the  occupation  of  the  principal  ports  of  those 
islands  for  the  accommodation  of  our  ships  of  war,  and  for  the  safe  resort 
of  merchant  vessels  of  whatever  nation,  would  be  a measure  not  only  justified 
by  the  strictest  rules  of  moral  law,  but  which  is  also  to  be  considered,  by 
the  laws  of  stern  necessity ; and  the  argument  may  be  further  strengthened 
by  the  certain  consequences  of  the  amelioration  of  the  condition  of  the 
natives,  although  the  vices  attendant  upon  civilization  may  be  entailed  upon 
them. 

In  my  former  commands  upon  the  coast  of  Africa,  and  in  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  where  it  fell  to  my  lot  to  subjugate  many  towns  and  communities,  I 
found  no  difficulty  in  conciliating  the  good  will  and  confidence  of  the  con- 
quered people,  by  administering  the  unrestricted  power  I held  rather  to  their 
s comfort  and  protection  than  to  their  annoyance ; and  when  the  naval  forces 
\left,  they  carried  with  them  the  gratitude  and  good  wishes  of  their  former 
enemies ; and  so  I believe  that  the  people  of  the  islands  spoken  of,  if 
treated  with  strict  justice  and . gentle  kindness,  will  render  confidence  for 
confidence,  and  after  a while  the  Japanese  will  learn  to  consider  us  their 
friends. 

In  establishing  those  ports  of  refuge  it  will  be  desirable  to  provide  the 
means  of  supply  to  the  vessels  that  may  resort  to  them,  and  hence  the  necessity 
of  encouraging  the  natives  in  the  cultivation  of  fruits,  vegetables,  &c. ; and 
to  carry  out,  in  part,  this  object,  garden  seeds  have  been  provided;  but 
to  pursue  the  purpose  still  further,  I have  thought  that  if  a few  of  the  more 
simple  agricultural  implements  of  our  own  country  were  sent  to  me  for  use, 
and  for  presents,  they  would  contribute  most  essentially  to  the  end  in  view ; 
such,  for  instance,  as  the  common  cultivator,  the  plough  and  harrow,  spades, 
hoes  of  various  kinds,  the  threshing  and  winnowing  machines,  and  especially 
those  inventions  for  separating  the  cotton  from  its  seed,  and  rice  from  its 
husks. 

And  with  reference,  also,  to  the  subject  of  my  letter  to  Mr.  Folsom, 
charge  at  the  Hague,  a copy  of  which  has  been  enclosed  to  the  Department 
of  State,  it  would  be  good  policy  to  counteract  the  discreditable  machina- 


commodore’s  view  of  his  mission.  107 


tions  of  the  Dutch,  by  circulating  printed  publications  representing  the  true 
condition  of  the  various  governments  of  the  world,  and  especially  to  set 
forth  the  extraordinary  prosperity  of  the  United  States  under  their  genial  laws. 

To  effect  this  object,  I am  already  provided  with  works  for  presentation, 
descriptive  of  the  civil  and  political  condition  of  the  United  States,  such  as 
the  census  tables,  post-office  and  railroad  reports,  reports  of  the  Indian  and 
Land  offices,  military  and  naval  registers,  also  with  the  magnificent  publica- 
tions of  the  State  of  New  York,  &c. 

And  I have  thought  that  a small  printing  press,  with  type  and  materials, 
would  go  far  to  facilitate  our  plans,  by  giving  us  the  means  of  putting  forth 
information  calculated  to  disabuse  the  Japanese  of  the  misrepresentations 
of  the  Dutch. 

The  government  of  Japan  keeps  in  employment  linguists  in  all  modern 
languages ; and  such  is  their  curiosity,  that  these  publications,  if  admitted 
at  all,  will  soon  be  translated. 

Having  thus,  at  least  in  anticipation,  established  harbors  of  resort,  and 
organized  certain  rules  of  equity  to  govern  our  intercourse  with  the  natives 
in  the  payment  for  labor,  supplies,  &c.,  and  having  depots  of  provisions  and 
coal  near  at  hand,  we  shall  be  able  to  act  with  more  effect  in  bringing  about 
some  friendly  understanding  with  the  imperial  government.  At  all  events, 
steamers,  or  whatever  vessels  that  may  be  passing  to  and  from  California  and 
China,  will  find  safe  harbors  in  their  way,  and  it  may  reasonably  be  expected 
that  in  the  course  of  time  the  intercourse  thus  brought  about  will  lead  to  a 
better  understanding  of  our  pacific  intentions. 

It  may  be  said  that  my  anticipations  are  too  sanguine.  Perhaps  they 
are,  but  I feel  a strong  confidence  of  success.  Indeed,  success  may  be  com- 
manded by  our  government,  and  it  should  be,  under  whatever  circumstances, 
accomplished.  The  honor  of  the  nation  calls  for  it,  and  the  interest  of  com- 
merce demands  it.  When  we  look  at  the  possessions  in  the  east  of  our 
great  maritime  rival,  England,  and  of  the  constant  and  rapid  increase  of 
their  fortified  ports,  we  should  be  admonished  of  the  necessity  of  prompt 
measures  on  our  part. 

By  reference  to  the  map  of  the  world,  it  will  be  seen  that  Great  Britain 
is  already  in  possession  of  the  most  important  points  in  the  East  India  and 
China  seas,  and  especially  with  reference  to  the  China  seas. 

With  Singapore  commanding  the  southwestern,  while  Hong  Kong  covers 
the  northeastern  entrance,  and  with  the  island  of  Labuan  on  the  eastern 
coast  of  Borneo,  an  intermediate  point,  she  will  have  the  power  of  shutting 
up  at  will  and  controlling  the  enormous  trade  of  those  seas,  amounting,  it  is 
said,  in  value  to  300,000  tons  of  shipping,  carrying  cargoes  certainly  not 
under  £15,000,000  sterling.* 

* See  Governor  Crawford’s  opinion,  in  “ The  Expedition  to  Borneo  hy  Her  Majesty’s 
Ship  Dido,”  chapter  24,  published  hy  Harper  Brothers,  New  York,  1846. 


108 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


Fortunately  the  Japanese  and  many  other  islands  of  the  Pacific  are  still 
left  untouched  by  this  “ annexing  ” government ; and,  as  some  of  them  lay 
in  the  route  of  a commerce  which  is  destined  to  become  of  great  importance 
to  the  United  States,  no  time  should  be  lost  in  adopting  active  measures  to 
secure  a sufficient  number  of  ports  of  refuge.  And  hence  I shall  look  with 
much  anxiety  for  the  arrival  of  the  Powhatan  and  the  other  vessels  to  be 
sent  to  me. 

I have  thus  exhibited,  in  this  crude  and  informal  communication,  my 
views  upon  a subject  which  is  exciting  extraordinary  attention  throughout 
the  world,  and  I trust  the  department  will  approve  the  course  I propose  to 
pursue. 

With  great  respect,  I am,  sir,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

M.  C.  PERRY 


Hon.  John  P.  Kennedy, 

Secretary  of  the  Nary,  Washington. 


Commanding  East  India  Squadron. 


The  answer  to  this  communication  did  not,  of  course,  reach  the  Commo- 
dore for  many  months ; but  as  it  preserves  the  continuity  of  the  transaction 
as  well  as  shows  the  spirit  of  the  government,  and  its  confidence  in  the  Com- 
modore, it  is  inserted  in  the  note  below.* 

On  the  evening  of  Wednesday,  December  15,  the  Mississippi  weighed  an- 

*Mr.  Everett  to  Commodore  Perry. 

Department  of  State,  Washington,  February  15,  1853. 

Sir : Your  despatch  of  the  I4th  of  December  has  been  referred  by  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy  to  this  department,  and  by  me  submitted  to  the  President. 

The  President  concurs  with  you  in  the  opinion  that  it  is  highly  desirable,  probably  ne- 
cessary for  the  safety  of  the  expedition  under  your  command,  that  you  should  secure  one  or 
more  ports  of  refuge  of  easy  access.  If  you  find  that  these  cannot  be  obtained  in  tlie  Japa- 
nese islands  without  resort  to  force,  it  will  be  necessary  that  you  should  seek  them  elsewhere. 
The  President  agrees  with  you  in  thinking  that  you  are  most  likely  to  succeed  in  this  object 
in  the  Lew  Chew  islands.  They  are,  from  their  position,  well  adapted  to  the  purpose  ; and 
the  friendly  and  peaceful  character  of  the  natives  encourages  the  hope  that  your  visit  will 
be  welcomed  by  them. 

In  establishing  yourself  at  one  or  two  convenient  points  in  those  islands,  with  the  con- 
sent of  the  natives,  you  will  yourseh’  pursue  the  most  friendly  and  conciliatory  course,  and 
enjoin  the  same  conduct  on  all  under  your  command.  Take  no  supplies  firom  them  except  by 
fair  purchase,  for  a satisfactory  consideration.  Forbid,  and  at  all  hazards  prevent  plunder 
and  acts  cf  violence  on  the  part  of  your  men  toward  these  simple  and  unwarlike  people,  for 
such  they  are  described  to  be.  Let  them  from  the  first  see  that  your  coming  among  them 
is  a benefit,  and  not  an  evil  to  them.  Make  no  use  of  force,  except  in  the  last  resort  for 
defence,  if  attacked,  and  self-preservation. 

The  President  approves  the  idea  suggested  by  you  of  encouraging  the  natives  to  turn 
their  attention  to  agriculture,  and  has  given  orders  to  have  the  implements  of  husbandry 
mentioned  by  you  sent  out  by  the  Vermont.  He  has  also  directed  a small  printiag  press, 
with  t3^e  and  materials  for  printing  of  all  kinds,  to  he  sent  out  by  the  Vermont 

The  President  is  gratified  to  perceive  that  you  are  impressed  with  the  importance  of  the 


ARRIVAL  AT  THE  CANARIES. 


109 


ehor  and  proceeded  to  sea,  under  steam,  shaping  her  course  to  pass  to  the 
westward  of  Palma,  one  of  the  Canaries.  Tliis  island  was  made  at  daylight 
on  the  morning  of  the  17th,  and  after  reaching  the  lee  of  Hierro  or  Ferro, 
the  southwesternmost  of  the  group,  the  immersed  floats  or  paddle  boards  on 
each  side  of  the  vessel  were  removed,  the  flres  were  extinguished,  and  the  ship 
left  entirely  dependent  upon  her  sails. 

This  change  was  made  from  an  expectation  that  the  ship  would  soon  be 
under  the  impulse  of  the  northeast  trade  winds.  At  the  time  the  floats  were 
removed  there  was  a moderate  breeze  from  E.  S.  E.,  which  it  was  supposed 
would  gradually  settle  into  the  northeast  trades ; but,  much  to  the  surprise 
of  the  ofiicers  of  the  ship,  it  hauled  more  to  the  southward,  and  eventually 
came  from  the  S.  S.  W.  Such  was  the  obscurity  of  the  weather  at  the  Ca- 
naries that  Teneriffe  was  not  seen  at  all,  and  but  an  indistinct  view  was  ob- 
tained of  Gromera.  This  was  the  more  remarkable,  because,  as  Baron  Hum- 
boldt has  remarked,  although  the  peak  of  Teneriffe  is  seldom  seen  at  a great 
distance  in  the  warm,  dry  months  of  July  and  August,  yet  in  January  and 
February,  when  the  sky  is  slightly  clouded,  and  immediately  before  or  after 
a heavy  rain,  it  is  seen  at  very  extraordinary  distances.  This  arises  from  the 
fact  that  when  a certain  quantity  of  water  is  uniformly  diffused  through  the 
atmosphere  the  transparency  of  the  latter  is  thereby  greatly  increased. 

There  was  a circumstance  which  the  Commodore  had  observed  ever  since 
the  ship  left  Norfolk,  a month  before,  and  which  surprised  him  not  a little. 
He  found  an  extraordinary  swell  coming  from  the  northwest,  and  which  never 
intermitted  for  a moment  until  the  ship  was  fairly  within  the  trades ; and 
even  then  its  influence  could  be  felt  in  the  disturbance  of  the  usually  regular 
sea  produced  by  the  periodical  winds,  and  by  the  production  of  a disagreeable 
cross  movement  of  the  waves.  It  was  difBcult  to  account  for  this  swell  so 
long  continued ; it  was  quite  certain  the  ship  had  experienced  no  violence 
of  wind  suf&cient  to  produce  it  in  the  region  which  she  had  traversed,  and 
since  the  18th  the  winds  had  been  quite  moderate.  The  conjecture  of  the 
Commodore  was  that  there  must  have  been  in  the  higher  latitudes  a succession 
of  northwesterly  gales,  which  had  prevailed  long  enough  to  set  in  motion  an 
ocean  wave  which  was  never  subdued  until  it  came  in  contact  with  the  steady, 
though  more  quiet,  tropical  swell. 

This  swell,  too,  possibly  had  an  effect  in  throwing  further  south  than 
usual  the  northern  boundary  of  the  trades.  From  the  time  of  removing  the 

enterprise  confided  to  your  direction,  the  success  of  which  will  mainly  depend  upon  your 
prudence  and  address.  It  will  attract  a lai'ge  share  of  the  attention  of  the  civilized  world  ; 
and  the  President  feels  great  confidence  that  the  measm-es  adopted  by  you  will  reflect  credit 
on  your  own  wisdom  and  discretion,  and  do  honor  to  your  country. 

I am,  sir,  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

EDWARD  EVERETT. 

Commodore  M.  C.  Perry, 

Commanding  the  United  States  naval  forces  in  the  China  seas. 


110 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


floats  up  to  the  20tli  the  wind  continued  from  the  southward  and  westward ; 
it  then  hauled  to  the  northward  and  westward,  and  finally  into  the  northeast ; 
and  it  was  not  until  about  this  period,  about  8 p.  m.  of  the  20th,  in  latitude 
25°  44^  north,  longitude  20°  23^  west,  that  the  ship  could  be  considered 
fairly  to  have  entered  the  trades.  This  is  a point  unusually  far  south  for 
the  northern  boundary  of  these  winds  at  this  season,  for  it  is  not  to  be  for- 
gotten that  the  northern  and  southern  boundaries  of  the  zone  of  the  trade 
winds  are  variable.  The  southeast  has  its  northem  boundary  furthest  to 
the  north  during  our  summer ; the  northeast  is  then  weakest.  In  our  winter 
this  state  of  things  is  exactly  reversed.  In  our  autumn  the  zone  of  the  trades 
reaches  its  greatest  northern  decimation ; and  in  our  spring  it  is  at  its  utmost 
southern  limit. 

On  the  22d  of  December,  the  Commodore  issued  a general  order  promul- 
gating the  directions  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  forbidding  communications 
to  the  public  prints  at  home  touching  the  movements  of  the  squadron,  and 
prohibiting  also  such  information  through  the  medium  of  private  letters  to 
friends.  The  Secretary  also  required  that  private  notes  and  journals  kept 
by  any  members  of  the  expedition  should  be  considered  as  belonging  to  the 
government  until  their  publication  should  be  expressly  permitted  by  the  Navy 
Department. 

A second  general  order,  issued  the  next  day,  was  as  follows  : 

“ Entertaining  the  opinion  that  the  talents  and  acquirements  of  the  offi- 
cers of  the  squadron,  if  properly  directed  and  brought  into  action,  will  be 
found  equal  to  a plain  and  practical  examination  and  elucidation  of  the  vari- 
ous objects  pertaining  to  the  arts  and  sciences  that  may  come  under  their 
observation  during  the  present  cruise,  and  being  aware  of  the  limited  accom- 
modations of  the  vessels  under  my  command,  I have  invariably  objected  to 
the  employment  of  persons  drawn  from  civil  life  to  conduct  those  departments 
more  immediately  connected  with  science. 

“ Therefore  I have  to  request  and  direct,  that  each  officer  of  the  respec- 
tive ships  will  employ  such  portions  of  his  time  as  can  be  spared  from  his 
regular  duties  and  proper  hours  of  relaxation,  in  contributing  to  the  general 
mass  of  information  which  it  is  desirable  to  collect ; and  in  order  to  simplify 
and  methodise  these  researches,  a paper  is  subjoined  particularising  the  vari- 
ous departments  in  reference  to  which  information  is  more  especially  wanted; 
so  that  each  officer  may  select  one  or  more  of  those  departments  most  conge- 
nial to  his  tastes  and  inclinations. 

“ All  captains  and  commanders  are  required  to  render  every  facility 
consistent  with  the  proper  duties  of  their  respective  vessels  to  those  officers 
who  may  manifest  a zealous  co-operation  in  the  pursuits  herein  specified ; 
and  it  is  to  be  plainly  understood  that  I do  not  officially  require  the  officers 
to  perform  any  involuntary  duty.  I shall  exact  that  only  which  may  come 
within  the  legitimate  sphere  of  my  authority,  leaving  to  the  officers  them- 


THE 


HARMATTAN. 


Ill 


a 


i) 


selves  to  engage,  as  far  as  they  may  see  fit  only,  in  those  investigatioiis  which, 
in  an  official  point  of  view,  may  he  considered  as  on  their  parts  gratuitous. 

“ It  will  always  give  me  the  greatest  pleasure  to  bring  to  notice  the 
labors  of  each  and  every  individual  who  may  contribute  to  the  general 
work.”  * 

During  the  21st,  22d  and  23d  of  December,  the  wind  continued  from  the 
northward  and  eastward ; about  noon  of  the  23d  it  inclined  to  the  south- 
ward of  east,  hauling  around  at  night,  however,  more  to  the  north ; and  on 
the  24th,  when  the  ship  was  abreast  of  Brava  and  Fogo,  it  stood  at  E.N.E. 

The  haze,  however,  was  such  that  nothing  more  than  a glimpse  could  he 
obtained  of  Fogo;  and  the  winds  are  thus  particularly  referred  to  above 
because  of  their  possible  connexion,  at  this  time,  with  the  haze.  They  are 
physical  facts,  and  therefore  ought  to  be  recorded.  This  haze  is  common  to 
these  latitudes,  and  is  by  many  supposed  to  be  caused  by  what  is  called  the 
“ Harmattan.”  This  is  the  name  given  to  a wind  which,  passing  over  Africa, 
takes  up  in  its  sweep,  as  is  supposed,  an  impalpable  dust,  and  carries  it  far 
away  to  the  westward.  The  Commodore  himself  had  remarked  the  haze  or 
dust,  on  former  cruises,  more  than  five  hundred  miles  west  of  the  Cape  de 
Verd  islands.  When  commanding  a squadron,  in  1844,  on  the  western  coast 
of  Africa,  he  had  carefully  noted  several  facts  connected  with  this  wind, 
certainly  the  most  remarkable  on  that  coast.  A thousand  incredible  stories 
are  told  of  its  singular  effects.  It  is  said,  for  instance,  that  its  dry  and 
subtle  properties  will  check  or  cure  various  diseases,  heal  up  the  most  invet- 
erate ulcers,  destroy  cabinet  work,  break  window  glass,  and  stop  the  motion 
of  timepieces.  But  apart  from  these  strange  stories,  it  must  still  be  said 
that  the  effects  of  this  wind  are  extraordinary.  In  some  respects  it  resem- 
bles the  Sirocco,  and  also  the  Levanter  of  the  Grecian  archipelago. 

It  commences  about  the  middle  of  December,  and  continues  until  the 
latter  end  of  March.  Like  the  Sirocco,  it  has  been  supposed  to  take  its  rise 
in  the  deserts  of  Africa ; but,  unlike  the  Sirocco,  instead  of  producing  a 
burning  and  oppressive  temperature,  it  is  a chilling  wind.  Its  direction  is 
always  from  the  land,  and  it  sometimes  increases  to  a strong  breeze ; it  does 
not,  however,  blow  steadily  during  its  season,  but  frequently  intermits, 
when  land  or  sea  breezes  take  its  place. 

At  the  Cape  de  Verds  and  the  Gambia,  the  “Harmattan”  appears  to 

* The  subjects  suggested  by  the  Conmodore,  in  his  order,  embraced  hydrography, 
meteorology,  naval  architecture  in  its  adaptation  to  war  and  commerce,  military  affairs, 
geology,  geography,  terrestrial  magnetism,  philology  and  ethnology,  artistic  matters,  cos- 
tumes, &c.,  religions,  diseases  and  sanitary  laws,  agriculture,  statistics  of  supplies,  botany, 
entomology,  ornithology,  zoology,  conchology,  ichthiology,  and  the  magnetic  telegraph : 
and  we  trust  the  appendices  to  this  narrative  will  show  that  the  commander  did  not  mis- 
judge either  as  to  the  attainments  or  zeal  of  his  officers. 


112 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


form  a junction  witli  the  northeast  trades  prevailing  there  at  a certain  sea- 
son, and  to  blow  with  little  interruption  from  January  until  April. 

The  hypothesis  of  some  is,  that  in  passing  over  the  deserts  and  lands  of 
Africa  the  “ Harmattan  ” takes  up  an  immense  quantity  of  sand  and  dust, 
sufficient  to  form  a floating  mass,  producing  an  atmosphere  so  hazy  as  fre- 
quently to  obscure  the  sun,  and  prevent  a sight  of  the  land  at  the  distance 
of  flve  miles  only.  There  is  no  doubt  of  the  wind,  the  dust,  and  the  hazy 
atmosphere,  and  possibly  the  latter  may  he  occasioned  entirely  by  the  dust. 
At  the  season  of  the  “ Harmattan  ” this  peculiar  atmosphere  may  always  be 
seen  at  the  Cape  de  Verd  islands,  four  hundred  miles  from  the  continent,  and 
is  constantly  falling  in  quantities  sufficient  to  cover  the  sails,  rigging,  and  deck 
of  a ship.  It  is  also  said  to  have  been  met  with  seven  hundred  miles  further 
westward. 

Kecent  investigations,  however,  would  seem  to  create  some  doubt  as  to 
the  source  whence  the  dust  is  derived.  It  was  natural  enough,  as  it  was 
found  on  the  coast  of  Africa,  to  refer  its  origin  to  the  nearest  known  desert 
land ; but  the  microscope,  in  the  hands  of  Ehrenberg,  would  seem  to  intimate 
the  possibility  of  a more  distant  origin.  This  dust,  from  the  Cape  de  Yerds, 
is  found,  upon  examination,  to  consist  of  infusoria  and  organisms,  the  hah- 
itat  of  which  is  not  Africa,  but  South  America,  and  in  the  southeast  trade 
wind  region  of  that  country.  It  is,  therefore,  possible  that  the  southeast 
trades  may  have  brought  the  dust,  great  as  is  the  distance,  from  South 
America.  But  if  such  be  the  fact,  it  must  be  confessed  that  there  are 
agencies  in  the  philosophy  of  the  winds,  producing  atmospheric  phenomena, 
which  are  not  yet  sufficiently  understood  by  us  to  justify  positive  assertion. 
A greater  accumulation  of  facts  is  wanted.  That  stated  by  Ehrenberg  is 
very  important,  and  quite  sufficient  to  create  doubt  of  the  correctness  of  the 
ordinary  hypothesis. 

Until  the  30th  of  December  the  northeast  trades  continued,  the  ship 
having  then  reached  6°  8^  north  latitude,  and  16°  34^  west  longitude,  when, 
in  a squall  from  the  eastward  the  wind  changed  to  the  southward,  and  so  con- 
tinued, though  somewhat  variable,  until  January  2,  1853,  in  latitude  1°  44^ 
north,  and  longitude  11°  37''  west,  when  the  southeast  trade  was  met,  bringing 
with  it  a swell,  which  retarded  the  ship’s  progress  considerably.  Before  this, 
however,  on  the  29th  of  December,  as  the  northeast  trades  had  become  light 
and  unsteady,  with  occasional  calms,  the  floats  were  replaced  on  the  wheels, 
and  the  ship  was  put  under  steam,  using  the  two  after  boilers  only.  With 
light  winds  and  a smooth  sea,  these  proved  sufficient  to  make  a progress  of 
seven  knots  an  hour ; but  when  the  southeast  trades  fairly  set  in,  accompanied 
as  they  were  by  a head  sea,  the  speed  was  diminished  to  four  and  a half  or 
five  knots.  The  use  of  two  additional  boilers,  however,  soon  brought  the 
ship  up  to  seven,  at  a daily  consumption  of  twenty-six  tons  of  coal 

It  had  been  the  purpose  of  the  Commodore,  on  leaving  Madeira,  to 


CTJEBENTS,  SUEFACE  AND  SUBMAEINE.  113 


make  the  entire  run  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  without  stopping ; as  it  was 
supposed  that  with  a proper  use  of  the  sails,  and  the  supply  of  coal  on  board, 
this  might  readily  be  done;  but  the  northeast  trades  having  ceased  at  a 
point  much  further  north  than  usual  at  this  season,  and  the  southeast  winds 
having  also  set  in  at  a correspondingly  early  period,  he  ordered  the  ship  so 
to  be  steered  that  she  might  touch  at  St.  Helena,  should  it  be  deemed 
desirable  so  to  do,  as  a measure  of  prudence,  to  procure  an  additional  sup- 
ply of  coal. 

In  the  observations  made  upon  the  currents  since  leaving  Norfolk,  the 
Commodore  was  of  opinion  that  such  as  he  encountered  were  caused  merely 
by  the  winds  acting  on  the  surface  of  the  ocean;  and  as  a general  rule, 
though  not  perhaps  universally  true,  it  may  be  remarked  that  the  current 
will  be  found  setting  from  the  land  in  the  direction  of  the  prevailing  winds ; 
at  least  such  has  been  the  opinion  formed  from  the  long  observation  and 
experience  at  sea  of  the  Commodore.  There  may  be,  however,  and  proba- 
bly are,  currents  other  than  those  partial  ones  created  on  the  surface  by  the 
winds.  These  are  caused  by  a difference  in  the  specific  gravity  of  the  sea 
water  at  different  places  and  depths.  This  difference  disturbs  the  equili- 
brium, and  the  effort  of  the  water  to  regain  it  must  cause  a current. 

There  is  consequently,  on  and  under  the  surface  a system  of  currents 
and  counter  currents  constantly  operating  in  a greater  or  less  degree.  They 
are  far  from  being  yet  perfectly  known  and  understood,  but  the  principle  on 
which  they  must  exist  is  the  law  of  hydrostatics,  that  when  two  fluids  on 
the  same  level  differ  in  specific  gravity,  the  one  will  not  balance  the  other, 
both  must  move ; that  motion  is  a current. 

Various  interesting  experiments  have  been  made  on  the  subject  of  sub- 
marine currents,  counter  to  those  on  the  surface,  and  their  existence  would 
seem  to  be  conclusively  proved ; their  direction,  however,  cannot  always  be 
ascertained.  Practical  seamen  have  also  endeavored  to  find  out  the  depth 
of  surface  currents;  this  depth  is  not  always  the  same,  but  there  is,  if  not 
impossibility,  yet  great  difficulty,  at  times,  in  ascertaining  the  depth  with 
accuracy. 

On  Monday,  January  3,  1853,  the  ship  crossed  the  equator  in  longi- 
tude 11°  01''  west,  and  from  that  time  up  to  the  7th  had  a moderately  fresh 
breeze  directly  ahead.  The  effect  of  this  wind,  instead  of  affording  refresh- 
ment by  the  motion  of  the  vessel  meeting  it,  (her  course  was  due  south,)  was 
to  render  the  officers’  apartments,  especially  the  cabin,  and,  indeed,  all  the 
after  part  of  the  ship,  particularly  uncomfortable,  as  the  wind  brought  much 
of  the  heat  and  smoke  directly  aft.  The  wind,  however,  did  not  retard  the 
progress  of  the  vessel,  though  it  was  directly  ahead ; for  it  must  be  remem- 
bered that,  in  a steamer,  motion  is  not  so  much  retarded  by  adverse  winds  as 
by  the  head  sea  which  the  wind  produces.  Indeed,  a steamer  will  some- 
times go  faster  against  a moderately  fresh  breeze,  provided  she  be  on  a 
8 


114 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


smooth  sea,  for  the  wind  drawing  from  forward  increases  the  draught  of  the 
furnaces. 

After  crossing  the  equator  a current  of  about  one  and  a half  mile  per 
hour  was  observed,  setting  in  the  direction  of  the  wind,  north  30°  west. 

The  chaplain,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Jones,  employed  himself  with  great  care 
and  assiduity,  while  passing  through  the  equatorial  latitudes,  in  observing 
and  noting  the  zodiacal  lights.  They  were  very  brilliant,  and  so  remarkable 
that  they  proved  an  object  of  great  interest  to  all  on  board.  He  preserved 
with  great  care  the  result  of  all  his  observations,  in  the  hope  of  their  future 
usefulness  to  the  cause  of  science. 

^ On  the  10th  of  January,  at  noon,  the  ship  arrived  at  Jamestown,  island 
of  St.  Helena. 

Here,  as  a measure  rather  of  prudence  than  necessity,  she  took  on  board 
an  additional  supply  of  coal.  Water  and  fresh  provisions  for  the  crew  were 
also  procured. 

St.  Helena  was  discovered  in  1502  by  the  Portuguese.  It  was  afterward 
taken  possession  of  by  the  Dutch,  who,  in  1651,  abandoned  it  for  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope.  The  English  East  India  Company  then  took  possession  of  it, 
and  it  became  a stopping  place  for  their  ships  between  England  and  India. 
The  Dutch  took  it  from  the  company  in  1772,  but  it  again  fell  into  their 
hands  in  the  following  year.  From  that  time  up  to  1833  it  remained  in 
the  company’s  possession,  when  it  was  transferred  to  the  crown.  The  base 
of  the  island  is  basalt,  and  lava  and  scoria  are  scattered  about  its  surface. 
It  is  evidently  volcanic,  and  seen  from  a distance  it  appears  like  a pile  of 
barren  rocks  rising  from  the  ocean  in  the  form  of  a pyramid. 

On  a nearer  approach  the  island  is  seen  to  be  encompassed  by  rugged 
and  almost  perpendicular  cliffs  from  six  to  twelve  hundred  feet  high.  These 
are  broken  in  several  places  by  chasms  which  open  to  the  sea  shore,  and  form 
narrow  valleys  winding  up  to  the  table  land  above.  In  the  centre  of  the 
island  is  an  elevation  known  as  Diana’s  peak,  2,693  feet  above  the  sea  level. 
A calcareous  ridge  runs  across  the  island  from  east  to  west,  and  divides  it 
into  two  unequal  parts,  the  larger  and  better  of  which  is  on  the  north  side, 
containing,  among  other  spots  of  interest,  Jamestown,  Longwood,  the  Briars 
and  Plantation  house,  the  governor’s  summer-residence.  The  whole  cir- 
cumference of  the  island  is  about  twenty-eight  miles.  At  the  termination 
of  James’  valley  on  the  sea  stands  Jamestown,  the  only  town  and  port  of 
the  island,  with  a population  of  about  twenty-five  hundred.  It  is  built  on 
both  sides  of  a well-paved  street  which  runs  nearly  a mile  up  the  valley.  A 
strong  water  battery  commands  the  bay.  Ascending  James’  valley,  the 
traveller  arrives  on  the  plain  or  table  land  of  Longwood,  which  consists  of 
fifteen  hundred  acres  of  good  land,  elevated  about  2,000  feet  above  the  sea, 
and  slopes  gently  toward  the  southeast.  Though  the  island  looks  so  barren 
from  the  sea,  yet  the  interior  is  covered  with  a rich  verdure,  and  is  watered 


ST.  HELENA. 


115 


by  numerous  springs  which  irrigate  a very  fertile  soil.  The  fruits  and 
flowers  of  Europe  and  Asia  are  successfully  cultivated,  while  horned  cattle, 
sheep,  and  goats  thrive  on  the  rich  pastures.  Barley,  oats,  Indian  corn, 
potatoes,  and  most  of  the  common  vegetables  are  easily  produced.  Fresh 
beef,  mutton  and  poultry  may  at  all  times  be  procured,  and  fish  are  abun- 
dant. 

The  climate  is  one  of  the  most  salubrious  under  the  tropics.  At  Plan- 
tation house  the  thermometer  ranges  from  61°  to  73°  within  doors,  and 
sometimes,  between  June  and  September,  (the  winter  season,)  falls  to  52°  in 
the  open  air.  At  Longwood  the  thermometer  is  generally  a little  lower, 
and  at  Jamestown  a little  higher,  than  it  is  at  Plantation  house.  The  sum- 
mer rains  fall  in  January  or  February,  and  the  winter  rains  in  July  or 
August. 

The  East  India  Company,  while  in  possession  of  the  island,  constructed 
excellent  roads,  which  are  kept  in  admirable  order  by  the  present  govern- 
ment; they  are  inclined  planes,  adapted  as  well  for  wheel  carriages  and 
artillery  as  for  horses  and  foot  passengers ; and  as  one  rides  through  the  coun- 
try the  appearance  of  the  cultivated  fields,  kept  constantly  green  by  the 
rains  which  fall  in  light  showers  from  the  clouds,  driven  over  the  island  by 
the  southeast  trades,  forms  a striking  and  agreeable  contrast  to  the  barren 
clifi's  which  shelter  the  valleys.  During  the  winter  months,  indeed,  the  rains 
are  commonly  very  copious,  and  sometimes  fall  in  such  torrents  as  seriously 
to  injure  the  cultivated  grounds,  and  make  for  a time  the  roads  impassable. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that,  so  far  as  physical  comfort  is  involved,  St. 
Helena  is  not  the  worst  of  prisons ; and  if  it  provoked  indignant  remon- 
strance from  the  illustrious  captive  who  laid  his  bones  there,  his  complaints 
were  prompted  not  so  much  by  the  aspects  of  nature  around,  which  never 
insulted  him,  as  by  the  petty  indignities  olfered  him  hy  little  minds,  and  the 
irksomeness  of  restraint  to  a chafed  spirit,  which,  in  its  isolation,  felt  deeply  the 
contrast  between  its  now  enforced  solitude  and  its  former  mingling  and 
ruling  in  the  crowd  of  men,  wielding  as  if  by  magic  the  destinies  of  Europe. 
To  him  a hemisphere  for  his  theatre  and  nations  for  his  playthings  had 
become  in  some  sort  a necessity.  His  own  spirit  forged  his  heaviest  chains 
on  St.  Helena. 

But  it  was  the  memory  of  that  captive  which  gave  to  the  oflficers  of  the 
ship  the  chief  interest  of  the  island,  and  every  one  accordingly  made  it  his 
first  object  to  visit  Longwood  and  the  spot  where  the  ashes  of  Napoleon  had 
once  rested. 

In  viewing  the  miserable  building  where,  for  more  than  five  years,  this 
extraordinary  man  resided,  and  where  he  breathed  his  last,  it  is  difficult  to 
suppress  a deep  feeling  of  the  instability  of  earthly  glory.  The  palaces  of 
France  and  the  farm  house  of  Longwood,  Napoleon  in  his  splendor  and 
Napoleon  on  his  death  bed,  are  suggestive  of  reflections  which  will  tempt  the 


116 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


thoughtful  silently  to  moralize.  But,  humble  as  was  this  residence  of  the 
dethroned  Emperor,  it  had  been  the  abode  of  fallen  greatness,  and  that 
should  have  protected  it  from  desecration.  Longwood  has  been  permitted  to 
fall  into  decay,  and  the  apartments  which  the  Emperor  once  occupied  are 
now  but  a common  stable.  The  property  has  been  rented  by  the  crown  to  a 
farmer  of  the  island,  and  he  seems  to  have  been  permitted  to  make  what  use 
he  pleased  of  the  tenements  upon  it. 

Without  here  questioning  the  necessity,  as  a measure  of  state  policy,  of 
confining  the  great  and  ambitious  disturber  of  the  peace  of  Europe  in  a 
place  whence  escape  was  impossible,  admitting  the  force  of  all  the  arguments 
by  which  the  act  at  the  time  was  justified  to  the  world,  yet  one  cannot  look 
on  Longwood  without  feeling  that  there  was  more  of  annoyance  and  insult 
in  executing  the  purposes  of  the  English  government  than  was  necessary,  or 
than  the  government  probably  intended.  At  this  day  there  are  many  Eng- 
lishmen who  think  that  England  was  singularly  unfortunate  in  the  choice 
of  her  jailors. 

A view  of  the  grounds  forcibly  suggests  this  thought.  Surrounded  as 
the  prescribed  limits  were  by  successive  lines  of  sentinels,  with  a regiment 
encamped  within  musket  shot  of  the  dwelling,  with  every  avenue  to  it  close- 
ly guarded  by  pickets  of  soldiers,  and  with  the  cliffs  which  bound  the  ground 
toward  the  sea  perfectly  inaccessible,  it  is  impossible  not  to  see  at  a glance, 
that  there  was  not  the  remotest  chance  of  escape.  Might  there  not  then 
have  been  some  relaxation  of  minute  and  indelicate  personal  supervision,  at 
least  in  the  day  time,  when  the  island  was  surrounded  by  British  cruisers, 
and  the  numerous  forts  fully  garrisoned?  Was  it  necessary  for  security  to 
make  the  captive /eeZ  incessantly  that  he  was  watched? 

The  British  ministry  had  enjoined  the  safe  custody  of  the  prisoner ; un- 
fortunately they  left  it  to  the  jailors  to  settle  all  the  details  of  the  mode  of 
keeping  him. 

The  tomb  in  which  Napoleon  was  placed,  has  lost  some  of  its  interest 
from  the  removal  of  his  body  to  France.  He  died  on  the  1st  of  May,  1821. 
On  the  4th  of  October,  1840,  his  remains  were  embarked  on  the  French 
frigate  Belle  Poule,  which  had  been  sent  under  the  command  of  the  Prince 
de  Joinville,  for  the  purpose  of  transporting  them  to  France. 

The  inhabitants  of  St.  Helena  seem  to  be  industrious,  but  the  general 
opinion  of  the  officers  of  the  ship,  founded  on  their  experience,  was,  that  in 
their  rambles  over  the  world,  they  had  never  met  with  more  polite  and  un- 
scrupulous extortioners.  It  is  said  to  be  the  practice  of  householders  to 
entertain  unsuspecting  strangers  with  great  seeming  kindness,  and  then  to 
mulct  them  most  unmercifully  for  the  supposed  hospitality.  This  may  be 
slander,  but  an  incident  occurred  while  the  ship  was  at  Jamestown,  which 
leaves  no  doubt  that  proffered  favors  are  sometimes  done  with  the  expecta- 
tion of  receiving  for  them — a “ consideration.”  One  of  the  lieutenants  of 


I 

I 


OLD  HOUSE  AT  LONGWOOD. 


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JAMESTOWN,  ST.  HELENA. 


117 


the  ship  was  the  victim  of  excessive  civility.  Contemplating  a visit  to 
Longwood,  he  had  engaged  a horse  at  the  livery  stable,  which,  on  landing, 
he  found  saddled  and  waiting  for  him  according  to  appointment.  He  was 
about  mounting,  when  a citizen  of  Jamestown,  whom  he  had  casually  met 
the  day  before,  stepped  up  and  told  him  that  he  had  a horse,  much  superior 
to  that  he  was  about  to  mount,  which  was  altogether  at  his  service,  and  that 
he  would  send  for  it.  Consequently  the  hired  horse  was  dismissed,  with  a 
compensation  to  the  disappointed  attendant,  and  that  of  the  polite  friend 
was  accepted,  unfortunately,  however,  proving  to  be  inferior  to  the  one  dis- 
missed. However,  he  was  used  for  a few  hours,  and  returned  with  a douceur 
to  the  servant  who  received  him. 

The  same  evening  the  owner  of  the  horse  visited  the  ship,  when  the 
lieutenant  was  profuse  of  civility  and  thanks,  and  after  entertaining  him, 
pressed  upon  him  the  acceptance  of  some  little  presents,  quite  equal  in  value 
to  the  hire  of  the  horse.  These  gifts  were  received  in  such  manner  as  in- 
duced the  officer  to  think  there  was  still  something  more  wanting,  when  he 
said,  “ Will  you  allow  me  to  pay  for  the  use  of  your  horse  ? ” and  was 
answered:  “ Well,  I am  glad  you  were  pleased  with  the  animal,  and  you 
need  only  pay  me  the  usual  charge  of  three  dollars.”  It  was  immediately 
handed  to  him,  when  he  coolly  offered  his  services  at  any  future  time,  and 
said,  with  a peculiarly  knowing  look  : “ If,  when  you  again  visit  the  island, 
you  will  place  yourself  under  my  guidance,  I will  put  you  through  all 
charges  at  half  price.”  Then  politely  wishing  a good  voyage  to  all  on 
board,  he  passed  into  the  boat,  with  the  neck  of  a wine  bottle  protruding 
from  one  pocket,  and  a liberal  supply  of  Havanas  filling  the  other,  the  offer- 
ings of  his  grateful  friend,  the  lieutenant. 

At  the  time  of  Bonaparte’s  residence,  the  island  was  strongly  fortified 
and  fully  garrisoned,  and  indeed  was  deemed  impregnable.  But  this  was 
before  the  introduction  of  armed  steamers  into  the  navies  of  the  world. 
The  island  is  strongly  fortified  on  the  north  side,  while  the  south,  exposed  to 
the  whole  strength  of  the  trade  winds,  is  on  that  account  almost  inaccessible. 
But  the  batteries  were  constructed  to  prevent  the  approach  of  sailing  vessels, 
and  this  they  might  probably  accomplish,  as  they  are  on  the  high  cliffs  com- 
manding the  only  ways  by  which  sailing  vessels  can  approach. 

Sailing  vessels  approaching  the  Jamestown  anchorage  are  obliged,  by 
reason  of  the  lee  currents,  to  pass  to  the  eastward  of  the  island,  and  haul 
close  around  Sugar-loaf  Point ; and  as  soon  as  they  luff  under  the  lee  of  this 
they  become  partially  becalmed,  and  are  at  once  exposed  to  the  guns  of  a 
very  heavy  battery,  called  “ Prince  Kupert’s  Line ; ” and  from  thence  all 
the  way  to  the  anchorage  is  a succession  of  forts,  well  provided  with  heavy 
artillery.  On  the  westward,  the  fortifications  are  less  strong,  because,  as 
the  current  is  constantly  setting  in  that  direction,  it  is  exceedingly  difficult, 
and  at  times  impossible,  for  a sailing  vessel  to  beat  up  to  the  town ; hencs 


118 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


there  are  but  two  small  batteries  on  that  side,  which  it  would  not  be  difficult 
to  silence.  But  it  is  easy  to  see  how,  with  the  aid  of  steam,  a moderate 
land  and  naval  force  might  now  attack  the  island  with  strong  probabilities 
of  success.  But  the  approach  should  be  from  the  west.  Just  under  the 
lee  of  “West  Point,”  the  western  extremity  of  the  island,  the  water  is 
always  smooth,  and  by  the  aid  of  steam,  the  forces  might  all  be  concen- 
trated there. 

A close  line  of  battle  ahead  might  be  formed,  securing  the  armed  sailing 
vessels  as  closely  as  possible  to  the  steamers,  the  armed  ships  in  tow,  and  the 
troop  ships  lashed  to  the  port  quarters  of  the  steamers.  The  land  troops 
might  be  formed  into  two  divisions,  and  supplied  with  light  artillery,  for 
forcing  the  gates  of  the  town,  and  for  covering  the  advance  of  the  attacking 
columns  up  the  steep  roads  which  lead  into  the  country  and  to  the  rear  of  the 
batteries  on  the  cliffs.  The  boats  should  be  lowered  and  secured  to  the  port 
sides  of  the  troop  ships,  ready  for  receiving  and  landing  the  soldiers,  the  two 
divisions  of  which  are  destined  for  different  points. 

These  arrangements  having  been  made,  and  the  ships  cleared  for  action, 
with  springs  from  both  quarters,  so  as  to  spring  to  starboard  or  port,  as 
might  be  necessary,  the  whole  flotilla  might  be  moved  close  to  West  Point, 
and  thence  trace  the  shore  along  at  the  distance  of  about  a quarter  of  a mile, 
avoiding  the  shoal  called  “ Long  Ledge  ” on  the  charts,  and  keeping  as  close 
as  possible  under  “ Ladder  Hill,”  on  which  there  is  a heavy  battery,  until  it 
opened  the  town  and  anchored  with  springs  in  line  of  battle,  and  extending 
along  the  whole  front  of  the  road.  On  giving  the  starboard  broadside,  the 
ships  might  spring  to  port  or  starboard,  as  winds  or  currents  made  necessary, 
remembering,  however,  that  vessels  do  not  always  swing  to  the  wind  in  this 
road. 

Meantime  one  division  of  the  troops  might  keep  to  the  eastward,  and 
land  at  the  quay,  and  thence  marching  along  the  causeway,  force  the  gates 
with  their  artillery ; while  the  other,  avoiding  the  line  of  Are  of  the  ships, 
might  pass  to  the  westward  of  it,  and  tracing  the  shore  under  “ Ladder 
Hill,”  land  at  the  west  flank  of  the  water  battery  which  covers  the  town 
front.  The  town  once  gained,  the  troops  might  at  once  secure  the  summits 
of  the  roads  leading  into  the  country,  as  guns  temporarily  mounted  on  the 
adjoining  hills  would  effectually  command  the  town  and  harhor. 

The  only  real  obstacle  to  a force  thus  approaching  from  the  west,  by 
steam,  would  be  the  strong  water  battery  commanding  the  whole  extent  of 
the  little  bay  which  forms  the  harbor.  This,  of  course,  would  have  to  be 
silenced  before  there  would  be  any  chance  of  capturing  the  place;  but, 
then,  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  whole  attacking  force  could  be 
concentrated  on  this  spot,  if  it  approached  from  the  west  by  steam.  In 
such  an  approach,  it  could  keep  close  to  the  shore,  which  is  bold;  and 
such  is  the  elevated  position  of  the  principal  forts,  that  their  guns  could 


DEPABTUEE  FROM  JAMESTOWN. 


119 


not  be  sufficiently  depressed  to  bear  upon  steamers  coming  from  tbe  west- 
ward. 

These  remarks  were  made  by  the  Commodore,  as  illustrating  the  great 
changes  wrought  by  the  introduction  of  steam  into  naval  warfare.  When 
the  island  was  fortified,  engineering  skill  accomplished  all  that  was  required 
in  the  existing  condition  of  things.  To  a force  approaching  by  sailing 
vessels,  it  probably  would  now  prove  impregnable,  for  wind  and  tide  were 
valuable  auxiliaries,  which  were  taken  into  account  in  planning  the  works; 
but  a new  motive  power  makes  its  appearance,  which  is  quite  regardless  of 
these  natural  auxiliaries,  and  new  systems  of  defence  are  at  once  made 
necessary.  This  is  but  one  of  \ he  changes  wrought  by  this  mighty  agent, 
which  seems  destined  to  do  so  much  in  revolutionizing  the  condition  of  the 
world. 

On  Tuesday,  January  11th,  at  6 p.  m. , the  Mississippi  weighed  anchor 
and  took  her  departure  from  Jamestown. 


The  Briers  of  St.  Helena. 


CHAPTER  III. 


Passage  to  the  Cape.— Fuel  for  steamers. — Table  Eock  and  Cape  Town. — ^Description  of  Cape  Town.— 
Climate. — Annoyance  from  dust — Violence  of  winds  and  difficulty  of  holding  to  anchorage. — Snpplici 
at  the  Cape. — Caffre  war  and  its  effects. — Mode  of  transporting  produce  on  land. — Vineyards  of  Con- 
stantin.—Effects  of  emancipation  of  slaves  on  agricultural  labor. — Mode  of  cultivating  the  vine. — 
Population  of  Cape  Colony. — Bushmen.— The  C.affres. — Physical  characteristics, — Fingoes. — Military 
organization  of  Caffres. — Condition  of  the  emancipated  slaves. — Departure  from  Table  Bay. — Passage 
to,  and  arrival  at,  Mauritius. — Harbor  of  Port  Louis. — Dangers  of  the  harbor.— Skill  of  port  officers  in 
mooring  vessels. 


FTER  leaving  St.  Helena  the 
ship  was  put  on  her  course  for 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  Pru- 
dential considerations  alone  in- 
duced the  Commodore  to  touch 
at  St.  Helena.  His  opinion  was 
that  the  best  and  most  expeditious 
route  for  a steamer,  going  from 
Madeira  to  the  Cape,  (provided 
she  can  carry  a sufficiency  of  coal,) 
is  to  be  found  by  steering  from 
the  Cape  de  Verd  islands  direct 
toward  Cape  Palmas  on  the  coast 
of  Africa,  and  thence  tracing  the 
shore  down  to  Table  Bay. 

On  leaving  Jamestown  the  ship  encountered  the  trade,  deviating  very 
little  from  the  southeast,  and  blowing  alternately  moderate  and  fresh.  It 
was  observable,  however,  that  it  was  always  stronger  at  night  than  in  the 
day  time,  and  brought  with  it  a short  head  sea,  which  greatly  retarded  the 
progress  of  the  vessel.  It  woidd  have  been  easy  to  increase  the  steam 
power  : but  experience  had  shown  that  about  twenty-six  tons  of  coal  per 
diem  enabled  the  ship  to  accomplish  the  greatest  distance  with  the  most 
economical  expenditure ; and  considering  the  extreme  difficulty  of  procuring 
fuel  in  that  region,  its  enormous  cost,  and  the  labor  and  delay  incident  to  its 


FROM  ST.  HELENA  TO  THE  CAPE, 


121 


shipment,  the  Commodore  deemed  it  most  expedient  rather  to  protract  the 
passage  than  allow  extravagance  in  the  use  of  an  article  so  essential  to  the 
movements  of  the  vessel.  A current  of  one  and  a quarter  knots  was  found 
setting  in  the  direction  of  the  wind,  and  this,  as  a retarding  cause,  was  to  be 
added  to  the  force  of  the  trade. 

As  to  the  possibility  of  obtaining  a supply  of  fuel  in  this  part  of  the 
world,  it  may  be  remarked  that  at  St.  Paul  de  Loango  the  English  maintain 
a depot  of  coal  for  the  accommodation  of  the  African  steam  cruisers,  and  this 
would  be  a convenient  point  to  which  to  send  a coal  vessel  from  the  United 
States.  Within  a few  years  a depot  of  coal  has  been  established  by  an 
English  company  at  Port  Grand,  Island  of  St.  Vincent,  of  the  Cape  de 
Verde  group,  and  it  is  said  that  a reasonable  supply  can  always  be  obtained 
there  by  transient  steamers. 

Steamers  from  the  United  States  might  proceed  direct  to  St.  Vincent’s, 
provided  there  be  certainty  of  obtaining  coal  at  that  place,  and  thence  pro- 
ceed to  the  Cape  by  Cape  Palmas,  via  Loango ; but  it  is  much  better  that 
cargoes  of  coal  should  be  sent  ahead  of  steamers  leaving  the  United  States, 
as  the  only  security  for  a certain  supply. 

As  to  the  route  from  England,  that  which  is  prescribed  for  her  mail 
steamers  bound  round  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  is  to  touch  at  St.  Vincent, 
and  thence  proceed  to  the  Cape,  via  Ascension  Island,  replenishing  their 
coal  at  all  their  stopping  places.  In  pursuing  this  route,  (which  they  are 
compelled  to  do  to  leave  a mail  at  Ascension  for  the  African  squadron,)  they 
are  obliged  to  contend  with  the  entire  range  of  the  southeast  trades,  which 
are  directly  ahead,  blowing  most  of  the  time  quite  strongly,  and  always 
producing  a lee  current  of  from  one  to  one  and  a quarter  knots.  By  taking 
the  route  along  the  African  coast  a steamer  has  the  advantage  of  the  sea  and 
land  breezes,  and  the  favorable  current  usually  setting  to  the  south. 

On  the  24th  of  January,  at  nine  in  the  morning,  the  ship  made  the  land 
in  the  vicinity  of  Saldanha  Bay,  and  at  two  p.  m.  Table  Mountain  was  in 
sight.  After  passing  outside  of  Bassen  Island,  and  through  the  channel 
between  the  main  land  and  Bobben’s  Island,  at  half  past  8 p.  m.  the  ship 
came  to  anchor  in  Table  Bay  in  seven  fathoms,  and  the  following  day  moved 
further  in  toward  the  town. 

This  port  is  easy  of  access  either  by  night  or  day,  if  the  two  lights  can 
be  distinctly  seen,  so  that  the  distance  from  Green  Point  can  be  accurately 
estimated.  This  is  important,  as  by  bordering  upon  that  point  too  closely 
there  is  danger  of  a ledge  of  rocks  near  the  Cape  shore,  and  by  keeping  too 
far  to  the  northward,  the  Whale  Rock,  at  the  southern  end  of  Robben’s 
Island,  may  bring  a vessel  up. 

The  Cape  of  Good  Hope  was  first  discovered  by  Bartholomew  Diaz,  a 
Portuguese,  in  1493.  During  an  exploration  of  the  Atlantic  coast  of  Africa, 
this  navigator  was  driven  out  to  sea  by  a storm,  and  the  first  land  he  made, 


122 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


after  the  subsidence  of  the  gale,  was  Algoa  Bay ; he  having  thus  doubled 
the  Cape  without  his  knowledge.  Diaz  gave  the  name  of  Cabo  Tormentoso 
(the  Cape  of  Storms)  to  the  Cape,  which  was  afterwards  changed  to  that  of 
Good  Hope  by  the  King  of  Portugal,  as  he  rightly  thought  the  discovery 
auspicious  of  a favorable  result  to  the  great  prospect  entertained  by  the 
Portuguese  navigators  of  reaching  India.  In  1497,  Vasco  de  Gama,  another 
Portuguese  navigator,  doubled  the  Cape  on  his  voyage  to  the  Indian 
seas. 

The  Cape  of  Good  Hope  forms  the  southern  extremity  of  a narrow 
peninsula  about  thirty  miles  in  length,  with  the  Atlantic  ocean  on  the  west. 
False  Bay  on  the  east,  and  Table  Bay  on  the  north.  Cape  Town  is  situated 
on  Table  Bay,  and  was  originally  founded  by  the  Dutch  in  1650,  but  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  English  in  1795  ; and,  it  having  been  restored  to  its 
original  possessors  after  the  peace  of  Amiens,  was  finally  retaken  by  the 
British  in  1806,  in  whose  possession  it  now  remains. 

The  town  is  well  built  with  substantial  houses  of  stone  and  brick,  and 
wide,  regular  streets.  The  general  aspect  of  the  place,  with  its  well  con- 
structed public  buildings  and  private  residences,  and  its  park  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  government  house,  shaded  by  oaks  of  magnificent  growth,  is 
exceedingly  agreeable. 

The  heat,  however,  in  consequence  of  the  position  of  the  town,  which  is 
faced  by  the  noonday  sun  and  walled  in  behind  by  naked  mountains,  is  ex- 
cessive. This,  added  to  the  dust,  caused  those  who  went  on  shore  to  keep 
much  within  doors,  so  that  Cape  Town  was  found  by  the  ofiScers  of  the  ex- 
pedition but  a dull  and  stupid  place.  The  streets  are  unpaved,  and  conse- 
quently, when  the  southeast  gales,  which  prevail  in  midsummer,  blow,  the 
dust  is  raised  in  clouds  and  deposited  in  drifts  of  sand  along  the  sidewalks 
several  inches  in  depth,  which  keeps  the  street  sweepers  in  constant  occupa- 
tion, who  may  be  seen  continually  at  work  collecting  the  dirt  in  heaps,  to  be 
carried  away  by  the  dirt  carts.  So  general  is  the  experience  of  this  nuisance 
from  the  dust,  that  the  male,  as  well  as  the  female  inhabitants,  of  aU  classes, 
are  in  the  practice  of  wearing  veils  attached  to  their  hats.  The  northeastern 
winds,  which  prove  in  raising  the  dust  of  such  discomfort  to  the  residents  of 
Cape  Town,  prevail  during  midsummer,  and  their  approach  is  always  indi- 
cated by  the  appearance  of  a dense  white  cloud,  which  settles  upon  the 
summit  of  Table  Mountain,  therefore  called  the  Table  Cloth,  and  remains 
there  until  the  gale  subsides.  These  winds  blow  with  great  violence,  sweep- 
ing along  the  land  east  of  Table  Mountain.  If  it  were  not  for  the  perfect 
smoothness  of  the  water  in  Table  Bay,  vessels  would  not  be  able  to  hold  to 
their  anchors  during  these  southeasterly  gales,  of  which  two  were  experienced 
in  the  course  of  seven  days,  while  the  Mississippi  was  lying  at  Cape  Town. 
Such  is  the  severity  of  these  winds  that  all  business  in  the  harbor  is  sus- 
pended during  their  height. 


CAPE  OF  GOOD  HOPE. 


12.3 


The  town  seemed  to  be  in  a highly  prosperous  condition,  business  of 
every  kind  was  flourishing,  and  there  was  a general  appearance  of  affluence 
among  the  government  officials,  and  the  high  rents,  among  other  indications, 
show  the  prosperous  condition  of  trade.  Handsome  equipages  are  constantly 
seen  in  the  streets,  and  the  prosperity  is  so  universal,  that  even  the  lowest 
classes  are  hardly  known  to  suffer  from  want.  The  Cape  of  Good  Hope  is  of 
great  commercial  imcportance  to  Great  Bi’itain  as  a convenient  rendezvous  for 
her  cruisers  stationed  in  the  neighborhood,  and  as  a stopping  place  for  vessels 
bound  to  and  from  the  Indian  Ocean.  Excellent  water,  fresh  provisions, 
fruit  and  other  necessaries  can  be  obtained  in  any  quantity  and  at  reasonable 
prices.  Wood  is  scarce,  but  almost  every  description  of  article  usually 
needed  by  vessels  may  be  procured  from  the  numerous  well-stocked  stores 
and  warehouses  at  Cape  Town.  Live  stock  can  be  readily  obtained,  bullocks 
at  £6  per  head,  and  sheep  at  15  shillings.  The  Mississippi  was  supplied 
with  twelve  of  the  former  and  eighteen  of  the  latter  at  these  prices. 

Since  the  abolition  of  slavery  in  the  British  colonies  the  agricultural 
interests  of  the  Cape  have  suffered,  and  although  the  commerce  of  some  few 
of  the  colonial  ports  continues  thriving,  as,  for  example,  that  of  Cape  Town, 
the  interior  of  the  country  has  declined  in  prosperity,  there  being  at  present 
but  few  examples  of  prosperous  farming,  in  consequence  of  a want  of  laborers. 
The  agi’icultural  condition  of  the  country  has  also  suffered  from  the  effects 
of  the  war  carried  on  between  the  British  colonists  and  the  Caffres,  which, 
although  it  has  enriched  the  merchants  and  tradesmen  by  the  large  expendi- 
ture of  public  money,  has  impoverished  the  farmers,  by  depriving  them  of 
the  necessary  laborers,  and  by  unsettling  the  tranquillity  of  the  country. 
The  consequence  has  been  that  many  of  the  farms  have  been  allowed  to  run 
to  waste,  and  though  the  soil  is  capable  of  producing  Indian  corn,  wheat, 
barley,  oats,  and  several  other  descriptions  of  grain,  such  has  been  the  un- 
favorable influence  of  the  cause  alluded  to,  that  the  home  consumption  of 
these  products  is  not  fully  provided  for.  There  are,  however,  some  articles 
produced  for  exportation,  among  which  may  be  enumerated  wine,  hides, 
tallow  and  wool.  The  farming  is  chiefly  of  a grazing  character,  and  vast 
herds  of  cattle,  sheep,  horses  and  mules  are  raised.  At  Cape  Town  horses 
can  be  obtained  at  a price  varying  from  thirty  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  dol- 
lars, and  mules  from  thirty  to  seventy-five  dollars.  The  cattle,  which  are 
indigenous  to  the  country,  somewhat  resemble  the  buffalo  in  appearance,  and 
the  sheep  are  of  the  broad-tailed  species,  which  are  highly  esteemed  for  the 
excellence  of  their  meat.  The  large  teams  of  oxen  passing  to  and  from  the 
city  are  characteristic  objects  at  Cape  Town.  These  teams  are  composed 
often  of  seven,  eight,  or  even  nine  yoke,  and  are  guided  by  two  teamsters, 
one  seated  in  front  of  a wagon,  not  unlike  the  wagons  generally  in  use  in 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  urges  the  animals  along  by  his  voice  and  a long  lash, 
while  the  other  precedes  the  team,  holding  a halter  fastened  to  the  horns  of 


124 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


the  two  leaders,  with  which  he  guides  them.  The  arrangement  of  the  team 
for  an  excursion  of  greater  length  is  somewhat  different,  as  then  horsemen 
accompany  it.  The  wagon,  however,  is  the  same.  The  ox  of  the  Cape  is  a 
serviceable  animal,  which  has  a good  deal  of  the  general  aspect  of  the  buffalo, 
with  long  horns,  a compact  body  and  tapering  rump. 

The  Commodore,  accompanied  by  some  of  his  officers,  took  occasion  tc 
visit  one  of  the  celebrated  vineyards  of  Constantia,  having  provided  himself 
with  a barouche  drawn  by  four  beautiful  stallions,  driven  four-in-hand  by  a 
negro  boy,  who  evinced  much  skill  in  handling  the  reins.  The  drive  was 
through  a picturesque  country,  with  pretty  villas  scattered  about,  and 
approached  by  beautiful  avenues  formed  of  the  oak  and  the  fir,  which  trees 
are  raised  from  the  seed,  and  generally  cultivated  in  the  colony,  not  only 
for  ornamental  purposes,  but  for  fuel.  Substantial  hedges  were  also 
observed,  formed  of  the  young  oak,  of  only  three  years’  growth  from  the 
acorn.  The  vineyard  visited  was  of  limited  extent,  and  the  culture  of  a 
character  that  somewhat  disappointed  the  expectations  of  the  visitors. 

The  proprietor  accounted  for  the  inferior  condition  of  his  vineyard  on 
the  score  of  being  unable  to  provide  himself  with  the  necessary  supply  of 
laborers,  and  remarked  that  he  should  be  obliged  to  abandon  the  cultivation 
of  the  grape  altogether  had  he  not  supplied  himself  with  an  American  culti- 
vator, which  he  had  recently  imported  from  the  United  States,  and  which 
simple  plough,  as  he  stated,  drawn  by  a single  horse,  actually  accomplished 
the  labor  of  fifty  men,  according  to  the  usual  mode  of  working  and  culti- 
vating the  vine  with  a hoe.  The  grape  is  cultivated  at  Constantia,  as  in 
Sicily,  by  trimming  the  vine  close  to  the  ground,  and  not  permitting  it  to 
grow  higher  than  a gooseberry  bush.  The  richness  of  the  wine  is  depend- 
ent upon  the  condition  of  the  grape  when  it  goes  to  the  press.  Although  the 
grape  begins  to  ripen  in  the  early  part  of  February,  it  is  not  gathered  until 
the  middle  of  March,  when  the  fruit  has  assumed  ahnost  the  appearance  of 
the  dried  raisin,  in  which  condition  it  is  jessed.  The  prices  of  these  Con- 
stantia wines  vary  from  two  to  six  dollars  a gallon,  according  to  their 
quality. 

The  census  of  1848  gives  200,546  as  the  population  of  Cape  Colony. 
Of  these  76,827  whites,  and  101,176  colored  inhabitants,  make  up  the 
whole  number  of  inhabitants  of  the  various  parts  of  the  colony,  with  the 
exception  of  Cape  Town,  which  contains  a population  of  22,543.  There 
are  but  few  of  the  aboriginal  Hottentots  of  pure  race  to  be  found,  as  their 
blood  has  been  intermingled  with  that  of  the  Dutch,  the  Negro,  or  the 
Malay.  The  first  European  discoverer  of  the  southern  promontory  of 
Africa  found  it  tolerably  well  peopled,  and  the  natives,  in  some  respects,  in 
better  condition  than  many  of  the  more  northern  tribes.  They  were  in  pos- 
session of  herds  of  cattle  and  sheep,  and  led  a pastoral  life.  They  were  a 
comparatively  happy  people,  divided  into  tribes  under  a patriarchal  gov 


t 


TKAVKLLEK3  IN  SOUTH  AFKIOA, 


OAKFKE  OIIIKF.  FINGO  WOMAN. 


HOTTENTOTS  — CAFEEES  — FINGOES. 


125 


ernment,  and  wandered  about  with  their  flocks  and  herds,  taking  with  them 
their  moveable  huts,  constructed  of  boughs  and  poles,  which  were  conveyed 
from  pasture  to  pasture  on  the  backs  of  oxen.  Their  tribes,  however,  have 
been  mostly  exterminated  by  the  cruelty  of  the  Europeans,  although  a 
wretched  remnant  have  survived,  and  live  as  miserable  outcasts  in  the  fast- 
nesses of  the  desert  and  the  forest,  and  are  known  as  Bushmen,  They  are 
still  savage  in  character,  and  disgusting  in  their  persons  and  habits,  having 
received  but  little  benefit  from  the  civilization  of  their  white  conquerors, 
who  have  always  pursued  them  with  a cruel  wantonness,  “ though  we,  as  Amer- 
icans,” remarks  Commodore  Perry,  “ have  no  right  to  rail  at  other  nations 
for  the  wrong  they  have  inflicted  upon  the  aborigines  of  countries  seized 
upon  by  them,  for,  though  hardly  equal  to  the  English  in  the  disgusting 
hypocrisy  with  which  they  excuse  their  acts,  we  are  not  far  behind  them  in 
the  frauds  and  cruelties  committed  upon  our  native  tribes.” 

The  warlike  Calfres  still  retain  their  characteristic  wildness,  and  pursue 
their  predatory  life.  They  are  in  many  respects  inferior  to  the  ordinary 
African,  and  have  some  of  the  peculiarities  of  the  Egyptian  races.  They 
are  of  greater  height  and  strength  than  the  inferior  negro ; their  color  is 
browner,  and  though  their  hair  is  black  and  woolly,  they  have  fuller  beards. 
Their  noses  are  more  prominent,  but  they  have  the  thick  negro  lip,  and  with 
the  prominent  cheek  bone  of  the  Hottentots  they  possess  the  high  European 
forehead.  The  Eingoes,  though  traced  in  origin  to  some  scattered  tribes  of 
the  Caffres,  differ  from  them  in  some  degree,  and  although  spirited  and 
brave  in  battle,  are  of  a less  savage  nature,  and  have  the  character  of  being 
a comparatively  good-natured  people.  The  Eingoes  are  pastoral,  like  the 
Caffres,  but  more  given  to  the  culture  of  the  land,  in  which  the  men  engage 
as  well  as  the  women,  although  this  kind  of  labor  is  confined  among  the 
Caffres  to  the  females  alone.  On  the  return  of  the  Commodore  from  Con- 
stantia,  he  stopped  to  pay  a visit  to  a captive  chief  and  his  wife,  whom  the 
fortune  of  war  had  thrown  into  the  hands  of  the  Europeans.  The  chief 
was  confined  in  a sort  of  country  jail,  at  no  great  distance  from  the  town. 
The  keeper  of  the  prison  very  civilly  allowed  free  communication  with  the 
prince,  a remarkably  fine-looking  negro,  about  twenty-five  years  of  age,  who 
had  been  accompanied  to  imprisonment  by  his  favorite  wife  and  confidential 
lieutenant,  who  also  had  a similar  companion  to  cheer  his  captivity.  These 
women  were  counterparts  of  the  men  in  good  looks.  Subsequently,  Mr. 
Brown,  one  of  the  artists  of  the  expedition,  visited  the  prison,  and  secured 
excellent  likenesses  of  the  prince  and  his  wife. 

The  war  carried  on  by  the  English  with  the  Hottentots  and  Caffres,  which 
has  continued  so  long  costing  an  immense  amount  of  blood  and  treasure,  is 
still  prolonged  by  the  obstinacy  of  the  blacks.  The  whole  frontier  has  been 
already  devastated,  and  although  there  is  some  hope  of  bringing  about  a 
peace,  no  one  believes  that  any  treaty  that  may  be  made  will  be  respected 


126 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


longer  by  the  negroes  than  may  suit  their  convenience.  In  the  last  battle, 
at  the  date  of  the  visit  of  the  Mississippi,  in  which  the  English  force,  headed 
by  General  Cathcart  himself,  was  victorious,  it  is  said  that  the  Caffre  chief 
brought  into  action  six  thousand  foot  and  two  thousand  horse.  These  num- 
bers are  probably  exaggerated,  but  it  is  well  known  that  the  blacks  have  ac- 
quired a tolerable  organization,  and  that  they  are  well  supplied  with  arms 
and  ammunition.  They  have  hitherto  had  an  abundance  of  provision,  ob- 
tained from  their  own  herds  or  from  those  stolen  from  the  whites,  but  report 
says  that,  owing  to  the  carelessness  and  waste  always  attendant  upon  the 
military  movements  of  savages,  the  supply  of  food  is  running  short  with  them. 
The  English  declare  that  the  Caffres  have  been  instructed  in  the  art  of  war 
by  nnmerous  deserters  from  the  British  Army  and  by  a French  Missionary 
settled  among  them,  who  passed  his  early  life  in  the  army.  Allusion  has 
already  been  made  to  the  disastrous  effects  of  the  war  upon  the  agricultural 
and  other  resources  of  the  country. 

The  principal  white  inhabitants  of  Cape  Town  are  the  government  offi- 
cials, army  officers,  and  merchants  and  tradesmen.  The  laboring  class  is  com- 
posed of  the  mixed  races,  the  Malays,  Coolies,  and  the  negroes.  The  eman- 
cipated negroes  and  their  descendants  are  very  much,  in  character  and  condi- 
tion, like  the  free  blacks  in  the  United  States,  though  by  no  means  as  intel- 
ligent and  good  looking.  They  are  perfectly  independent  of  all  restraint,  so 
long  as  they  do  not  violate  the  laws.  They  work  when  it  suits  them,  and  at 
their  own  prices,  and  break  off  from  their  labor  if  spoken  to  in  a manner 
which  they  deem  offensive.  Their  ordinary  charge  for  labor  is  $1  25  for  a 
day  of  ten  houi's. 

The  Mississippi  having  taken  on  board  from  the  ship  Faneuil  Hall  a sup- 
ply of  coal,  and  a good  supply  of  bullocks  and  sheep,  and  having  filled  the 
water  tanks,  left  Table  Bay  at  eleven  o’clock,  a.  m.,  on  the  3d  February.  On 
getting  fairly  out  of  the  harbor,  the  wind  was  found  to  be  blowing  strong 
from  the  westward,  with  a heavy  swell  setting  in  from  that  quarter.  In 
seven  hours  after  leaving  Table  Bay  the  steamer  was  off  the  pitch  of  the 
Cape,  whence,  leaving  Cape  Hanglip  full  in  sight,  her  course  was  directed 
southeast  in  order  to  reach  the  parallel  of  thirty-seven  degrees  of  latitude,  to 
avoid  the  southeast  gales  which  prevail  near  the  Cape,  and  cause  a strong  cur- 
rent to  the  northward  and  westward,  and  to  meet  the  variables  which  are 
found  south  of  the  border  of  the  southeast  trades. 

For  the  first  three  days  after  leaving  the  Cape,  the  wind  blew  from  the 
northwest  to  the  southwest  until  the  steamer  reached  the  latitude  of  36°  16' 
S.,  and  the  longitude  of  23°  40'  E.,  when  it  changed  to  the  northward 
and  eastward,  rather  north,  and  so  remained  to  the  latitude  of  35°  06', 
and  longitude  44°  03'.  At  this  latter  point  the  wind  gradually  hauled  to 
the  southward,  allowing  the  course  of  the  ship  to  be  inclined  more  to  the 
northward,  until  the  southeast  trades  were  met.  The  Commodore,  however. 


ROUTE  FROM  THE  CAPE  TO  MAURITIUS.  127 


fearing  that  the  wind  might  back  again  to  the  eastward,  was  careful  not  to 
make  too  much  northing,  lest  he  might  fall  to  the  leeward  of  Mauritius,  thus 
losing  the  benefit  of  a fair  wind,  which  not  only  increases  the  rate  of  going 
of  a steamer,  as  of  a sailing  vessel,  but  also  saves  the  fuel  of  the  former. 
From  the  11th  to  the  14th  of  February,  inclusive,  the  wind  continued  from 
the  southward  and  eastward,  and  at  the  latter  date  the  ship  reached  latitude 
29°  34^,  and  longitude  55°  22',  from  which  period  to  her  arrival  at  port  Louis 
on  the  1 8th  the  wind  hung  to  the  northward  and  eastward,  the  trades  having 
entirely  failed.  The  weather  throughout  the  passage  was  fine,  the  barometer 
varying  from  29°  80'  to  29°  95',  the  thermometer  from  74°  to  84°,  the  cur- 
rents setting  with  the  wind,  and  running  at  about  three  quarters  of  a knot 
per  hour. 

There  is  no  reason  to  doubt  the  correctness  of  the  opinion  of  Horsburgh, 
to  the  effect  that  the  best  route  for  a sailing  ship  bound  from  the  Cape  of 
Grood  Hope  «to  Mauritius,  is  that  in  which  nearly  the  whole,  if  not  all,  the 
easting  is  made  between  the  parallels  of  35°  and  38°  of  longitude,  and  the 
southeast  trades  are  struck  between  the  latitude  of  27°  and  the  longitude  of 
55°  or  57°.  This  course  brings  vessels  well  to  the  windward,  and  enables 
them  to  fetch  the  island  of  Mauritius  without  difficulty,  provided  the  trade 
winds  do  not  haul  north  of  E.  by  N.  In  the  passage  of  the  Mississippi  the 
wind  actually  hauled  as  far  as  N.N.E.,  an  occurrence  not  usual  at  the  season, 
when  northerly  and  northwesterly  winds  frequently  prevail  from  Madagascar 
toward  and  beyond  the  island  of  Bourbon,  (or,  as  it  is  now  termed,  Beunion,) 
and  Mauritius. 

The  question  has  been  agitated  as  to  whether  it  is  advisable  for  steamers 
to  make  this  curve  in  their  route  to  Mauritius,  or  to  steam  directly  from  the 
Cape  to  the  island,  passing  close  round  Cape  Aghilus.  The  Commodore  is 
decidedly  of  the  opinion  that,  unless  the  steamer  be  one  of  first-rate  speed, 
it  would  be  unwise  to  take  the  direct  route,  in  which  she  would  have  to  con- 
tend against  a strong  trade  wind  and  its  consequent  current.  The  difference 
between  the  two  routes  is  about  240  miles,  which  would  hardly  seem  to  com- 
pensate for  the  loss  occasioned  by  head  winds  and  currents,  leaving  out  of 
consideration  the  advantage  of  the  cooler  and  more  agreeable  weather  of  the 
southern  passage.  The  mail,  and  indeed  all  the  European  steamers,  have 
usually  taken  the  latter  route ; and  the  Susquehanna,  which  attempted  the 
direct  course,  although  a faster  steamer  than  the  Mississippi,  had  a passage 
of  seventeen  days,  while  the  Mississippi  made  the  run  by  the  other  course 
in  fifteen  days. 

The  Mississippi,  in  doubling  the  Cape  of  Grood  Hope  in  midsummer,  es- 
caped any  very  heavy  blow,  although  hardly  a week  passes  without  a gale 
from  some  quarter.  Horsburgh  remarks,  in  regard  to  the  weather,  that 
“ in  the  storms  off  the  Cape  Bank  and  to  the  eastward,  the  sea  is  turbulent, 
and  then  generally  accompanied  with  a black  overcast  sky ; when  they  are 


128 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


about  to  commence  and  during  their  continuance,  numbers  of  albatross,  pe- 
trels, and  other  oceanic  birds,  are  seen  flying  about,  although  in  moderate 
weather  few  are  perceived,  for  at  this  time  they  rest  on  the  surface  of  the  sea 
to  flsh,  which  they  cannot  do  in  a storm.” 

Nothing  was  observed  of  a remarkable  character  in  a meteorological  point 
of  view.  The  temperature  of  the  air  and  water  gave  similar  indications  to 
those  in  corresponding  northern  latitudes.  The  barometer  gave  due  notice 
of  all  the  various  changes  of  weather,  and  proved  of  great  utility.  There  is 
a peculiarity  in  the  action  of  this  instrument  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Cape, 
and  in  that  part  of  the  route  across  the  Indian  Ocean  as  far  as  the  Equator, 
of  which  Horsbm-gh  thus  remarks  : “ In  the  vicinity  of  the  Cape  Bank,  and 
in  most  parts  of  the  southern  hemisphere,  the  mercury  rises  with  northerly 
and  falls  with  southerly  yyinds ; these  latter  proceeding  from  a warmer  atmos- 
phere, are  much  rarefied,  consequently  the  mercury  falls  in  the  barometer, 
whereas  northerly  winds  coming  from  the  frozen  regions  near  the  pole  are 
more  dense,  and  cause  the  mercury  to  rise.  This  ought  to  be  kept  in  remem- 
brance, for,  when  the  wind  is  from  southeast,”  continues  Horsburgh,  “ I have 
several  times  observed  the  mercury  to  fall  considerably  before  it  changed  to 
the  north,  and  expected  a gale,  but  the  fall  resulted  only  from  the  warmer 
air  coming  in  contact  with  and  repelling  the  former.” 

In  the  course  of  the  passage,  the  Mississippi  spoke  her  Britannic  Majes- 
ty’s steamer  Styx,  thirteen  days  from  Simon’s  Bay,  bound  to  Mauritius. 
She  was  under  sail,  her  engine  having  been  disconnected,  and  the  wheels, 
with  all  their  buckets,  allowed  to  revolve  by  the  movement  of  the  vessel 
through  the  water.  She  made  tolerable  way,  but  drifted  much  to  leeward. 
The  English  war  steamers  frequently,  by  a simple  arrangement,  disconnect 
their  engines  for  the  purpose  of  saving  fuel.  This  process  of  connecting  and 
disconnecting  is  accomplished  in  a few  minutes.  In  American  naval  steam- 
ers it  is  almost  impossible  to  disconnect  the  engines,  and  the  only  practicable 
mode  of  using  the  sails  exclusively  is  by  the  removal  of  the  immersed  floats. 
This  requires  moderate  weather  for  its  accomplishment,  and  the  time  neces- 
sary for  doing  it  is  about  two  hours,  and  double  that  time  is  required  for  the 
readjustment  of  the  floats  or  buckets. 

It  must  be  acknowledged  with  mortification,  that  our  navy  is  in  many 
respects  very  backward  in  availing  itself  of  some  of  those  improvements  in 
steam  vessels,  which  have  been  already  adopted  by  other  nations,  and  even 
by  private  enterprise.  Since  the  construction  of  the  Mississippi  and  the 
Missouri,  the  two  first  ocean  war  steamers  introduced  into  our  naval  service, 
and  for  a time  esteemed  the  finest  in  the  world,  there  has  been  less  progress 
in  the  building  of  such  vessels  than  our  position  as  a nation  would  seem  to 
demand.  Most  of  the  maritime  powers  of  Europe,  and  many  companies,  and 
even  private  individuals,  have  put  afloat  such  vessels,  as  it  must  be  acknow- 
ledged but  few  of  our  steamers  could  fairly  compete  with  in  excellence  of 


» 


AEBIVAL  AT  MAURITIUS. 


129 


construction  and  equipment.  The  San  Jacinto,  Saranac,  Fulton,  and  the 
Princeton,  may  be  pointed  to  in  illustration  of  these  remarks. 

At  half-past  nine  o’clock,  on  the  morning  of  the  18th  of  February,  the 
Mauritius  was  first  seen  from  the  deck,  bearing  N.N.E.,  and  at  noon,  the 
Mississippi  was  nearly  abreast  of  Cape  Bravant,  having  passed  in  sight  of 
Grand  Port,  the  scene  of  the  memorable  action  in  August,  1810,  between 
an  English  squadron,  under  the  command  of  Captains  Pyne  and  Willoughby, 
and  a French  force,  under  Commodore  Duperie.  In  this  engagement,  the 
English  were  worsted,  having  lost  nearly  all  their  vessels.  The  battle  was 
fought  within  the  coral  shoals  which  form  the  harbor  of  Grand  Port,  the 
batteries  on  the  shore  taking  part  in  the  action,  which  was  prolonged  several 
days. 

Early  in  the  evening,  the  pilot  having  boarded  the  Mississippi  near  the 
mouth  of  the  harbor,  anchored  and  secured  the  steamer  for  the  night  at  the 
outer,  which  are  termed  the  Admiral’s  moorings.  Next  morning,  the  pilot 
returned  to  the  ship,  bringing  with  him  several  launches,  manned  by  natives 
of  Malabar,  who,  with  the  assistance  of  the  crew  of  the  Mississippi,  completed 
her  moorings,  which  was  a process  requiring  much  time  and  labor.  All  ves- 
sels entering  the  harbor  of  Port  Louis  are  secured  by  frigates’  chains, 
attached  to  mooring  anchors,  and  brought  on  board,  one  at  each  bow  and 
one  at  each  quarter.  This  operation  is  entirely  under  the  direction  of  the 
pilots,  who,  with  their  launches,  warps,  and  numerous  hands,  are  constantly 
occupied  in  mooring  and  unmooring  the  various  vessels  as  they  enter  or  leave 
the  harbor.  Vessels  are  moored  head  and  stern,  with  their  bows  to  the 
southeast,  the  direction  from  which  the  hurricanes  usually  come.  As  these 
generally  blow  directly  out  of  the  harbor,  they  are  accompanied  with  very 
little  sea ; but  such  is  often  the  violence  of  the  wind,  that  the  strong  moor- 
ings give  way,  and  the  most  destructive  results  ensue,  the  vessels  being 
dashed  against  each  other,  and  the  shores  strewn  with  wrecks.  It  is  rarely 
that  these  gales  blow  into  the  harbor,  but  when  they  do,  a tremendous  sea  is 
thrown  into  the  little  port,  and  the  strongest  moored  and  best  found  vessels 
can  hardly  escape  disaster. 

Every  possible  precaution  has  been  taken  by  the  government  to  provide 
against  the  destructive  elfects  of  these  furious  storms,  and  the  authorities 
are  vigorously  seconded  in  their  efforts  by  the  intelligence  and  indefatigable 
attention  of  Lieutenant  Edward  Kelly,  of  the  royal  navy,  the  harbor  master, 
who  is  ever  on  the  alert  tc  meet  the  wants  of  vessels,  giving  warning  of  the 
appearance  of  an  approaching  gale,  and  suggesting  such  measures  as  may  the 
better  guard  them  against  accident.  Such  was  the  favorable  impression 
made  upon  the  Commodore  by  the  perfect  state  of  the  port  regulations,  that 
he  was  induced  to  address  a note  to  Lieutenant  Kelly,  expressing  his  satis- 
faction, and  thanking  him  for  the  facilities  which  had  been  rendered  to  the 
Mississippi. 


9 


130 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN 


Our  Light-house  Board  might  gather  from  the  example  of  these  excellent 
regulations  some  useful  hints ; hut  it  is  feared  that  that  branch  of  adminis- 
tration, like  too  many  others,  is  so  much  exposed  to  ignorant  legislation,  that 
any  disposition  it  may  have  toward  reform  and  progress  would  he  hindered 
by  unwise  interference. 


Cape  of  Good  Hope. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Mauritius,  its  Discovery. — Geological  Formation  and  Physical  Aspect. — Production  of  Sugar. — Effect  on 
Agriculture  of  the  Abolition  of  Slavery. — Coolies. — Population  of  the  Island. — State  of  Feeling  Be- 
tween English  and  French  Residents. — Hospitable  Treatment  of  the  Expedition. — Description  of  Port 
Louis. — Grand  Port. — Paul  and  Virginia. — Facts  on  which  St.  Pierre  Founded  his  Story. — Tombs  of 
Paul  and  Virginia. — Built  by  an  Eccentric  Frenchman. — Cyclones. — Their  Probable  Causes. — Interest 
felt  in  them  at  Mauritius. — Departure  of  the  Mississippi  from  Port  Louis. — Her  Course  thence  to 
Point  de  Galle,  Island  of  Ceylon.— Reasons  for  taking  it. — Point  de  Galle,  Description  of. — Great 
Rendezvous  of  Steamers. — Difficulty  of  Procuring  Fuel  there. — American  Consul. — Thoughts  on 
Consular  System. — Early  Knowledge  of  Ceylon. — Its  Several  European  Possessors. — Climate. — 
Salubrity.— Causes  of  its  Diminished  Prosperity.—Productions. — Value  of  Cocoanut  Palm. — Pearl 
Fishery. — Immense  Numbers  of  Elephants. — Great  Slaughter  of  them. — Boa  Constrictor. — Population 
of  Ceylon. — Physique  of  Cingalese,  Malabars,  and  Mahommedans  in  the  Island. — Religious  Condition. — 
Buddhism. — Pilgrimage  to  the  Temples. — Intercourse  with  a Siamese  Naval  Officer  at  Ceylon. — Com- 
modore’s Letter  to  the  Second  King  of  Siam. — Departure  from  Ceylon. — Passage  through  the  Straits 
of  Malacca. — Arrival  at  Singapore. 


group  was  then  named  the  Mascarenhas  islands.  The  Portuguese  took  for- 
mal possession  of  Mauritius  in  1545,  hut  appear  to  have  formed  no  settle- 
ment. In  1598,  the  Dutch  surveyed  it  and  gave  to  it  its  present  name,  in 
honor  of  Maurice,  the  Stadtholder  of  the  Netherlands.  They,  however,  did 
not  settle  the  island  until  after  they  had  formed  an  establishment  at  the  Cape 


132 


EXPEDITION  TO 


JAPAN. 


in  1640 ; and  then  they  fixed  themselves  on  the  shore  at  Port  Grand.  In 
1708,  from  causes  not  now  known,  they  abandoned  the  island,  and  from  this 
time  up  to  1715,  its  only  inhabitants  were  a few  negroes,  who  had  been 
brought  there  by  the  Dutch  as  slaves,  and  who,  having  escaped  from  their 
masters,  concealed  themselves  in  the  mountain  forests.  In  the  year  last 
named  (1715)  the  French  took  possession,  and  formed  a settlement  at  Port 
St.  Louis,  giving  to  the  island  the  new  name  of  the  “Isle  of  France.”  They 
kept  undisturbed  possession  until  1810,  when  it  was  taken  from  them  by  the 
British;  and  since  the  peace  of  1814,  these  last  have  retained  it. 

The  island  is,  without  doubt,  volcanic  in  its  structure,  and  is  surrounded 
by  a coral  reef,  which  generally  runs  parallel  to  the  shores,  at  a short  dis- 
tance from  them,  and  is  mostly  left  dry  at  low  water.  There  are,  however, 
in  this  reef,  eleven  breaks  or  openings,  through  most  of  which  vessels  of  con- 
siderable burden  may  pass.  The  interior  of  the  island  consists  of  a great 
number  of  lofty  hills  mostly  isolated,  though  in  one  or  two  instances  they 
form  small  chains.  The  Brabant  mountains  and  the  Bamboo  ridge  are  the 
greatest  elevations,  and  these  are  about  three  thousand  feet  above  the  sea 
level. 

The  soil  is  generally  shallow  and  not  very  productive.  This  ’s  owing 
to  its  dryness.  The  mean  annual  heat  is  about  76°  of  Fahrenheit.  It  is 
true  they  have  rains,  and  in  June,  July,  and  August,  showers  are  frequent, 
but  of  very  short  duration.  The  average  fall  of  rain  throughout  the  year 
would  appear,  from  observation,  to  be  about  thirty-eight  inches.  The  rainy 
season  lasts  from  November  to  March  or  April,  and  then  the  water  descends 
in  torrents,  accompanied  with  heavy  gusts  of  wind,  and  not  unfrequently  with 
thunder  and  lightning.  This  region  is  subject  also  to  hurricanes,  quite  as 
violent  as  any  encountered  in  the  West  Indies;  there  is,  however,  no  regu- 
larity in  these,  though  five  years  rarely  elapse  without  their  appearance. 
The  island  is  traversed  by  numerous  water-courses,  which  diverge  in  all 
directions  from  the  centre  ; these,  however,  are  filled  with  water  in  the  rainy 
season  only,  and  then  they  form  numerous  cascades  and  cataracts.  In  the 
dry  season  the  water  rapidly  evaporates. 

The  island  was  once  well  wooded,  and  a considerable  part  of  the  native 
forest  still  remains.  The  cocoa-nut  palm,  and  sago,  are  common,  as  are  also 
tamarind  trees,  mangroves,  and  bamboos.  Yams,  cassava,  Indian  corn, 
plantains,  bananas,  and  melons  are  all  cultivated  as  articles  of  food,  as  well 
as  some  of  our  vegetables,  as  spinach,  asparagus,  artichokes,  cabbage,  and 
peas.  Wheat  and  rice  are  also  produced,  but  in  small  quantities.  Of  fruits 
there  are  mangoes,  shaddocks,  and  pine  apples ; but  oranges,  grapes,  peaches, 
and  apples  are  inferior.  The  French  introduced  the  spice  trees  of  the  In- 
dian islands ; none,  however,  succeeded  but  the  clove.  The  chief  article  of 
cultivation,  since  the  British  obtained  possession,  is  sugar ; not  more,  how- 
ever, than  three-eighths  of  the  island  is  cultivated  at  all.  The  sugar  cane 


LOUIS,  MAUEITIUS. 


J 


AGRICULTUEE  OF  MAURITIUS. 


133 


is  planted  in  the  usual  manner,  though  the  fields  present  one  peculiarity. 
The  surface  of  the  ground,  in  its  original  state,  was  covered  with  loose  rocks 
and  stones.  These  have  been  formed  into  parallel  ridges  about  three  or  four 
feet  apart,  and  between  these  the  cane  is  planted.  The  cultivators  are  of 
opinion  that  these  ridges,  instead  of  being  injurious  to  the  cane,  are  rather 
advantageous;  they  retard  the  growth  of  weeds,  shade  and  protect  the 
young  cane  from  violent  winds,  and  retain  moisture  which  reaches  the  roots 
of  the  cane. 

Before  the  introduction  of  guano  as  a fertilizer,  the  product  was  from 
2,000  to  2,500  French  pounds  of  sugar  to  the  arpent  or  French  acre ; but 
the  increase  since  the  application  of  the  guano  has  been  so  extraordinary  as 
to  be  scarcely  credible.  In  ordinary  seasons  the  product  has  been  from  six 
to  seven  thousand  pounds,  and,  under  peculiarly  favorable  circumstances,  it 
has  even  reached  eight  thousand  pounds  to  the  acre.  Official  returns  show 
a gradual  increase  in  the  amount  of  sugar  exported  from  the  year  1812  up 
to  the  present  time.  Thus,  in  that  year,  it  was  but  969,260  French  pounds ; 
in  1851  it  amounted  to  137,373,519  pounds,  and  the  estimated  crop  of  this 
year  (1852)  is  140,000,000  pounds.  The  land  would  produce  cotton  and 
tobacco,  but  the  entire  thoughts  of  the  agriculturists  of  the  island  are 
directed  to  sugar.  The  proportion  of  guano  used  is  about  one-fourth  of  a 
pound  to  a cane,  and  the  French  arpent  or  acre  is  estimated  to  contain  about 
two  thousand  plants. 

The  general  abolition  of  slavery  by  the  English  government  caused  here, 
as  it  did  in  the  other  English  slaveholding  colonies,  much  agricultural  dis- 
tress ; but  after  a time  the  introduction  of  laborers,  chiefly  from  the  Malabar 
coast,  under  certain  prescribed  regulations,  enabled  the  planters  not  only  to 
dispense  with  the  services  of  the  freed  negroes,  but  to  obtain  labor  on  cheaper 
terms  than  before.  The  free  blacks  here,  as  elsewhere,  seemed  to  think 
emancipation  meant  an  exemption  from  all  labor ; they  were  consequently 
indisposed  generally  to  work  at  all,  even  for  fair  wages,  and  capriciously  left 
their  labor  just  when  they  pleased.  The  imported  laborers,  known  under 
the  name  of  coolies,  perform  nearly  all  the  agricultural  work  of  the  island, 
as  well  as  load  and  unload  all  the  ships.  On  the  sugar  estates  large  com- 
munities of  them  are  to  be  found.  Comfortable  houses  are  provided  for 
them  and  their  families,  and  exclusive  of  house  rent  and  provisions,  which 
are  fnrnished  to  them,  they  receive  from  two  to  three  dollars  a month  as 
wages.  This  is  cheaper  to  the  planter  than  slave  labor  was.  The  municipal 
laws  for  the  protection  and  government  of  the  coolies  are  judicious  and 
sufficiently  minute,  yet  these  people  pay  but  little  regard  to  any  bargain  they 
may  make  with  their  employers  ; they  go  and  come  very  much  as  they  please, 
and  are  tolerated  in  the  exercise  of  a much  larger  liberty  than  is  accorded 
to  laboring  men  in  either  England  or  the  United  States.  Notwithstanding  all 
these  disadvantages,  however,  the  planter  makes  large  profits  from  their  labor. 


134 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


The  population  of  the  whole  island  is  about  180,000.  Of  these  nearly 
100,000  are  negroes  from  Madagascar  and  the  eastern  coast  of  Africa,  who 
were  once  slaves.  Beside  these,  are  Malays,  fishermen  from  Malabar,  Las- 
cars, and  Chinese.  Some  of  these  latter  have  been  imported  for  agricultural 
labor.  The  white  population  is  nine  or  ten  thousand.  Of  these  the  larger 
part  are  creoles  of  French  origin,  and  speak  the  French  language.  They 
also  form  the  wealthier  portion  of  the  white  population.  The  English  in 
Mauritius  having,  for  the  most  part,  a connexion,  direct  or  indirect,  with 
the  colonial  government,  are  somewhat  exclusive  in  their  social  relations. 
The  French  are  not  less  tenacious,  and  hence,  though  there  are  no  open 
dissensions  between  them,  yet  to  the  impartial  stranger,  who  mingles  freely 
with  both,  it  is  quite  apparent  that  there  is  little  real  harmony,  and  a feeling 
of  nationality  exists  which  would  probably  induce  the  majority  to  had  with 
pleasure  a return  to  the  dominion  of  France.  As  in  most  countries  which, 
like  Mauritius,  have  involuntarily  changed  their  nationality,  the  females  in- 
dulge, in  a greater  degree  than  the  other  sex,  the  prejudices  of  country; 
perhaps  because  they  mix  less  with  the  new  comers. 

Both  classes  of  the  population,  how^ever,  English  and  French,  were 
exceedingly  kind  and  hospitable  to  the  members  of  the  expedition.  On 
arriving  in  an  armed  LTnited  States  vessel  at  any  of  the  English  colonial 
settlements,  great  hospitality  is  usually  extended  to  our  officers,  and  visits 
of  ceremony,  with  a constant  interchange  of  dinner  parties  and  other  cour- 
tesies, commonly  leave  to  the  commander  but  little  opportunity  for  quiet 
observation  of  that  which  may  characterize  the  people  generally.  In  fact 
he  is  for  a time  unavoidably  subjected  to  the  bondage  of  official  restraint, 
and  is  sometimes  made  a prisoner  even  by  the  friendly  tyranny  of  kindness 
and  hospitality. 

During  the  brief  stay  of  the  ship  at  Mauritius,  the  English  officials  and 
merchants  exhibited  the  most  profuse  hospitality  toward  the  Commodore 
and  his  officers,  while  the  French  population  were  no  whit  behind  them  in 
the  unostentatious  display  of  their  kindness.  These  last  evinced  most 
friendly  feelings  and  no  small  share  of  intelligence,  and  while  both  classes 
were  equally  hospitable,  the  only  difference  was  that  the  Englishman  was, 
perhaps,  a little  the  more  stately,  and  the  Frenchman  a little  the  less  ceremo- 
nious. Nothing  could  be  kinder  than  the  treatment  of  both. 

Port  Louis,  the  capital  of  the  island,  is  situated  near  its  northwestern 
extremity,  on  a small  bay,  which  is  but  a narrow  inlet  of  the  sea,  somewhat 
more  than  a mile  long,  and  about  five  hundred  yards  broad.  At  the 
extreme  southwestern  corner  the  town  is  built.  The  streets  are  straight, 
but  not  paved.  The  principal  street  runs  parallel  to  the  shore  of  the  bay. 
The  houses  are  chiefly  of  wood,  and  of  but  a single  story.  The  population 
is,  perhaps,  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  thousand,  of  which  from  four  to  five 
thousand  are  white.  The  residue  are  for  the  most  part  blacks.  Grand 


COSTUMES,  MAUJn'lTUS. 


i 


PAUL  AND  VIRGINIA. 


135 


Port,  on  the  southeastern  side  of  the  island,  is  sufficiently  capacious,  and  is 
more  convenient  for  shipping  the  sugar,  of  which  large  quantities  are  grown 
in  the  neighborhood;  but  apart  from  the  intricacies  of  its  entrance,  it  is 
open  to  the  southeast,  from  which  quarter  the  hurricanes  blow  most 
furiously. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that,  among  those  who  read  at  all,  there  are 
many  who  are  unacquainted  with  the  beautiful  story  of  Paul  and  Virginia, 
by  Bernardin  St.  Pierre.  The  accomplished  author  was  an  officer  of  the 
garrison  of  Mauritius  in  1744,  and  at  that  time  a melancholy  catastrophe, 
which  happened  on  one  of  the  coral  reefs  surrounding  the  island,  furnished  a 
basis  of  facts  on  which  he  reared  his  interesting  fiction. 

One  is  rather  reluctant  to  destroy  the  illusion  produced  by  the  romantic 
narrative  of  St.  Pierre ; but,  in  sober  truth,  he  was  indebted  to  his  imagina- 
tion for  the  picture  of  the  storm,  and  the  brave  and  generous  Paul  is  but  a 
myth.  The  facts  are  these:  On  the  night  of  the  18th  of  August,  1744, 
the  French  ship  St.  Glevan  was  wrecked  on  one  of  the  reefs  on  the  north- 
eastern coast  of  the  island.  On  board  the  ship  were  two  young  ladies,  by 
name  Mallet  and  Caillon,  (who  were  returning  as  passengers  from  France, 
whither  they  had  been  sent  for  education,)  both  of  whom  were  lost.  The 
depositions  taken  at  the  time  by  the  French  officials,  and  from  which  these 
facts  are  gathered,  state  that  Mademoiselle  Caillon  was  last  seen  upon  the 
top-gallant  forecastle  of  the  wrecked  vessel,  with  a gentleman,  Monsieur 
Longchamps  de  Montendre,  who  was  at  the  time  endeavoring  to  persuade 
her  to  trust  herself  to  his  efforts  to  save  her.  To  enable  him,  however,  to 
accomplish  the  object,  it  was  necessary  for  her  to  disencumber  herself  of 
some  portion  of  her  clothing,  and  this,  from  a sense  of  modesty,  she  declined 
doing,  and  so  perished  with  Monsieur  Montendre  and  the  larger  part  of  the 
crew  of  the  ill-fated  vessel.  It  was  conjectured  that  Monsieur  Montendre 
was  the  lover  of  Mademoiselle  Caillon,  as,  after  lowering  himself  down  the 
ship’s  side  to  throw  himself  into  the  sea,  he  returned  and  earnestly  endeav- 
ored to  prevail  on  the  young  lady  to  leave  the  vessel  with  him,  and  on  her 
refusal  would  not  again  leave  her. 

Mademoiselle  Mallet  was  on  the  quarter  deck  with  Monsieur  de  Peramont, 
who  never  left  her  for  a moment.  On  these  facts  as  a basis  St.  Pierre  framed 
his  story.  The  celebrity  given  to  it  has  always  awakened  the  interest  of 
strangers  visiting  the  island,  who  have  naturally  desired  to  look  upon  scenes 
consecrated  by  the  pen  of  genius,  and  associated  in  their  minds  with  inci- 
dents which,  if  not  literally  true,  have  at  least  deeply  touched  their  sen- 
sibilities. The  officers  of  the  ship  were,  therefore,  glad  to  land,  and  among 
other  objects  visited,  strange  to  say,  they  were  conducted  to  what  the 
islanders  are  pleased  to  call  the  graves  of  Paul  and  Virginia.  The  history  of 
these  resting  places  of  the  imaginary  dead  is  this : An  eccentric  French 
gentleman  having  a country  residence  about  eight  miles  from  St.  Louis,  and 


136 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


possibly  near  the  supposed  graves  of  some  of  the  lost,  erected  in  his  garden 
two  monuments  to  the  memory  of  the  unfortunate  fictitious  Paul  and  Vir- 
ginia, (Mademoiselle  Gaillon  and  Monsieur  Montendre.)  The  object  was 
simply  to  add  the  stimulus  of  curiosity  to  the  other  attractions  of  his  resi- 
dence, and  thus  draw  around  him  a more  numerous  circle,  to  whom  he  might 
extend  that  hospitality  for  which  he,  in  common  with  the  French  of  his  day, 
was  famous,  and  thus  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  society.  This  benevolent  and 
eccentric  being  has  been  long  dead,  but  the  tombs  are  still  standing,  though 
in  a state  of  dilapidation,  and  still  attract  strangers.  Alas ! no  hospitable 
greeting  now  awaits  the  visitor.  His  money  is  demanded  at  the  garden  gate, 
all  sentiment  evaporates,  and  he  walks  in  to  see  the  show.  This  custom  of 
demanding  payment  from  visitors  to  places  of  public  interest  is  almost  pecu- 
liar to  the  English,  and  its  existence  is  to  many  of  the  people  of  England 
themselves  a source  of  mortification  and  annoyance.  There  are  certain  places 
in  which  payment  is  perfectly  proper,  but  there  are  others  in  which,  though 
regularly  exacted,  it  should  not  be  asked.  The  sight  of  Longwood  and  a 
glance  at  Napoleon’s  tomb  were  both  paid  for  by  the  gentlemen  of  the 
expedition  at  St.  Helena ; but  the  custom  alluded  to  is  one  which  may  be 
found  throughout  the  extent  of  her  Majesty’s  dominions. 

So  much  was  said  at  Mauritius  of  the  hurricanes,  or  cyclones,  common 
to  this  part  of  the  Indian  ocean,  that  the  Commodore  scarcely  entertained  a 
hope  of  escaping  from  this  region  without  encountering  one.  These  hurri- 
canes, at  the  season  of  their  occurrence,  (from  December  to  April,)  form  the 
great  topic  of  interest  and  discussion  to  the  Mauritians.  In  fact,  they 
talk  of  little  else  at  that  period.  Meteorological  instruments  of  every  kind 
are  kept  in  use,  and  under  the  most  watchful  observation.  Nor  is  this 
great  solicitude  without  reason,  for  these  cyclones,  when  they  do  come,  are 
but  too  apt  to  bring  ruin  and  desolation  to  the  merchant  and  planter. 

The  immediate  cause  of  these  atmospherical  phenomena  has  been  sup- 
posed to  be  a disturbance  of  the  equilibrium  in  the  air  that  takes  place  at 
the  change  of  the  monsoons.  This  period  of  strife  lasts  about  a month, 
and  then  the  hurricanes  rage  with  terrific  violence.  Redfield,  Heed,  and 
others,  have  explained  the  laws  by  which  they  suppose  them  to  be  governed  ; 
and  their  hypothesis  is  perfectly  well  known  and  understood  by  the  Mauri- 
tians. The  islands  of  Mauritius,  Bourbon,  and  Roderique,  lie  directly  in 
their  ordinary  track,  and  if  either  of  them  happens  to  fall  within  the  vortex 
of  one  of  these  hurricanes,  the  consequences  to  life  and  property  are  terrible 
indeed. 

The  natural  interest  felt  in  the  subject,  as  well  as  its  great  practical 
importance,  have  given  rise  to  many  discussions  as  to  the  best  means  to  be 
adopted,  should  a vessel  unfortunately  find  herself  within  their  sweeping 
influence  or  in  their  proximity  ] and  though  these  discussions  may,  and 
doubtless  will,  result  in  a better  understanding  of  the  laws  which  govern 


f 


CATHEDRAL  AT  PORT  LOUIS. 


THE  CYCLONES. 


137 


these  winds,  yet  it  must  be  confessed  that  some  of  them  have  rather  a ten- 
dency to  confuse  the  simple-minded  and  practical  seaman,  who,  if  caught  in 
one  of  these  storms,  should  undertake  then  to  find  rules  for  his  guidance. 
He  can  spare  no  time  from  the  handling  of  his  vessel,  and  however  plain, 
abstract  principles  may  be  to  him  who  is  at  leisure  quietly  to  master  them 
on  shore,  the  cabin  of  a ship  in  a storm  is  a poor  school  of  philosophy. 
This,  however,  only  shows  the  necessity  there  is  that  the  seaman  who  would 
understand  his  profession,  should  study  and  master  all  that  science  has 
brought  to  light,  when  he  can  do  so  on  shore,  and  before  he  is  caught  in  a 
storm  which  demands  its  immediate  application.  However,  the  instructions 
given  by  the  earlier  writers  on  these  hurricanes  are  now  more  generally 
understood  than  they  were,  by  the  well  informed  seaman,  particularly  since 
they  have  been  further  explained  and  simplified  by  the  more  recent  publica- 
tion of  Piddington. 

Of  those  residing  at  Mauritius  who  have  earnestly  studied  and  discussed 
the  laws  which  govern  these  storms,  may  be  mentioned  Dr.  Thom,  whose 
writings  are  well  known.  Lieutenant  Fryers,  of  the  royal  engineers,  and  Mr. 
Sedgewick,  who  has  published  a little  work,  which  he  calls  “ The  True 
Principle,”  and  which  has  been  reviewed  by  Dr.  Thom  ; and,  lastly,  a creole 
gentleman  attached  to  the  observatory  at  Mauritius,  Mr.  Bosquett. 

This  last  named  gentleman,  who  has  translated  into  French  Piddington’s 
Horn  book,  with  annotations  of  his  own,  claims  to  be  able,  by  careful  and 
constant  meteorological  observations,  to  foretell  the  existence  of  hurricanes 
in  the  Indian  ocean,  and  to  describe  the  course  they  will  take.  The  day 
before  the  Mississippi  left  Mauritius,  he  informed  the  Commodore  that  a 
cyclone  was  then  blowing  in  a direction  E.  by  N.  from  the  island,  and  that 
it  would  pass  to  the  southward  and  eastward. 

By  reference  to  the  chart  in  Piddington’s  Horn  book  it  will  be  seen  that 
these  cyclones  never  extend  to  the  northward  of  10°  or  12°  south  latitude, 
in  the  meridian  of  Mauritius.  Therefore,  vessels  leaving  the  island  in  the 
hurricane  season,  for  any  part  of  India,  should  steer  to  the  northward,  pass- 
ing well  to  the  westward  of  the  Cargados,  a most  dangerous  group,  thus 
keeping  a clear  sea  open  to  the  westward,  that  there  may  be  nothing  in  the 
way  should  it  be  desirable  to  run  to  the  northward  and  westward,  which 
would  be  the  true  course  to  take  in  case  of  encountering  the  southwestern 
or  northwestern  quadrants  of  a cyclone,  (which,  in  the  hurricane  season,  a 
vessel  from  Mauritius  is  in  danger  of,)  and  this  course  she  should  keep  until 
she  is  sufficiently  far  north  to  be  beyond  its  influence.  Steamers,  of  course, 
have  superior  means  of  avoiding  these  storms,  as  they  have  the  power  of 
steering  the  most  judicious  course  to  escape  from  their  greatest  fury. 

Following  the  advice  of  several  experienced  seamen,  when  the  Mississip- 
pi left,  she  took  the  circuitous  route  (the  distance  from  Mauritius  to  Ceylon 
being  thereby  made  150  miles  greater)  and  passed  to  the  westward  of  the 


138 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


Cargados  and  between  the  island  Galega  and  Laya  de  Mahla  Bank ; tbence, 
doubling  the  northern  extremity  of  that  bank  the  ship  was  steered  to  the 
eastward  for  Pona  Moluque,  the  southernmost  of  the  Maldives ; after  pass- 
ing this  the  course  was  direct  for  Point  de  Galle  in  Ceylon. 

Before  leaving  the  United  States,  Messrs.  Howland  & Aspinwall,  of 
New  York,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  Commodore,  had  despatched  two  ships 
laden  with  coal,  one  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  the  other  to  Mauritius. 
The  prudence  of  this  precaution  was  proved  by  the  result ; but  for  these 
two  cargoes  the  Mississippi,  as  well  as  the  other  steamers  of  the  squadron 
which  were  to  follow  her — the  Powhatan  and  Alleghany — would  have  had 
the  greatest  dfficulty  in  procuring  fuel.  In  the  case  of  both  cargoes,  they 
arrived  at  their  respective  places  of  destination  a few  days  before  the  Mis- 
sissippi, so  that  both  at  the  Cape  and  Mauritius  the  ship  was  enabled  at 
once  to  take  in  fresh  fuel,  and  leave  a supply  for  the  steamers  that  were  to 
come  after.* 

Having  taken  on  board  about  five  hundred  tons  of  this  coal,  with  such 
other  supplies  as  were  needed,  the  Mississippi  left  St.  Louis  on  the  morning 
of  the  28th  of  February,  intending  to  touch  for  a further  supply  of  fuel  either 
at  Point  de  Galle  or  Singapore,  if  it  should  appear  possible  to  reach  the  latter 
named  place  with  the  coal  taken  on  board  at  Mauritius.  The  course  was 
that  already  indicated  above,  and  on  the  evening  of  the  10th  of  March  the 
light  was  made  on  Point  de  Galle,  island  of  Ceylon,  after  a passage  of  thir- 
teen days. 

The  port  of  Point  de  Galle  is  the  general  rendezvous  of  the  English 
India  mail  steamers,  not  only  of  those  which  ply  to  and  from  the  Bed  sea, 
but  of  those  which  double  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  bound  to  India  or  the 
China  seas.  Large  quantities  of  coal  and  patent  fuel  are  brought  from 
England  and  deposited  there ; and  though  the  quantity  would  seem  to  be 
enormous,  yet  so  great  is  the  consumption  of  the  numerous  steamers,  of 
which  there  are  about  ten  each  month  touching  at  the  port,  that  there  is 
sometimes  an  apprehension  felt  of  the  supply  of  fuel  falling  short.  The  Ori- 
ental Steam  Navigation  Company  have  given  positive  orders  not  to  supply  a 
single  ton  to  any  foreign  vessel-of-war,  and  consequently  the  Mississippi 
could  obtain  only  a limited  supply  from  the  Bengal  government. 

* “ To  the  zealous  and  energetic  services  of  Messrs.  Howland  & Aspinwall,  in  the 
faithful  fulfilment  of  their  engagements  with  the  Navy  Department,  I am  greatly  indebted ; 
had  it  not  been  for  their  prompt  and  effectual  ageucy,  I should  have  found  myself  seriously 
embarrassed  in  controlling  the  movements  of  the  steamers  of  my  eommand.  The  ample 
provision  thus  placed  at  my  disposal  not  only  relieved  me  from  care  upon  the  score  of  fuel, 
without  which  side-wheel  steamers  are  worse  than  useless,  but  enabled  me  to  exercise  a 
most  gratifying  courtesy  in  furnishing  to  several  foreign  war  steamers  supplies  of  this 
essential  article,  which  could  not  be  obtained  at  the  time  from  any  other  source.” — Extract 
from  the  Commodwe's  Journal. 


POINT  DE  GALLE. 


189 


The  town  of  Gralle  is  situated  upon  a peninsula,  the  inner  curve  of  which 
forms  the  harbor.  Thick  walls  of  considerable  height  enclose  the  town 
within  a space  of  about  fifteen  acres.  The  inhabitants  are  thus  shut  up 
within  a close  fortress,  from  which  the  sea  breezes  are  almost  entirely 
excluded,  and  must  suffer  very  much  from  the  heat,  which  cannot  be  other- 
wise than  excessive,  in  a latitude  almost  under  the  equator.  The  heat,  how- 
ever, is  not  so  intense  as  on  the  neighboring  coast  of  India.  During  the 
stay  of  the  Mississippi  the  highest  range  of  the  thermometer  (Fahrenheit) 
was  85°,  and  the  lowest  was  82°.  The  ordinary  range  at  Point  de  Galle, 
however,  is  set  down  at  from  70°  to  87°. 

Fresh  supplies  of  food  of  almost  every  description  can  be  readily  obtained 
at  this  port ; bullocks,  pigs,  fruit,  and  vegetables,  abound.  The  fish  are 
abundant  and  good.  Wood  is  plentiful  and  tolerably  good.  Water  can  be 
obtained  in  reasonable  quantities,  but  it  is  bad. 

The  population  of  the  town  is  composed  of  English  officials  and  mer- 
chants, and  a motley  collection  of  tradesmen  and  laborers  of  all  varieties  of 
color,  from  negro  black  to  dingy  brown. 

The  Commodore  and  his  officers  were  not  a little  mortified,  as  well  as 
somewhat  embarrassed,  by  finding,  on  their  arrival  at  Point  de  Galle,  the 
United  States  commercial  agent,  a native  of  Scotland,  confined  to  his  prem- 
ises under  an  execution  for  debt.  Various  accounts  of  the  circumstances 
connected  with  this  unfortunate  position  of  affairs  were  communicated  to  the 
Commodore,  but  he  studiously  avoided  any  interference  with  the  matter.  It 
was  no  part  of  his  business  or  duty  to  interpose ; and  humiliating  as  was  this 
state  of  things,  he  could  not  but  feel  that  the  fault  was  in  the  former  consu- 
lai’  system  of  the  United  States.  Our  country  had  no  right  to  expect  our 
consuls  and  commercial  agents,  many  of  whom  were  unfitted  in  every  respect 
for  their  stations,  either  to  represent  or  sustain  the  commercial  interests  of 
the  nation  so  long  as  the  system  then  existing  was  followed.  The  fees  at 
many  of  the  places  where  our  consular  agents  were  accredited,  it  was  noto- 
rious would  scarce  suffice  to  clothe  them,  and,  accordingly,  to  eke  out  a 
scanty  living,  they  were  frequently  obliged  to  resort  to  some  sort  of 
business,  often  not  of  the  most  dignified  character.  Of  course,  there  were 
always  honorable  exceptions  to  this  unfavorable  state  of  things.  Many  of 
our  consuls  have  been  and  are  men  of  high  position,  who  have  not  failed  to 
exercise  a strong  influence  upon  the  local  governments  within  which  they 
may  have  resided.  But  for  this  they  have  been  less  indebted  to  the  consular 
office  than  to  their  deservedly  high  commercial  standing ; at  the  same  time 
it  may  be  true,  that  possessing  such  high  personal  characters  as  they  do,  in 
their  cases,  the  consular  office,  worthily  bestowed,  may  add  somewhat  to 
their  influence.  The  recent  action  of  Congress  has  shown  the  sense  enter- 
tained by  that  body  of  the  correctness  of  these  views  and  of  the  need  of 
reform ; and  it  is  hoped  the  measures  adopted  will  guarantee  for  the  future 


140 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN, 


a dignified  representative  of  our  commercial  interests  wherever  we  have  a 
consul. 

Ceylon  has  been  long  known  to  Europe.  The  first  accounts  were  received 
from  two  of  the  commanders  of  the  fleet  dispatched  by  Alexander  the  Great 
from  the  Indus  to  the  Persian  Gulf.  A description  of  the  island  may  be 
found  recorded  by  ancient  authors ; both  Pliny  and  Ptolomeus  have  left 
accounts  of  its  character  and  condition.  It  is  supposed  that  the  Persians 
had  formed  a Christian  establishment  on  the  coast  before  the  sixth  century ; 
and  in  the  thirteenth,  the  celebrated  traveller,  Marco  Polo,  visited  Ceylon, 
of  which  he  has  left  a glowing  description,  having  been  so  much  struck  with 
its  beauty  and  richness,  that  in  his  enthusiasm  he  has  termed  it  the  finest 
island  in  the  world.  Sir  John  Mandeville,  the  English  traveller,  also  visited 
it  some  fifty  years  later. 

The  Portuguese,  however,  were  the  first  among  the  Europeans  to  estab- 
lish intimate  relations  with  Ceylon.  When  they  found  their  way  to  India, 
by  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  they  were  welcomed  by  the  king,  whose  domin- 
ions at  the  time  were  a prey  to  intestine  war.  The  Europeans,  taking 
advantage  of  the  civil  dissensions  which  prevailed,  and  offering  themselves 
as  mediators,  succeeded  in  establishing  a foothold  in  the  country,  which  they 
took  care  to  maintain.  In  1520,  the  Portuguese  strongly  fortified  them- 
selves at  Colombo,  and  held  a controlling  influence  over  the  natives,  until 
they  were  dispossessed  by  the  latter,  aided  by  the  Dutch,  who,  in  their  turn, 
changed  their  relation  of  friends  to  that  of  masters  of  the  people.  The  war 
with  the  Portuguese  lasted  more  than  twenty  years,  and  they  were  not  finally 
expelled  the  island  until  1656.  The  various  fortified  positions  at  Batticolo, 
Point  de  Galle,  Negombo,  and  Colombo,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Dutch, 
who  thus  controlled  the  maritime  provinces. 

During  the  European  wars  at  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century,  the 
French  got  possession  of  Trincomalee,  but  they  were  ejected  by  the  British, 
who,  in  their  turn,  were  forced  to  yield  it  up  to  the  former  possessors,  and  it 
finally  was  restored  to  the  Dutch,  who  continued  to  hold  it,  together  with 
the  sea  coast,  until  they  were  wrested  from  them,  in  1796,  by  the  British, 
who  were  formally  acknowledged  as  the  possessors  by  the  treaty  of  Amiens. 
English  history  records  that  the  whole  island,  by  the  invitation  of  the  na- 
tives, was  taken  possession  of,  in  1815,  by  the  British  crown,  under  the 
sovereignty  of  which  Ceylon  still  remains.  It  is  difficult  to  say  who,  of  the 
successive  masters  of  the  poor  Cingalese,  have  been  the  most  cruel  and 
oppressive,  and,  in  fact,  it  is  feared  that  but  little  can  be  said  in  palliation 
of  the  fraud  and  perfidy  of  eithei’  of  them. 

In  olden  time,  before  its  occupation  by  the  Europeans,  Ceylon  was  one 
of  the  richest  and  most  productive  of  the  kingdoms  of  the  east.  The  natives, 
at  a very  early  period,  showed  great  skill  in  the  development  of  the  resources 
of  the  island,  and  increased  the  fertility  of  the  soil  by  ingenious  modes  of 


ISLAND  OF  CEYLON. 


141 


artificial  irrigation ; and  numerous  vestiges  of  imposing  works,  constructed 
for  this  purpose,  remain  to  this  day. 

The  climate  of  Ceylon  is  very  much  influenced  hy  the  monsoons.  The 
northeast  prevails  from  November  to  February,  and  the  southwest  from  April 
to  September  ; but  there  are  certain  local  causes  which  influence  these  winds 
and  modify  their  temperature.  There  is  a great  difference  between  the  cli- 
mate of  the  northern  and  southern  portions  of  the  island,  and  a curious  effect 
hence  results ; for  not  seldom  on  one  side  of  a mountain  the  rain  is  fall- 
ing abundantly,  while  on  the  other  it  is  so  dry  that  the  herbage  is  parched 
and  withered ; and  thus,  while  the  inhabitants  of  the  former  are  doing  their 
utmost  to  protect  their  lands  from  the  flood,  those  of  the  latter  are  striving 
to  obviate  the  consequences  of  the  drought,  by  availing  themselves  of  the 
scant  reservoirs  of  water  which  may  have  been  left  from  previous  rains. 

The  island  is  comparatively  healthy,  as  is  indicated  by  the  rate  of  mor- 
tality, which,  being  less  than  three  per  cent.,  shows  a remarkable  salubrity 
for  an  eastern  country.  As  the  clearing  of  the  jungles  and  the  draining  of 
the  marshes  proceed,  a still  higher  degree  of  health  may  be  reasonably  ex- 
pected. 

Ceylon  did  not  appear  as  flourishing  a colony  as  the  Mauritius,  though  it 
possesses  superior  geographical  advantages.  Lying,  as  it  does,  as  a sort  of 
outpost  to  the  principal  possessions  of  the  English  in  the  east,  and  offering, 
in  its  port  of  Galle,  a point  for  the  distribution  of  intelligence  throughout 
India  and  China,  it  is  much  resorted  to. 

With  all  its  natural  advantages,  however,  the  island  at  present  is  far  less 
flourishing  than  might  have  been  expected.  The  exports  are  limited  in  com- 
parison with  the  acknowledged  fertility  of  the  island,  to  the  productive  power 
of  which  there  would  hardly  seem  to  be  any  limit.  Labor  may  be  obtained, 
too,  for  twelve  cents  a day,  and  yet  the  agricultural  interests  are  not  as 
promising,  as,  under  such  favorable  circumstances,  they  should  be.  The 
natives,  too,  are  said  not  to  be  wanting  in  industry,  but  their  needs  are  so 
few,  lining,  as  they  do,  upon  fish,  rice,  and  cocoa-nuts,  that  they  are  never 
forced  by  necessity  to  labor  hard  for  their  subsistence. 

Of  the  productions  of  the  island,  the  cocoa-nut  is  probably  the  most 
valuable  to  the  natives.  Everywhere  in  Ceylon,  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach, 
extensive  plantations  of  this  tree  are  to  be  seen,  and  the  numerous  roads 
throughout  the  island  are  bordered  with  it.  The  weary  and  heated  traveller 
finds  not  only  protection  from  the  sun  in  its  shade,  but  refreshment  from  the 
milk  of  the  fruit,  which  is  both  agreeable  to  the  taste  and  wholesome.  The 
cocoa-nut  palm  has  a great  variety  of  uses.  The  green  fruit,  with  its  deli- 
cate albuminous  meat  and  its  refreshing  milk,  is  a favorite  article  of  food. 
When  ripe,  the  kernel  of  the  nut  is  dried,  forming  what  the  natives  term 
copperal,  and  an  oil  of  great  value  is  expressed  from  it,  while  the  residuum 
forms  an  excellent  oil-cake  for  the  fattening  of  animals.  Even  the  husk  of 


142 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


the  nut  is  useful ; its  fibres  are  wrought  into  the  coir  rope,  of  which  large 
quantities  are  annually  exported,  and  the  shells  are  manufactured  into  va- 
rious domestic  utensils.  From  the  sap  of  the  tree  a drink  is  obtained 
which  is  called  “ toddy,”  and  made  into  arrack  by  distillation.  The  leaves 
afford  a good  material  for  the  thatching  of  the  native  huts,  and  are,  more- 
over, given  as  food  to  elephants.  The  Palmyra  palm,  which  also  abounds 
in  the  island,  shares  with  the  cocoa-nut  tree  in  many  of  its  advantages. 

The  other  staples  of  Ceylon  are  cinnamon,  coffee,  sugar,  rice,  arica  nut, 
precious  stones,  plumbago,  (probably  the  best  in  the  world,)  and  other  vege- 
table and  mineral  productions.  The  pearl  fisheries,  for  which  the  island 
was  once  famous,  have  very  much  diminished  in  their  yield.  The  natives 
account  for  the  diminution  by  declaring  that  the  pearl-oy.ster  has  the  power 
of  locomotion,  and  has  shifted  its  former  quarters  to  some  new  ground  not 
yet  discovered.  The  scarcity  is  probably  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  pearls 
have  been  disturbed  before  they  have  reached  their  full  development,  which 
is  said  to  require  a period  of  seven  years.  At  one  time  the  fishery  was  a 
source  of  handsome  revenue  to  the  government;  in  1797  the  sum  of  £140,000 
was  derived  from  it.  Since  that  period  the  proceeds  have  gradually  fallen 
off,  until  at  present  they  amount  to  almost  nothing.  Diving  for  the  pearl- 
oyster  is  a favorite  occupation  among  the  natives  of  Ceylon,  as  a skilful  diver 
can  earn  ten  times  the  wages  of  a farm  laborer,  and  the  employment  is  not, 
as  has  been  stated,  unfavorable  to  health,  but,  on  the  contrary,  conducive  to 
strength  and  vigor  of  body. 

Ceylon  abounds  in  a rich  vegetation,  and  many  trees  of  a vigorous 
growth,  among  which,  in  addition  to  the  cocoa-nut  and  Palmyra  palm,  there 
is  the  kettal  tree,  from  the  sap  of  which  is  produced  a coarse  sugar,  and 
from  its  fruit,  when  dried  and  reduced  to  powder,  a substitute  for  rice  flour. 
The  talipot,  with  its  immense  foliage,  is  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  island ; a 
single  leaf  of  this  tree  is  sufficient  to  cover  beneath  its  shade  several  persons, 
and  it  supplies,  when  softened  by  boiling,  a substitute  for  paper,  upon  which 
the  natives  are  in  the  habit  of  writing,  and  find  in  it  a most  durable  mate- 
rial. The  cinnamon  with  its  beautiful  white  blossom  and  its  red  tipped 
leaves,  and  other  odoriferous  trees,  are  among  the  native  products  of  Cey- 
lon ; but  the  stories  of  the  fragrance  of  the  aroma  exhaled  from  these  trees 
and  the  plants,  and  wdiich  voyagers  have  described  as  sensible  at  a distance 
from  the  land,  are  gross  exaggerations.  No  fragrance  was  observed  equal 
to  that  of  the  magnolia  or  of  the  delightful  perfume  of  the  newly-mown 
grass  of  our  own  country,  or  in  any  degree  approaching  the  delicious  odor 
of  the  heliotrope  and  geranium  hedges  of  Madeira.  The  cultivated  flowers 
that  were  seen  at  Ceylon  and  at  Mauritius  were,  in  fact,  remarkable  for 
their  want  of  fragrance.  Rich  woods  of  various  kinds,  as  the  rose,  the 
ebony,  the  satin,  and  lime,  grow  in  abundance  on  the  island,  and  are  used 
for  many  purposes  of  utility  and  ornament. 


ELEPHANT  HUNTING  IN  CEYLON. 


143 


Within  the  forests  and  in  the  jungles  of  Ceylon  are  found  a great  va- 
riety of  wild  animals — the  elephant,  the  hyena,  tiger-cat,  the  bear,  the  deer, 
and  the  monkey,  are  among  the  most  abundant.  The  number  of  elephants 
is  incredibly  great,  and,  issuing  in  troops  from  their  lairs,  they  come  crush- 
ing down  the  cultivated  fields  and  plantations  and  devouring  the  crops,  with 
great  loss  to  the  proprietors.  They  are  found  in  all  the  uncultivated  parts 
of  the  island,  but  their  favorite  haunts  are  near  to  the  farms,  to  which  they 
prove  so  destructive  that  the  colonial  government  pays  a reward  of  7s.  6d. 
(about  $l  85)  for  every  tail  of  the  animal  which  is  brought  to  the  authori- 
ties. Mr.  Talbot,  the  Government  agent  at  Galle,  stated,  surprising  as  it 
may  seem,  that  he  had  paid  during  the  preceding  year  two  hundred  pounds 
sterling  for  tails,  which  would  give  six  hundred  as  the  number  of  elephants 
destroyed. 

An  army  officer,  as  was  stated  to  the  Commodore,  actually  killed,  during 
his  residence  on  the  island,  no  less  than  six  hundred  of  these  gigantic  ani- 
mals. Within  a few  months  of  the  arrival  of  the  Mississippi,  two  officers  of 
the  garrison,  one  of  whom  (Lieutenant  Lennox)  became  personally  known  to 
the  Commodore,  destroyed  no  less  than  forty  elephants  in  the  course  of  a 
sporting  visit  of  six  weeks  to  the  jungle.  They  are  ordinarily  shot  with  a 
rifie  ; the  sportsman  approaches  his  game  in  front,  or  perhaps,  as  the  sailors 
would  say,  on  the  quarter,  that  he  may  aim  at  either  of  the  only  two  vital 
parts  upon  which  a rifle  ball  will  have  any  effect,  one  being  directly  in  the 
forehead,  through  which  the  brain  is  penetrated,  and  the  other  behind  the 
ear.  If  the  hunter  chance  to  come  up  to  his  elephant  in  the  rear,  he  raises  a 
shout  or  makes  a noise,  by  which  the  animal  is  attracted,  and,  turning  its 
head,  or  throwing  forward  its  ears,  exposes  the  vital  spot,  at  which  his  ruth- 
less enemy  aims  the  deadly  ball,  and  brings  down  his  huge  victim.  The  ele- 
phants of  Ceylon  are  not  so  large  as  those  of  other  parts  of  India,  and  but 
a small  proportion  of  them  have  tusks. 

Of  serpents,  there  are  but  twenty  species,  four  only  of  which  are  venom- 
ous, the  cobra  and  tic  prolango  being  the  most  deadly.  The  latter  is  said 
to  be  endowed  with  great  cunning,  and  to  lie  in  wait  for  the  purpose  of 
attacking  the  passing  traveller.  The  stories  which  are  told  of  the  anaconda, 
boa  constrictor  or  python,  seizing  upon  cattle  and  horses,  and  even  horsemen, 
must  be  received  as  fabulous.  There  is,  however,  a species  of  boa  peculiar 
to  the  island,  which  is  capable  of  swallowing  a deer  whole,  and  after  they 
have  indulged  in  venison  to  that  degree,  and  become  surfeited  with  so  sub- 
stantial a meal,  they  fall  readily  a prey  to  the  captor.  This  is  believed  to 
be  the  extent  of  the  powers  of  deglutition  of  the  Ceylon  boas ; those 
enormous  serpents,  which  are  said  to  swallow  an  entire  ox,  horns  and  all, 
being  unknown  in  that  region.  It  may  not  be  amiss  to  refer  here  to  a rem- 
edy for  venomous  bites,  for  which  popular  opinion  in  the  east  claims  consid- 
erable efficacy,  this  is  a paste  made  by  moistening  the  powder  of  ipecachu- 


44 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


ana  with  water,  and  applying  it  to  the  external  injury.  Some  wonderful 
effects  have  been  reported  from  the  use  of  this  simple  means  in  various 
cases,  of  not  only  bites  from  venomous  serpents,  but  of  stings  by  the  scor- 
pion and  various  poisonous  fish. 

The  population  of  Ceylon  is  estimated  at  about  1,442,062,  of  whom 
8,275  are  whites,  1,413,486  colored  persons,  and  20,431  aliens  and  resident 
strangers.  The  inhabitants  are  composed  of  the  natives,  termed  Cingalese, 
of  a small  proportion  of  Europeans,  principally  government  officials,  mili- 
tary officers  and  merchants  with  their  families,  and  of  negroes,  Malays,  and 
Chinese.  The  Cingalese  were  less  ugly  in  appearance  than  was  expected, 
many  of  the  men,  in  fact,  (as  for  the  women  few  were  seen,  and  none  of  the 
better  class,)  have  expressive  and  even  handsome  faces,  and  their  forms  are 
not  without  symmetry.  They  seem  to  be  amiable  in  disposition,  and  are 
remarkable  for  their  effeminate  habits.  So  similar  is  the  costume  of  the 
two  sexes,  that  it  is  difficult  often  for  the  casual  observer  to  distinguish  the 
man  from  the  woman.  The  males  allow  their  hair  to  grow  to  a great  length, 
which  they  foster  with  much  care,  and  fasten  to  the  tops  of  their  heads  with 
large  tortoise  shell  combs,  such  as  our  ladies  at  home  might  not  be  ashamed 
to  wear. 

The  common  dress  of  the  better  class  of  the  Cingalese  is  a jacket,  worn 
next  to  the  skin,  and  from  the  waist  downward  a colored  petticoat,  wrapped 
in  graceful  folds  round  the  limbs  and  falling  to  the  feet.  The  head,  well 
protected  as  it  is  with  the  superabundant  hair,  is  generally  bare  of  any  artifi- 
cial covering.  Some  of  the  common  people,  however,  wrap  a cloth  turban- 
wise  around  their  brows,  which  they  shift  to  their  body  when  mingling  with 
the  crowds,  and  thus  eke  out  their  scanty  drapery,  which  ordinarily  consists 
only  of  a petticoat.  Some  of  the  aborigines,  who  live  in  a rude  condition 
within  the  fastnesses  of  the  great  forests,  confine  themselves  in  dress  to  the 
simple  wardrobe  of  nature. 

In  addition  to  the  Cingalese,  who  are  doubtless  descendants  of  the  abo- 
rigines of  the  island,  there  are  the  Malabars,  whom  tradition  traces  to  the 
neighboring  shores  of  India,  and  whose  religion  and  social  characteristics 
would  seem  to  connect  them  with  that  country.  They  are  Hindoos,  and  pre- 
serve their  religion  and  system  of  caste,  together  with  the  costumes  of  their 
original  country,  as  well  as  their  language,  somewhat  modified,  however,  by 
their  relation  with  the  Cingalese.  The  neighboring  islands  and  continents 
supply  a population  of  Mahommedans  or  Moors  to  Ceylon,  and  they  abound 
in  several  parts  of  the  country,  where  in  the  various  orders  into  which  their 
law  of  caste  divides  them,  they  carry  on  a prosperous  business  as  weavers, 
fishermen,  merchants,  and  bakers.  They  are  among  the  most  enterprising 
and  thriving  of  the  population,  and  their  well  known  skill  and  industry  have 
secured  them  much  of  the  commercial  wealth  and  influence  of  the  island. 

The  native  language  of  the  aborigines  is  peculiar  to  themselves,  but  their 


RELIGION  OF  CEYLON. 


145 


writings  are  in  Sanscrit  or  Pali.  A provincial  dialect  of  Portuguese  is, 
however,  generally  spoken  by  those  natives  who  have  passed  their  lives  in 
the  European  portions  of  the  island. 

The  Christian  religion  was  introduced  at  a very  early  period  into  Cey- 
lon. It  has  been  supposed  that  the  apostle  Saint  Thomas  preached  there ; 
however  this  may  be,  there  is  but  little  doubt  that  the  Nestorians  accompa- 
nied the  Persian  merchants,  many  years  ago,  to  the  island,  and  made  converts 
there  and  established  Christianity.  On  the  arrival,  however,  of  the  Portu- 
guese navigators,  there  were  no  remnants  of  those  churches  which  are  said  to 
have  existed  in  Ceylon  in  the  sixth  century.  The  zealous  Prancis  Xavier, 
the  Roman  Catholic  missionary,  however,  was  the  first,  by  his  earnest  preach- 
ing and  proselyting  energies,  to  establish  the  Christian  religion  permanently 
on  the  island,  and  most  of  that  faith  are,  accordingly,  Romanists.  The 
Church  of  England  is,  of  course,  sustained  in  accordance  with  the  religious 
opinions  of  the  British  authorities ; and  the  various  other  Protestant 
churches  have  their  members  among  the  European  residents.  There  are 
missionaries  of  various  sects  engaged  in  efforts  to  evangelize  the  native 
heathen,  but  with  what  success  did  not  appear.  Among  these  there  are  no 
less  than  eleven  Americans ; and  the  different  churches  are  represented  in  the 
proportion  of  thirty-four  Romanist  missionaries,  twenty  Wesleyans,  fourteen 
of  the  English  church,  and  thirteen  Baptists.  The  predominant  religion 
among  the  Cingalese  is  the  Buddhist,  which  was  at  one  time  maintained  by 
the  British  government,  a heathen  inheritance  derived  from  the  succession 
to  the  native  kings.  The  tooth  of  Buddha,  the  relic  so  highly  revered  by 
his  followers,  was  taken  under  the  especial  protection  of  English  orthodoxy, 
and  the  ecclesiastical  patronage  of  the  Bnddhist  establishment  was  exercised 
by  England,  in  accordance  with  the  not  very  scrupulous  views  of  political 
expediency.  The  guardianship  of  the  tooth  of  Buddha,  and  the  dispensa- 
tion of  Buddhist  church  patronage,  have  been,  of  late  years,  properly  dele- 
gated by  a Christian  nation  to  a heathen  priesthood. 

There  are  numerous  Buddhist  temples  in  Ceylon,  some  of  which  pre- 
sent an  impressive  aspect ; and  there  is  one  of  great  antiquity,  and  so  much 
venerated  as  to  attract  votaries  from  various  parts  of  India.  On  the  arrival 
of  the  Mississippi  there  was  a Siamese  sloop-of-war  in  the  harbor,  which  had 
brought  a number  of  Buddhist  priests  on  a pilgrimage  to  this  temple. 

An  interesting  incident  occurred  in  connexion  with  the  presence  of  the 
Siamese  man-of-war.  For  many  reasons  the  Commodore  was  desirous  of 
showing  some  marked  attention  to  the  commander  of  this  vessel,  who,  on 
acquaintance,  was  found  to  be  a young  man  of  much  intelligence,  and  pos- 
sessing some  knowledge  of  the  English  language.  The  Commodore,  there- 
fore, dispatched  his  aid.  Lieutenant  Contee,  to  offer  to  him  his  services  and  to 
invite  him  on  board  the  Mississippi.  The  Siamese  commander  seemed 
pleased  with  the  compliment,  and  came  on  board  the  Mississippi  the  follow- 
10 


146 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


ing  day,  where  he  was  received  with  due  honors.  He  was  accompanied  hy 
two  of  the  Buddhist  priests  who  had  come  from  Siam  in  his  vessel  on  a pil- 
grimage to  the  famous  temple.  It  was  learned,  on  inquiry  that  Prince 
Phar-Pen-Clow-Chow-Yon-Hon,  who  was  so  civil  to  Mr.  Roberts  and  the 
ofScers  of  the  Peacock  on  the  occasion  of  their  visit  to  Siam,  in  1836,  was 
the  second  in  rank  in  his  kingdom,  or  second  king,  as  it  is  termed.  The 
Commodore,  therefore,  being  desirous  of  renewing  the  good  understanding 
which  formerly  subsisted  between  him  and  our  officers,  which,  however,  had 
been  somewhat  disturbed  hy  the  visit  of  Mr.  Ballastier,  sent  him  a beautiful 
pistol,  of  Colt’s  patent,  and  addressed  to  him  the  following  letter  : 

United  States  Ship  Mississippi, 

Point  de  GaUe,  Island  of  Ceylon,  March  14,  1853. 

Most  Exalted  Prince  : — I have  been  most  happy  to  meet  at  this  port 
a vessel-of-war  belonging  to  the  kingdom  of  Siam,  one  of  beautiful  form 
and  construction,  and  commanded  by  an  officer  of  skill  and  merit. 

In  remembrance  of  the  kindness  you  extended  to  the  late  Mr.  Roberts 
and  the  officers  of  the  United  States  ship  Peacock,  in  1836,  I beg  your 
acceptance  of  a curious  pistol  which  has  been  entrusted  to  my  charge,  to  be 
presented  to  some  high  functionary  who  has  sufficient  acquaintance  with  the 
arts  to  understand  its  mechanism  and  use. 

The  renown  which  your  Highness  has  acquired  in  America,  for  your 
attainments  in  every  branch  of  science,  induces  me  to  place  at  your  disposal 
this  trifling  gift  of  Mr.  Colt. 

I hope  that  you  will  send  one  of  your  ships  of  Siam  to  America,  where 
I can  promise  the  officers  a friendly  and  honorable  welcome. 

It  will,  at  all  times,  give  me  the  greatest  pleasure  to  render  to  all  vessels 
under  the  Siamese  flag  whatever  aid  or  assistance  it  may  be  in  my  power  to 
command. 

With  profound  respect  I have  the  honor  to  be  your  most  obedient 
servant, 

M.  C.  PERRY,  Commander-in-chief 

of  all  the  U.  S.  naval  forces  in  the  East  India,  China,  and  Japan  seas. 

To  his  Royal  Highness  Phar-Pen-Clow-Chow-Yos-Hon. 


The  Commodore  was  induced  thus  to  take  the  initiative  in  endeavoring 
to  open  eommunications  with  Siam,  in  the  hope  that  he  might  possibly  be 
able  to  revive  the  treaty  between  that  kingdom  and  the  United  States,  made 
on  our  part  by  Mr.  Roberts.  This  had  virtually  become  a dead  letter  and 
altogether  inoperative,  as  had,  indeed,  also  that  made  by  England  with  the 
same  people.  Sir  John  Davis  and  Sir  James  Brooke,  on  behalf  of  England, 
and  Mr.  Ballastier,  on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  had  made  subsequent 
efforts  and  been  politely  repulsed  ; but  the  Commodore  hoped  that  possibly 


'i 


i\\ 

i 


MlbHlSSlI’PI  ” 8A1,UTK1)  l)Y  AN  KNOl.ISIl  FKKiA'l'li  IN  THH  STHAl'l’H  OF  MAl.AOOA. 


STRAITS  OF  MALACCA. 


147 


another  attempt  might  result  more  successfully ; and  as  he  had  been  entrusted 
by  the  government  with  several  blank  letters  of  credence,  he  was  prepared 
to  act  on  the  authority  of  one  of  them  should  he  find  a favorable  opening. 
Both  the  kings  of  Siam,  and  many  of  their  officers,  understand  the  English 
language,  and  one  object  of  the  Commodore  was  to  induce  the  monareh  to 
send  one  of  his  ships  to  the  United  States  (they  are  all,  vessels,  at  once, 
both  of  war  and  commerce)  to  examine  into  our  institutions,  resources,  &c., 
and  thus  lead  to  friendly  commercial  relations. 

The  Commodore  subsequently  received  a courteous  answer  to  his  letter, 
and  from  that  and  private  information  which  he  had  taken  pains  to  gex  of 
his  probable  reception,  he  would  have  gone  to  Siam  had  not  uncontrollable 
circumstances  prevented. 

The  Commodore  also  presented  to  Mun-Clow-Sar-Coun,  captain  of  the 
Siamese  sloop-of-war,  a service  sword  and  a copy  of  “ Bowditch’s  Navi- 
gator.” 

The  Mississippi  left  G-alle  on  the  morning  of  the  15th  of  March,  and 
after  getting  clear  of  the  harbor,  shaped  her  course  for  Great  Nicobar  Island, 
the  southernmost  of  the  group  of  that  name,  with  the  intention  of  passing 
between  it  and  Paloway,  a small  island  or  rock  lying  off  the  northern 
extremity  of  Sumatra.  On  the  20th,  Great  Nicobar  was  made,  and  the 
proposed  course  having  been  taken,  the  steamer  entered  the  Straits  of 
Malacca,  steering  for  the  Malay  shore,  on  which  side  the  weather  is  repre- 
sented as  being  more  settled  and  the  sky  less  obscured. 

Fortunately,  the  weather  was  favorable  during  the  passage  through  the 
straits,  and  it  was  found  necessary  to  anchor  once  only  during  the  night,  at 
the  entrance  between  the  North  and  South  Sands,  within  sight  of  the  Aroa 
islands.  The  navigation  of  the  straits  did  not  appear  to  the  Commodore  as 
dangerous  as  an  examination  of  the  chart  had  led  him  to  expect ; yet  it  is 
somewhat  intricate,  and  certainly  not  free  from  danger. 

A vessel  has,  however,  the  advantage  of  being  always  able  to  anchor, 
though,  in  some  parts  of  the  channel,  necessarily  in  rather  deep  water.  The 
two  most  dangerous  passages  are  that  termed  the  East  and  West  Channel; 
and  the  narrow  one  between  Formosa  bank  and  the  Pyramids  lying  opposite, 
and  the  northern  end  of  the  middle  bank.  A light  vessel  recently  anchored 
on,  “ Two-and-a-half  fathom  bank  ” renders  the  former  passage  more  safe ; 
while  the  latter  is  made  more  secure  by  the  high  land  of  Cape  Formosa,  the 
bearings  of  and  distance  from  which  will,  in  clear  weather,  indicate  the 
mid-channel. 

Pilots  may  be  procured  for  vessels,  when  bound  toward  the  China  seas, 
at  Penang ; and  at  Singapore  when  their  course  is  in  an  opposite  direction. 
Tlje  Mississippi  took  no  pilot,  as  time  could  not  be  spared  for  communicating 
with  Penang ; and,  in  fact,  with  good  charts  and  a careful  look-out,  together 
with  proper  precautions  in  anchoring  when  necessary,  a pilot  is  of  little 


148 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


further  service  than  to  identify  the  names  of  headlands  and  islands,  and  to 
explain  the  tides  and  currents.  Indeed,  by  trusting  too  much  to  the  pilots, 
who  are  mostly  irresponsible  natives,  ships  may  fall  into  dangers  which  the 
experience  and  prudence  of  their  captains,  if  left  to  their  own  judgments, 
would  avoid.  In  passing  through  the  straits,  the  Mississippi  met  H.  B.  M. 
ship  Cleopatra,  towed  by  a small  war  steamer,  bound  in  an  opposite  direc- 
tion. The  senior  English  ship,  on  coming  near,  honored  the  broad  pendant 
of  the  Commodore  with  a salute ; which  compliment  was  promptly  responded 
to  by  an  equal  number  of  guns. 

It  is  a fact  worthy  of  remark,  that  the  usual  vertical  rise  and  fall  of  the 
tides  in  the  Straits  of  Malacca  is  from  twelve  to  fourteen  feet,  while  in  other 
parts  of  the  world,  in  the  same  latitude,  there  is  scarcely  any  variation.  The 
tides  at  Singapore  correspond,  in  this  respect,  with  those  in  the  Straits. 

On  entering  from  the  Straits  of  Malacca  into  what  is  called  the  Straits 
of  Singapore,  the  islands  became  numerous  and  the  passages  consequently 
various  and  intricate ; but  the  directions  given  by  Horsburgh  are  so  full  and 
explicit,  that  by  a strict  observance  of  them,  together  with  proper  vigilance 
and  judgment,  the  lead  being  kept  in  constant  use  and  the  anchor  always 
in  readiness,  there  is  no  very  great  danger  of  touching. 

With  a judicious  regard  to  these  precautions,  the  Mississippi  made  her 
way  securely  through  all  the  intricacies  of  the  course,  and  finally,  on  the 
25th  of  March,  came  to  anchor  in  the  port  of  Singapore 


CHAPTER  V. 


Singapore. — Its  Great  Commerce. — Population.— Rapid  Increase. — Hospitality  of  a Wealthy  Cliineec  Mer- 
chant.— Importance  of  Singapore  to  England. — Coal  Depot  at  Singapore. — Physical  Aspect  of  the  Coun- 
try,— Agricultural  Products. — Animals. — Ferocity  of  the  Tiger. — Water  Buffalo. — Passage  from  Singa- 
pore to  Hong  Kong, — Currents,  Rocks,  Tides. — Chinese  fishing  boats. — Arrival  at  Hong  Kong. — 
Finding  there  sloops-of-war  Saragota  and  Plymouth  and  store-ship  Supply.— Susquehanna  gone  to 
Shanghae. — Disappointment  of  the  Commodore. — Condition  and  prosperity  of  Hong  Kong. — Run  to 
Macao,  thence  to  Whampoa  on  Canton  River. — Navigation  of  the  River. — First  impressions  made  by 
the  City. — Disappointed  Expectations. — Hospitality  of  American  Consul  at  Canton. — The  Hongs  or 
Factories. — Streets  in  Canton. — Proper  name  of  the  City. — Bocca  Tigris. — Chinese  Forts. — Pirates  on 
the  River. — Attempt  to  rob  one  of  the  Officers. — Canton  Market  Place. — Trade  of  Canton  with  Europe 
and  America. 

HE  port  of  Singapore  is  a great 
resort  for  ships  of  all  nations. 
Vessels  from  China,  Siam,  Ma- 
laya, Sumatra,  and  the  various 
commercial  countries  of  Europe 
and  America,  are  to  be  seen  an- 
chored together  at  the  same  time. 
The  products  of  these  different 
parts  of  the  world  are  all  to  he 
found  in  Singapore,  brought 
thither  for  reciprocal  exchange. 
The  policy  which  has  made  Sin- 
gapore a free  port  has  been  fully  justified  by  the  prosperous  result.  Its  com- 
merce, being  entirely  unshackled,  flourishes  even  beyond  the  most  sanguine 
anticipations  of  those  enlightened  and  enterprising  men  who  hut  a few  years 
ago  established  Singapore  as  a free  port. 

Nothwithstanding  the  restricted  productions  of  the  place,  which  could  do 
no  more  than  supply  business  for  the  scant  trade  of  a few  vessels,  Singapore 
has  been,  by  the  liberal  policy  pursued,  elevated  to  the  imposing  position  of 
a great  commercial  mart.  Its  trade  embraces  China,  India,  and  the  archipel- 
agos of  the  oriental  seas,  Australia,  Europe  and  America.  Nearly  the  whole 
world  of  commerce  seeks,  in  a greater  or  less  degree,  its  ever  crowded  har- 
bor. 

The  commerce  with  China  is  very  considerable,  and  is  carried  on  by  means 


1 


150  EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN, 

of  Chinese  vessels.  The  junks  come  down  from  the  China  seas  with  the  north- 
east moonsoon,  and  remain  in  port,  retailing  their  cargoes  of  teas,  silks,  and 
other  products,  until  the  southwest  moonsoon  is  fairly  set  in,  when  they  re- 
turn to  prepare  for  another  voyage,  and  thus  keep  up  a succession  of  periodical 
trading  visits.  They  bring  large  numbers  of  enterprising  Chinese  emigrants, 
together  with  abundant  supplies  of  dollars,  teas,  silks,  chinaware,  tobacco, 
cassia,  nankeens,  gold  thread,  and  the  thousand  “ nicknackeries  ” of  cunning 
invention  for  which  Chinese  ingenuity  is  famous.  They  take  back  the  perni- 
cious opium,  edible  birds’  nests,  and  various  articles  of  European  manufac- 
ture. 

The  town  of  Singapore  is  built  upon  an  island,  separated  from  the  Malay 
peninsula  by  a narrow  and  scarcely  navigable  strait.  The  ancient  capital  of 
the  Malayan  Kingdom,  or,  as  it  was  sometimes  called,  the  Kingdom  of  Ma- 
lacca, formerly  stood  upon  the  site  of  the  present  town.  This  old  city  was 
built  in  the  twelfth  century,  and  conquered  by  a chief  from  Java,  who  trans- 
ferred the  royal  residence  to  Malacca.  From  that  period  its  population  and 
wealth  gradually  declined,  so  that  in  1819,  when  the  English  took  possession, 
there  were  but  few  vestiges  of  the  former  city,  which  indeed  had  become  but 
a haunt  for  pirates,  where,  as  well  as  in  the  neighboring  islands  and  passages, 
they  found  a secure  retreat  from  the  vessels  of  the  English  and  the  Dutch 
sent  in  pursuit  of  them.  The  natives  still  offer  for  sale  models  of  the  various 
descriptions  of  the  Malay  war,  pirate,  and  sailing  proas ; and  most  of  them 
present  exceedingly  beautiful  specimens  of  graceful  form.  So  much  was  the 
Commodore  struck  with  the  beauty  of  the  model  of  the  sailing  proa  that  he 
purposed  sending  one  home  to  the  New  York  yacht  club. 

The  town  bears  all  the  appearance  of  being  in  a most  prosperous  condi- 
tion ; its  port,  as  we  have  said,  is  always  crowded  with  shipping,  and  its  tra- 
ders are  thriving  and  wealthy.  Marine  storehouses  are  seen  throughout  the 
place,  but  chiefly  along  the  front  of  the  harbor  and  upon  the  quay.  The 
principal  merchants  occupy  commodious  and  tasteful  residences,  built  front- 
ing the  bay.  There  is  a striking  contrast  in  the  dwellings  of  those  who  have 
settled  in  this  thriving  place,  between  the  elegant  and  convenient  town  and 
country  houses  of  the  colonial  officials  and  merchants,  and  the  ill  ventilated 
and  filthy  domiciles  of  the  Chinese,  or  the  frail  tenements  of  the  IMalays. 
The  latter  ordinarily  select  some  marshy  ground  in  the  suburbs,  near  a road 
or  pathway,  and  rear  upon  piles  their  wooden  houses,  the  only  entrance  to 
which  is  by  means  of  temporary  bridges,  often  constructed  of  a single  plank. 

The  prosperity  of  Singapore,  so  apparent  even  to  the  casual  observer,  is 
mainly  to  be  attributed  to  the  sagacious  and  energetic  Sir  Stamford  Kaffies, 
who  pursued  with  untiring  zeal,  in  spite  of  the  opposition  of  many  in  high- 
er authority,  his  determined  purpose  of  carrying  out  his  favorite  projects 
of  policy  in  the  administration  of  the  colony. 

The  population  at  the  period  of  the  Mississippi’s  visit  was  estimated  at 


'svojia  AV'ivK 


MOHCJIIK  A’l'  HINCIAI'ORH. 


POPULATION  OP  SINGAPORE. 


151 


eighty  thousand,  a number  which  shows  a very  rapid  increase  since  it  fell 
into  the  possession  of  the  British,  at  which  time  there  were  scarce  two 
hundred  on  the  whole  island  of  Singapore.  The  inhabitants  are  made  up 
of  Jews,  Chinese,  Arabs,  Malays,  and  natives  of  the  neighboring  countries. 
The  Europeans  count  the  least,  and  the  Chinese  the  largest  number ; of 
these  last  it  was  stated  that  there  are  no  less  than  sixty  thousand,  who 
are  the  artisans,  fishermen,  laborers,  and  small  dealers  of  the  place;  an 
industrious  class,  to  which  the  colony  is  indebted  for  much  of  its  trading 
activity. 

These  various  people  who  inhabit  Singapore  retain  their  national  habits 
and  customs,  and  their  peculiar  modes  of  worship.  The  Chinese  lets 
grow  his  tail,  smokes  his  opium,  and  offers  incense  to  Joss;  the  Arab  sports 
his  turban,  invokes  the  name  of  the  prophet,  and  prostrates  himself  within 
the  mosque,  while  the  European  shaves  his  beard,  drinks  London  porter,  and 
takes  his  seat  in  the  church  pew.  Most  of  the  different  nations  have  their 
places  of  worship ; there  are  Chinese  temples  and  Mahommedan  mosques, 
as  well  as  Christian  Churches.  A curious  confusion  of  religions  seems  to 
have  resulted  from  the  intermingling  of  sects,  as  may  be  inferred  from  what 
was  seen  by  the  Commodore  on  a visit  to  a Chinese  temple.  In  one  of  the 
recesses  of  the  place  the  devil  was  represented  in  human  form,  but  of 
exceedingly  hideous  physiognomy,  while  in  front  of  him  was  placed  an 
image  of  the  virgin  and  child.  This  was  certainly  a very  strange  assort- 
ment of  company,  and  naturally  set  the  Commodore  to  conjecturing  as  to 
what  could  possibly  have  brought  together  such  very  opposite  characters ; 
whether  the  intention  was  to  represent  the  mother  and  child  as  at  the  mercy 
of  the  devil,  or  the  reverse,  was  not  very  clear,  although,  from  the  decided- 
ly uncomfortable  expression  of  his  satanic  majesty’s  face,  it  might  be 
inferred  that  he  was  less  at  his  ease  than  any  of  the  company,  and  quite  out 
of  his  element.  It  was,  however,  concluded  that  the  bringing  of  Christian 
personages  into  a Chinese  temple  was  in  some  way  connected  with  the  early 
introduction  of  the  Romish  religion  by  the  Portuguese  missionaries. 

The  stay  of  the  Mississippi  at  Singapore  was  so  short  that  there  was  but 
little  opportunity  to  see  much  of  the  European  society.  Visits  and  salutes 
were  exchanged  with  the  acting  governor  and  with  the  commander  of  the 
military  forces ; these,  together  with  some  official  business  transacted  with  the 
United  States  consul,  constituted  the  extent  of  the  Commodore’s  intercourse 
with  the  European  residents.  With,  however,  a Chinese  merchant,  who 
seemed  to  be  imbued  with  the  true  spirit  of  hospitality,  many  of  the  officers 
of  the  ship  formed  an  agreeable  acquaintance,  and  were  hospitably  enter- 
tained at  his  house.  This  gentleman’s  name  is  Whampoa,  a man  of  cour- 
teous bearing  and  great  intelligence,  and  who  had  made  considerable  pro- 
gress in  the  English  language,  which  he  spoke  with  some  fiuency.  His 
country  residence  was  the  most  beautiful  on  the  island.  The  house  was 


152 


* 

EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 

lai’ge,  commodious,  and  tastefully  furnished,  and  its  rooms  were  filled  with 
objects  of  curiosity  and  vertu.  Surrounding  the  dwelling  were  extensire 
pleasure  grounds  and  plantations,  on  which  the  various  productions  of  the 
island,  the  useful  as  well  as  ornamental,  were  cultivated  to  great  perfection. 
There  were  collections  of  animals  and  rare  birds,  among  which  were  the 
cassowary  and  crowned  pigeon  from  New  Guinea,  and  a singular  breed  of 
perfectly  white  pea- fowl.  The  residence  of  the  hospitable  Whampoa,  vhere 
the  Commodore  dined  and  spent  the  night,  was  surrounded  by  all  that  could 
delight  the  eye,  or  add  to  the  enjoyment  of  life.  Among  other  luxurious 
appanages  of  the  establishment,  there  was  a beautiful  white  Arabian  horse, 
kept  by  Whampoa  for  his  own  especial  use  under  the  saddle,  and  the  Com- 
modore was  very  much  struck  by  its  symmetry  of  form,. purity  of  color,  and 
excellence  of  temper,  for  it  was  as  docile  as  a lamb. 

In  a military  and  geographical  point  of  view,  Singapore  is  of  great 
importance  to  England.  By  means  of  it,  and  with  an  effective  naval  force, 
this  entrance  to  the  China  seas  may  be  commanded.  Its  position  is  vastly 
advantageous  in  a commercial  point  of  view,  from  which  it  has  become  an 
entrepot  for  the  neighboring  kingdoms  of  Sumatra,  Borneo,  Siam,  Cambo- 
dia, and  Cochin  China. 

To  Sir  Stamford  Baffles,  who  proved  himself  a master  spirit  in  every 
enterprise  he  undertook,  the  British  government  and  the  East  India  Compa- 
ny are  indebted  for  this  valuable  acquisition,  and  there  was,  it  must  be  con- 
fessed, some  show  of  equity  in  his  mode  of  proceeding.  Baffles  actually 
purchased  from  the  Bajah  of  Jahore  and  Singapore  the  right  of  sovereignty 
over  the  island  and  its  dependencies  for  a stipulated  sum  and  an  annual  pen- 
sion, and  it  is  believed  that  the  payments  have  been  regularly  made.  This 
is  an  example  which  has  been  very  rare  among  the  European  governments, 
who  have  generally  seized  violently  upon  the  finest  countries  without  scru- 
ple, and  subjected  the  inhabitants  to  political,  if  not  to  social,  servitude. 
The  Bajah  had  reason  to  pride  himself  upon  his  bargain  with  Baffles,  when 
he  reflected  how  much  better  he  had  been  treated  than  his  royal  ancestors, 
who  had  been  driven  from  their  homes  and  despoiled  of  their  possessions  by 
the  former  European  invaders. 

The  present  Bajah,  with  his  numerous  wives  and  children  occupy  a 
native  village  about  a mile  from  the  English  town.  The  Commodore  did  not 
see  him,  but  his  son,  a fine  intelligent  youth,  came  on  board  the  ship  to  pay 
his  respects.  His  father  probably  thought  his  dignity  called  for  the  first 
visit  from  the  Commodore,  which,  however,  was  prevented  by  reason  of 
engagements. 

As  a stopping  place  and  depot  for  coal,  Singapore  is  of  great  importance 
to  the  English  mail-steamers.  The  wealthy  and  enterprising  Oriental  Steam 
Navigation  Company  have  erected  at  New  Harbor,  about  two  and  a half 
miles  from  the  town,  a magnificent  depot,  comprising  wharves,  coal-sheds. 


SINGAPORE. 


153 


storehouses,  workshops,  and  other  buildings,  such  as  would  do  credit  to  anj 
English  colonial  establishment ; and  this  is  no  slight  praise.-  Singapore  is  in 
the  course  of  the  regular  mail  route  between  India,  China,  Australia,  and 
Europe.  There  is  a constant  postal  communication,  by  means  of  the  English 
and  one  or  more  Dutch  steamers,  with  Hong  Kong,  Penang,  Batavia, 
Shanghai,  Calcutta,  Madras,  Bengal,  Bombay,  Ceylon,  the  Mauritius,  Cape 
of  Good  Hope,  and,  by  the  Bed  Sea,  with  Europe  and  America. 

Supplies  of  most  kinds  required  by  vessels  can  be  obtained  at  fair  prices 
in  the  port  of  Singapore.  The  water  is  good,  and  is  supplied  from  tanks, 
under  the  supervision  of  an  official  of  the  place,  the  master  attendant. 
There  was  not  a pound  of  coal,  however,  to  be  purchased  at  Singapore,  and 
there  was  reason  to  fear  that  the  Mississippi  would  be  deprived  of  her 
necessary  supplies.  It  was  not  practicable  to  make  any  arrangement  with 
the  Labuan  Company,  for  the  whole  produce  of  the  mines  under  their  con- 
trol was  exhausted  by  the  Oriental  and  Pacific  Company,  with  which  a con- 
tract existed  for  a supply  of  one  thousand  tons  per  month.  Fortunately  for 
the  Mississippi,  however,  the  stock  of  the  last-named  company  at  Hong 
Kong  was  falling  short,  and,  as  it  was  difficult  to  procure  vessels  to  transport 
an  additional  supply,  the  agent  of  the  company  at  Singapore  agreed  to  lend 
the  Commodore  two  hundred  and  thirty  tons,  provided  it  would  be  returned 
at  Hong  Kong  By  this  arrangement  both  parties  were  accommodated,  the 
Mississippi  obtaining  her  necessary  supply  at  Singapore,  and  the  company 
securing  what  they  wanted  at  their  principal  Chinese  depot,  without  the  ex- 
pense of  its  conveyance. 

The  chief  articles  of  export  from  Singapore  are  tin,  nutmegs,  sugar,  drugs, 
tortoise  shell,  and  some  minor  commodities,  the  product  of  the  neighboring 
countries.  The  British  settlement  of  Singapore  embraces  not  only  the 
island  of  that  name,  but  a number  of  smaller  ones  scattered  about  in  the 
neighboring  seas.  The  main  island,  Singapore,  is  about  twenty-five  miles 
long,  and  fifteen  in  breadth,  containing  an  estimated  area  of  two  hundred 
and  seventy-five  square  miles.  Inland,  the  surface  of  the  country  is  diver- 
sified with  not  very  lofty  hills  and  shallow  valleys,  while  the  sea  shore  is  low 
and  overgrown  with  mangroves,  and  occasionally  broken  by  the  entrances  of 
salt  creeks,  which,  penetrating  sometimes  to  the  extent  of  six  or  seven  miles, 
overfiow  their  banks,  and  convert  the  neighboring  soil  into  marsh. 

When  the  English  first  obtained  possession  of  Singapore,  the  island  was 
covered  with  a forest,  and  entirely  without  cultivation.  Now  in  the  neigh- 
boi'hood  of  the  town,  and  extending  more  or  less  into  the  interior,  there  are 
considerable  ^plantations,  which  have  been  chiefiy  cultivated  by  the  indus- 
trious immigrants  from  China.  Bice,  coffee,  sugar,  and  other  agricultural 
productions  of  the  warmer  latitudes  are  obtained,  but  the  supply  is  not  suffi- 
cient for  the  consumption  of  the  island.  The  tropical  fruits  grow  readily, 
among  which  the  mangusteen  reaches  great  perfection,  although  its  taste  did 


154 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


not  equal  the  anticipations  formed  from  the  boasted  deliciousness  of  its 
flavor.  The  fruit,  however,  was  not  in  full  season  during  the  ship’s  stay, 
and  it  may  possibly  not  have  reached  the  height  of  its  excellence.  The 
nutmeg  is  cultivated  with  considerable  success,  as  well  as  the  cocoa-nut, 
orange,  and  other  tropical  fruits. 

Various  European  animals  have  been  introduced  into  the  island.  The 
horse  in  use  is  a stumpy,  fiery  little  creature,  wonderfully  strong  for  its  size. 
It  is  generally  harnessed  to  a light  carriage  which  is  in  common  use  on  the 
island,  and  may  he  hired  in  the  streets  of  the  town  at  a moderate  price  for 
the  day.  The  driver  seldom  takes  his  seat  upon  the  box,  hut  runs  at  the 
head  of  his  horse,  and  keeps  up  a speed  in  company  with  the  animal  of  six, 
and  sometimes  even  seven  or  eight  miles  an  hour.  This  plan  suggests  a good 
hint  for  the  prevention  of  cruelty  to  animals,  as  it  has  the  effect  of  securing 
a humane  consideration  for  the  beast,  which  is  not  likely  to  he  over  driven, 
when  for  every  step  it  takes  its  driver  takes  two,  and  is  thus  forcibly 
reminded  of  a fellow  feeling  which  cannot  fail  to  make  him  “ wondrous 
kind.” 

The  native  animals  are  generally  the  same  as  those  of  the  adjacent 
peninsula,  from  which  many  of  them  migrate.  The  tigers  especially  en- 
tertain a great  partiality  for  Singapore,  and  resort  there  in  great  numbers 
by  swimming  across  the  strait  which  separates  the  main  land  from  the  island. 
These  are  the  genuine  animals,  which  have  no  hesitation  in  pouncing  upon  a 
passing  traveller,  or  snatching  up  and  making  a meal  of  any  unfortunate 
Chinaman  or  native  who  may  happen  to  he  in  the  jungle,  busy  in  cutting 
wood,  clearing  land  for  the  rice  plantations,  or  otherwise  occupied.  It  was 
stated  on  the  best  authority  that  not  a day  passes  without  the  destruction 
of  one  human  being  at  least  by  these  ferocious  beasts.  The  Commodore  was 
at  first  somewhat  disposed  to  he  incredulous  of  this  statement,  hut  as  the 
acting  governor  and  commander  of  the  forces  both  confirmed  it,  he  could  no 
longer  hesitate  to  accept  it  as  truth.  He  was  told  by  them  that  so  much  of 
an  every  day  occurrence  was  this  fatality,  that  many  of  the  cases  were  not 
reported,  in  order  to  avoid  the  trouble  and  expense  of  a coroner’s  inquest, 
which  the  laws  require.  “ Death  by  tiger,”  however,  is  a verdict  that  might 
he  rendered  daily  were  the  legal  formalities  complied  with. 

It  is  said,  and  probably  with  truth,  that  the  tiger,  after  he  has  once 
tasted  of  human  flesh,  becomes  so  fond  of  it  that  he  prefers  its  flavor  to  that 
of  his  ordinary  venison  or  wild  boar,  and  will  make  every  efibrt  to  obtain  a 
supply  of  his  favorite  food.  It  is  this  intense  longing  for  human  flesh  which 
makes  the  tiger  so  very  dangerous  to  the  inhabitants  of  Singapore,  especially 
to  the  poor  Malay  or  Chinese  who  may  be  obliged  to  expose  himself  in  the 
jungle  and  the  forest.  It  was  said,  too,  that  the  animal  showed  decided 
preference  for  a Chinaman. 

Nor  do  these  stories  of  the  tiger  seem  very  wonderful,  when  the  fact  is 


MALAY  TOMHB.  NICAK  HIN(»A1*()KK. 


SINGAPOEE. 


155 


well  established,  that  those  savages  who  are  addicted  to  cannibalism  become 
passionately  fond  of  their  horribly  unnatural  food.  There  is  a tribe  of 
Malays,  called  Battas,  who,  like  their  fellow  Malay  tigers,  are  said  by  Sir 
Stamford  RalBes  to  eat  one  another,  and  to  prefer  such  food  io  any  other. 
Nor  are  they  to  be  classed  entirely  among  barbarians,  for  these  Battas  can 
read  and  write,  and  have  codes  of  laws  of  great  antiquity ; and  yet,  accord- 
ing to  the  authority  just  named,  not  less  than  from  sixty  to  a hundred 
Battas  are  eaten  annually,  even  during  a time  of  peace. 

In  addition  to  the  tigers  there  are  deer  and  wild  boars  found  upon  the 
island,  and  several  varieties  of  smaller  animals,  the  monkey,  the  wild  hog 
or  peccary,  the  porcupine  and  the  sloth.  Birds  abound,  and  among  them  are 
some  of  great  beauty.  Serpents  are  not  very  numerous,  but  among  them  is 
the  venomous  cobra.  A singular  animal,  called  the  water  buffalo,  was  more 
particularly  observed  at  Singapore.  It  approaches  in  size  to  the  ox  of  our 
country,  and  like  it  is  used  as  an  animal  for  draught,  being  harnessed  to  the 
shafts  of  a cart  and  guided  by  a driver,  who  holds  a rope  which  is  fastened 
to  a ring  or  thong  passed  through  the  cartilage  which  divides  the  nostrils  of 
the  animal.  The  skin  of  this  beast  is  rough,  and  not  unlike  that  of  the 
rhinoceros,  and  though  the  water  buffalo  has  somewhat  the  general  appear- 
ance of  the  ox,  its  head  is  altogether  different.  Notwithstanding  the  seeming 
thickness  and  toughness  of  its  hide,  it  suffers  greatly  from  the  flies,  and  to 
avoid  them  keeps,  except  during  feeding  time,  in  the  water ; hence,  probably, 
its  name. 

Inquiries  were  made  about  two  remarkable  inhabitants  of  the  waters 
about  IMalacca  and  Sumatra,  described  by  Baffles : the  sailing  fish,  called 
by  the  natives  ikan  layer,  and  the  duyong,  mentioned  by  Valentin,  and  so 
long  talked  of  as  the  mermaid ; but  the  Commodore  was  told  by  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Singapore  that  these  fish  had  become  very  scarce,  if  not  entirely 
extinct.  Shells  collected  upon  the  adjacent  coasts  and  along  the  Straits  of 
Malacca  are  brought  in  large  quantities  to  Singapore  for  sale,  and  some  ex- 
cellent specimens  were  obtained. 

The  various  people  who  inhabit  Sumatra,  the  Malayan  peninsula,  and 
the  numerous  islands  in  the  adjacent  seas,  are  all  of  the  Malay  family. 
This  race  is  widely  distributed,  not  only  over  the  Indian  archipelago,  but 
throughout  the  South  Sea  islands,  as  it  is  generally  conceded  that  the  natives 
of  the  latter  are  of  the  same  origin  as  the  former.  Analogous  physical 
characteristics,  customs  and  languages,  would  seem  to  prove  this  relation- 
ship. 

The  Mississippi  having  taken  on  board  the  necessary  supplies  of  fuel, 
left  Singapore  on  the  29th  of  March.  The  ship  proceeded  through  the 
middle  channel,  passing  near  a light-house  erected  on  the  rock  called  “ Pedra 
Branca.”  This  course  was  taken  with  the  view  of  running  up  on  the  Cochin 
China  and  Hainan  shores.  It  is  not  necessary  to  say  much  in  regard  to  the 


156 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


navigation  of  the  China  sea,  since  so  much  has  already  been  published  on 
the  subject.  It  may,  however,  he  stated  in  general  terms,  that  nearly  the 
whole  expanse  of  sea  from  Borneo  and  Palawan  across  to  Cochin  China  is 
rendered  dangerous  by  numerous  coral  reefs,  hanks  and  islands.  Many  of 
these  banks  and  reefs  are  below  the  surface  of  the  sea,  and  although  the  hydro- 
grapical  surveys  may  have  truthfully  stated  their  depths  when  they  were 
taken,  and  reported  a sufficiency  of  water  for  vessels  to  pass,  it  must  not  he 
forgotten  that  such  is  the  rapdity  with  which  those  little  architects,  the 
coral  zoophites,  build  up  these  foundations  of  future  islands,  that  the  work 
of  a few  years  may  materially  change  the  character  and  depth  of  the  sound- 
ings. With  such  obstructions  the  China  sea  cannot  be  navigated  without 
danger,  and  especially  in  stormy  weatlier.  Notwithstanding,  thousands  of 
vessels  go  annually  through  its  various  passages  in  safety,  while  a disaster 
occurs  now  and  then  only. 

The  surface  currents  are  influenced  by  the  prevailing  winds,  but  the  tides, 
as  in  other  parts  of  the  world,  are  governed  by  some  mysterious  laws  which 
the  wisdom  of  man  has  not  yet  entirely  ffithomed.  The  vertical  rise  and 
fall  of  the  tide  upon  the  coast  of  Cochin  China  varies  from  six  to  fourteen 
feet,  and  the  periods  and  duration  of  the  ebb  and  flood  are  by  no  means 
regular.  In  latitude  12°,  on  the  same  shore,  there  is  but  one  tide  in  the 
course  of  twenty-four  hours.  It  has  been  said  that  the  tides  in  the  tropics 
rise  and  fall  very  little.  Although  it  is  granted  that  in  high  latitudes  the 
perpendicular  flow  and  ebb  is  generally  greater  than  in  low,  still  there  are 
many  examples  of  considerable  tides  in  the  latter.  At  the  head  of  the  Gulf 
of  Cambay,  in  latitude  22°,  Horsburg  states  that  the  perpendicular  depth  of 
the  rise  and  fall  of  the  tides  is  from  thirty  to  thirty-six  feet  at  the  full  and 
change  of  the  moon.  So  also,  according  to  the  same  authority,  in  Surat 
road,  it  is  from  twenty  to  twenty-one  feet,  and  from  fifteen  to  seventeen  in 
Bombay  harbor.  Again,  in  the  Gulf  of  Martaban,  which  is  far  within  the 
tropics,  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  tide,  at  the  full  and  change  of  the  moon,  is 
twenty-three  and  twenty-four  feet,  and  ofll  Rangoon  bar  about  twenty  or 
twenty-one  feet.  In  Gasper  straits,  within  25°  of  the  equator,  there  is 
occasionally,  from  local  causes,  a rise  and  fall  of  sixteen  or  seventeen  feet 
on  the  spring  tide,  but  this  is  rare  in  places  so  near  the  equator.  These 
instances,  all  from  Horsburg,  show  that  very  considerable  tides  occur  within 
the  tropics. 

The  observation  of  the  Commodore  in  regard  to  the  single  tide  in 
twenty-four  hours,  on  the  shore  of  Cochin  China,  is  paralleled  by  analogous 
instances,  also  reported  by  Horsburg,  who  remarks : “ Although  in  most 
places  the  tide  ebbs  and  flows  twice  in  every  twenty-four  hours,  this  is  not 
universally  the  case  within  the  tropics ; for  among  several  of  the  eastern  islands 
the  tide  flows  only  once  in  twenty-four  hours.”  In  many  places,  far  beyond 
the  tropics,  the  tide  likewise  flows  only  once  in  twenty-four  hours,  particularly 


AKEIVAL  AT  HONG  KONG. 


157 


on  the  southern  coast  of  Van  Dieman’s  land;  hut  at  Port  Dalrymple,  on  the 
north  coast,  the  tide  flows  twice  in  twenty-four  hours.  The  zodiacal  lights 
glowed  in  brilliant  radiations  almost  every  morning  and  evening  during  the 
time  the  Mississippi  was  in  the  equatorial  latitudes;  and  the  chaplain,  (Mr. 
Jones,)  who  made  this  matter  a subject  of  especial  notice  and  study,  had  a 
good  opportunity  of  continuing  his  observations  upon  the  phenomena  of  this 
remarkable  appearance. 

On  the  morning  of  the  6th  of  April,  as  the  ship  was  proceeding  on  her 
course,  vast  numbers  of  Ashing  boats  were  descried  as  far  as  the  eye  could 
reach.  No  less  than  two  hundred  and  sixty-nine  of  these  little  craft  were  i 
counted,  at  one  time,  from  the  poop.  They  were  sailing  in  couples,  about 
ninety  fathoms  apart,  before  the  wind,  with  a net  extended  between  each 
two.  They  were  curiously  rigged,  having  square  sails  set  upon  two  or  three 
masts,  which  had,  at  a distance,  somewhat  the  appearance  of  courses  and 
topsails,  which  they  hoisted  and  lowered  as  they  desired  to  graduate  the  rate 
of  sailing,  in  order  to  keep  way  with  their  consorts.  These  vessels  were 
engaged  in  taking  a small  fish  similar  to  the  sardine  of  the  Mediterranean, 
and  the  same  mode  of  netting  them  is  pursued  in  both  localities. 

The  appearance  of  these  craft  was  a sure  indication  of  the  proximity  of 
land,  and  accordingly,  at  half  past  ten  in  the  morning,  it  was  sighted.  The 
ship  continuing  her  course  toward  the  roadstead  of  Macao,  was  anchored 
at  dark  under  the  Ladrones.  On  the  following  morning  she  proceeded  to 
Macao  roads,  and  after  a communication  with  the  shore,  the  course  was  con- 
tinued on  to  Hong  Kong,  where  she  finally  came  to  anchor  about  sunset  of 
the  same  day. 

Here  were  found  the  sloops-of-war  Plymouth  and  Saratoga,  and  the 
store-ship  Supply ; the  two  former  of  which,  as  the  Mississippi  let  go  her 
anchor,  fired  the  usual  salute,  which  was  duly  returned  from  the  guns  of  the 
Mississippi;  the  Susquehanna,  however,  was  nowhere  to  be  seen.  This 
vessel  had  been  designated  by  the  government  as  the  flag-ship  of  the  Com- 
modore, who,  much  to  his  surprise  and  disappointment,  found  that  she  had 
sailed  a fortnight  previously  for  Shanghai,  having  on  board  the  United  States 
commissioner  to  China,  the  Honorable  Mi'.  Marshall,  as  well  as  Dr.  Parker, 
the  secretary  of  legation,  and  Mr.  Forbes,  the  United  States  consul  at  Can- 
ton, all  of  whom  the  Commodore  desired  particularly  to  see,  before  sailing 
for  Japan.  No  other  course  was  left  to  him  therefore,  but  to  despatch  the 
Plymouth  to  the  same  port,  with  instructions  to  Commander  Buchanan  of 
the  Susquehanna  to  await  there  the  Commodore’s  arrival  in  the  Mississippi, 
which  he  meant  should  follow  the  Susquehanna  as  soon  as  she  could  be  pre- 
pared for  the  northern  cruise;  and  fortunately  Shanghai  was  at  no  great 
distance  out  of  the  route  to  Japan. 

On  the  following  day  the  customary  interchange  of  salutes  was  made 
with  the  forts  and  the  foreign  vessels  of  war  in  port,  and  this  was  succeeded 


158 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


by  an  exchange  of  personal  courtesies  among  the  officers  of  the  various 
nations  represented.  With  Commodore  Koquemausel,  of  the  French  navy, 
particularly,  who  had  his  pennant  on  board  the  frigate  Capricieuse,  the 
Commodore  enjoyed  a very  agreeable  intercourse,  both  official  and  personal. 
The  English  admiral,  Sir  F.  Pellew,  was  absent.  It  is  unnecessary  to  note, 
on  every  occasion,  the  courtesies  that  American  officers  invariably  receive  from 
the  British  authorities  abroad,  civil,  naval,  and  military.  “ In  no  instance,  ” 
remarks  the  Commodore,  “ during  a long  service  in  foreign  countries,  have 
I experienced  any  want  of  hospitable  attention ; and,  in  fact,  the  govern- 
ments of  all  nations,  with  the  exception  of  that  of  the  United  States, 
furnish  the  means  for  public  entertainments  by  ample  allowance  of  ‘ table 
money,  ’ and  it  thus  becomes  a duty,  as  it  is  doubtless  the  pleasure,  of  these 
officials  to  expend  it  hospitably.” 

The  stay  of  the  Mississippi  was  but  short  at  Hong  Kong ; long  enough, 
however,  to  make  apparent  every  sign  of  commercial  prosperity,  although 
the  place  is  not  very  attractive  to  visitors.  There  is  no  picturesque  beauty 
in  the  appearance  of  the  town,  albeit  some  travellers  have  described  it  in 
glowing  colors.  It  is  a picture  of  busy  activity;  the  shore  is  lined  with 
Chinese  boats,  the  harbor  is  crowded  with  the  shipping  of  all  nations,  and 
the  toiling  Chinese  are  kept  at  work  in  the  roads,  or  in  other  labors  required 
by  this  progressive  place.  When  the  English  took  possession  of  the  island 
of  Hong  Kong,  in  1841,  there  was  but  a bleak  and  barren  hill-side  where 
there  now  stands  the  city  of  Victoria.  The  population  of  the  place  now 
amounts  to  no  less  than  14,671,  and  while  its  commercial  warehouses,  its 
docks  and  piers,  and  its  fleet  of  traders,  give  evidence  of  its  material  pros- 
perity, its  social,  intellectual,  and  religious  progress  are  proved  by  its  club- 
houses, reading-rooms,  schools,  and  churches.  Heathenism  has  also  its  visible 
signs.  The  Chinese  have  three  temples,  and  the  Mahommedans  a mosque  at 
Hong  Kong. 

The  island  rises  at  the  north  in  a range  of  mountains,  the  base  of  which 
terminates  near  the  sea,  leaving  a narrrow  edge,  along  which  the  town  of 
Victoria  extends  for  two  or  three  miles.  There  is  a large  trade  in  opium 
between  India  and  Hong  Kong,  it  being  imported  into  the  latter  place,  and 
thence  smuggled  into  China  along  the  coast. 

There  is  no  very  extensive  agricultural  culture  at  Hong  Kong,  as  the 
land  for  the  most  part  is  rocky,  and  of  little  fertility.  On  the  southern  part 
of  the  island,  however,  the  soil  is  somewhat  more  favorable  than  that  on  the 
northern,  and  it  contains  a single  valley  which  is  tolerably  productive. 
There  is  an  abundance  of  excellent  water.  The  climate  is  hot,  and  as  the 
alternations  of  ruin'  and  heat  keep  up  an  active  decomposition  in  the  marshy 
districts  of  the  island,  they  render  it  quite  unwholesome.  The  southern  side 
of  Hong  Kong  is  the  more  healthful,  as  it  is  refreshed  and  purified  by  the 


BAEBEK  BOY,  HONG  KONG. 


CANTON. 


159 


southwestern  monsoon,  but  being  destitute  of  good  harbors,  the  English  were 
obliged  to  fix  their  settlement  on  the  north. 

The  laboring  class  and  the  small  traders  are  chiefly  Chinese,  who  are 
ever  on  the  alert  for  gain.  Their  bazaars  invite  the  passing  stranger  on 
every  street,  and  the  itinerant  artisans  go  busily  tramping  in  their  daily 
routine.  There  are  many  striking  figures  among  them,  with  their  peculiar 
costumes  and  novel  implements  of  labor.  Our  artist  caught  a vivid  impres- 
sion of  the  Hong  Kong  barber  boy. 

On  leaving  Hong  Kong,  the  Mississippi  went  to  Macao,  and  thence  to 
Whampoa,  on  the  Canton  river,  where  she  anchored.  In  this  river  there 
are  certain  bars,  and  it  is  necessary  not  only  to  take  a pilot,  but  to  employ 
small  Chinese  boats,  which  are  stationed  at  the  sides  of  the  crooked  channel, 
and  on  the  bars  alluded  to,  as  guides.  As  the  boats  receive  a dollar  each 
for  this  service,  they  are  called  “ dollar  boats.”  Whampoa,  which  is  the 
anchorage  for  all  large  vessels  whose  business  is  with  Canton,  is  on  the  river, 
about  twelve  miles  from  that  city.  The  pagoda  here  is  a marked  object,  and 
however  it  may  be  venerated  by  the  Chinese,  on  religious  grounds,  is  no  less 
regarded  for  its  usefulness  as  a land  mark  by  foreign  vessels,  for  they  steer 
and  anchor  by  its  bearings. 

The  passage  to  Canton  is  made  in  boats,  and  is  by  no  means  very  agree- 
able. The  Commodore  was  sadly  disappointed  in  the  appearance  of  the 
stream,  which  he  describes  as  muddy  and  shallow,  with  scarcely  a hut  upon 
its  banks  until  the  city  is  nearly  reached ; and  then  swarms  of  floating  habi- 
tations are  seen  moored  to  the  banks,  five  or  six  tiers  deep,  and  occupied  by 
a wretched,  half  clad  people.  Through  these  two  lines  of  receptacles  of  pov- 
erty and  filth  which  thus  border  the  stream,  you  pass  to  the  mercantile  factory, 
the  residence  of  most  of  the  foreign  merchants,  and  the  spot  where  the 
stranger  lands.  Hence  he  is  conducted  to  the  houses  of  those  to  whom  he 
bears  letters  of  introduction,  where  he  is  hospitably  received  and  takes  up 
his  lodging,  as  there  are  no  comfortable  places  of  public  entertainment  in 
this  quarter. 

The  first  impression  made  by  Canton  was  one  of  decided  disappointment. 
Perhaps  too  much  had  been  anticipated,  but  from  the  glowing  descriptions 
the  Commodore  had  read  of  the  place,  he  had  imagined  that  it  would  be 
more  striking  to  a stranger  than  in  his  case  it  proved  to  be.  He  expected 
to  behold  myriads  of  boats,  decked  with  gay  banners,  and  moving  with  cheer- 
ful activity  in  all  directions.  His  fancy  had  sketched  a pleasing  picture  of 
beautiful  floating  domiciles,  moored  under  the  banks  of  the  river,  and  inhab- 
ited by  a hundred  thousand  people  in  variegated  costume ; he  recalled  to 
memory  the  stories  of  the  lofty  pagodas,  lifting  roof  above  roof,  the  delightful 
residences  expanding  their  spacious  quarters  from  terrace  to  terrace,  and 
the  snug  cottages  with  the  picturesque  bridges  and  the  comfortable  Chinaman 
under  the  shade  of  a willow,  with  nothing  to  do  but  fish,  of  all  which  we 


ICO 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


have  been  accustomed  to  read,  and  pictures  of  which  served  to  amuse  us  in 
om’  childhood. 

But  the  sketches  of  imaginative  boyhood  were,  in  this  as  in  so  many 
other  instances,  dispelled  by  the  sober  realities  of  maturer  years.  There  was 
nothing  of  all  this  beautiful  picture  of  crowded  and  happy  life.  There 
were,  indeed,  boats  and  people,  pagodas  and  cottages,  bridges  and  trees ; 
but  there  were  also  filth  and  noise,  poverty  and  misery,  lying  and  roguery, 
and,  in  short,  anything  but  a picture  of  quiet  content  and  Arcadian  sim- 
plicity. 

On  the  visit  of  the  Commodore  to  Canton,  he,  together  with  several  of 
his  officers,  was  accommodated  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Forbes,  the  consul  of  the 
United  States,  and  the  head  of  the  firm  of  Russell  & Co.  Mr.  Forbes  was 
absent  at  the  time,  but  the  hospitalities  of  his  establishment  were  most 
freely  dispensed  by  one  of  his  partners,  Mr.  Spooner.  So  well  known  was 
this  establishment,  and  so  highly  appreciated  were  its  proprietors  by  the 
Chinese,  that  all  that  was  necessary  in  making  a purchase  in  the  city,  was 
simply  to  direct  the  shopkeeper  to  send  the  article  to  the  house  of  Mr. 
Forbes,  and  there  never  was  any  hesitation  in  assenting  at  once.  The  same 
may  be  said  indeed  of  all  the  American  houses,  with  respect  both  to  hospi- 
tality and  the  confidence  of  the  Chinese. 

The  comparatively  small  space  occupied  by  the  foreigners  on  the  river 
side  is,  notwithstanding  its  limited  extent,  quite  a pleasant  spot.  The  whole 
quarter  contains  but  about  four  acres.  The  foreign  merchants  occupy  the 
large  buildings  in  the  rear  as  places  of  business  and  abode,  while  the  front, 
which  includes  a half  of  the  whole  area,  is  beautifully  laid  out  as  a garden, 
with  an  English  church  in  the  centre,  and  the  flags  of  different  nations  float- 
ing from  tall  poles  planted  in  various  spots.  The  grounds  are  arranged  with 
walks,  and  ornamented  with  shrubbery  and  flowering  plants,  presenting  a 
delightful  resort  in  the  freshness  of  the  morning  or  the  cool  of  the  evening. 
The  stranger  is  struck  with  the  peculiar  aspect  of  the  place,  when  on  one 
side,  in  proximity  to  low,  dingy,  Chinese  houses,  buildings  of  European 
structure  rise  to  the  height  of  three  or  four  stories,  while  on  the  other,  the 
river  is  den.sely  populous  with  the  inhabited  boats.  The  foreigners  term 
their  residences  and  places  of  business  factories,  but  the  natives  designate 
them  as  Hongs,  which  is  the  usual  Chinese  word  for  a commercial  establish- 
ment or  warehouse. 

Although  there  are  but  few  of  the  larger  or  public  buildings  in  the 
foreign  quarter,  which  is  but  a suburb  of  the  city,  there  are  all  the  ordinary 
varieties  of  streets,  houses,  and  bazaars.  Foreigners  generally  confine  their 
visits  to  that  part  adjacent  to  the  garden  before  mentioned,  through  which 
Old  and  New  China  streets  run. 

The  only  hotel  in  the  place,  frequented  by  Europeans  and  Americans,  is 
near  the  latter  street,  and  is  quite  inferior.  It  is  (as  has  been  intimated) 


MIINA  MTliEKl',  (lANTO.N 


CANTON. 


161 


the  hospitable  practice  of  the  foreign  merchants  to  invite  strangers  to  their 
princely  establishments,  where  a generous  profusion  and  a warm  welcome  are 
extended  to  the  visitor.  In  addition  to  Old  and  New  China  streets,  there 
is,  hard  by,  a narrow,  filthy  alley,  not  inappropriately  called  Hog  lane,  and 
filled  with  the  most  abandoned  portion  of  the  people,  who  minister  to  the 
vicious  appetites  of  the  foreign  sailors,  supplying  them  with  wretched  grog 
and  other  dangerous  stimulants. 

There  are  no  drives  or  walks  leading  directly  into  the  country  from  the 
foreign  quarter ; the  residents  are,  therefore,  limited  to  the  river,  where,  in 
the  evening,  they  exercise  themselves  in  rowing  their  swift  little  boats.  On 
the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  however,  on  the  island  of  Honan,  there  is  a 
walk,  extending  a mile  or  more,  to  a Buddhist  temple ; but  there  is  little 
that  is  attractive  in  the  surrounding  country,  and  nothing  peculiar  about 
the  temple,  which  is  similar  to  the  other  joss  houses.  On  a visit  which  was 
made  to  this  spot  by  one  of  the  ofiicers  of  the  expedition,  a drove  of  sacred 
pigs  were  seen  in  their  sacred  styes,  and  they  seemed  to  flourish  exceedingly, 
for  they  were  so  fat  that  they  could  not  stand.  It  was  something  of  a cu- 
riosity, (though  somewhat  saddening  in  the  reflections  it  occasioned,)  to 
behold  this  sanctified  pork,  and  the  reverence  with  which  it  was  worshipped. 

Canton  is  the  capital  of  the  province  of  Kuan-tong,  from  which  the  name 
given  to  the  city  by  Europeans  has  been  corrupted.  It  is  falsely  applied,  for 
it  is  the  name  of  the  province  only,  as  we  have  just  said ; that  of  the  city 
is  Kuang-chow-foo.  The  city  is  built  on  two  rivers,  the  Choo-Keang,  or 
Pearl,  and  the  Pi-Keang,  which  is  a branch  of  the  former.  The  mouth  of 
the  Choo-Keang,  Pearl,  or  Canton  river,  is  called  the  Bocca  Tigris.  It  de- 
rives this  name  from  the  supposed  resemblance  of  the  hill-tops,  on  Great 
Tiger  Island,  to  the  outline  of  a tiger’s  head.  Although  the  resemblance  is 
not  at  first  very  striking,  it  becomes  quite  obvious  after  examination.  The 
river  is  guarded  at  its  mouth,  and  at  several  points  on  its  banks,  by  Chinese 
forts,  which,  with  their  white-washed  walls  and  general  pacific  aspect,  do  not 
appear  very  formidable.  The  view,  however,  is  pleasing,  particularly  at  the 
Bocca  Tigris,  where  the  forts  could  be  seen  stretching  their  long  white  walls 
from  the  base  to  the  summits  of  the  hills.  On  one  side  is  seen  the  “ Dragon’s 
Cave,”  and  on  the  other  the  “ Girl’s  Shoe,”  and  various  other  fortifications 
with  fanciful  names ; and  though  some  of  them  are  admirably  situated,  they 
are  all  of  a structure  which  prove  them  to  be  more  remarkable  for  show 
than  for  solid  utility. 

The  river  swarms  with  pirates,  the  fishermen  occasionally  becoming  their 
allies,  and  they  carry  on  their  depredations  unchecked  in  the  very  teeth  of 
the  forts.  When  the  pirates  fail  of  falling  in  with  strangers  whom  they  dare 
venture  to  rob,  they  fall  out  with  each  other,  and  murder  and  plunder  their 
friends  with  as  little  compunction  as  if  they  were  strangers.  In  the  passage, 
of  the  Mississippi  from  Macao  to  Whampoa,  the  anchorage  on  the  Canton 
11 


162 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


river,  one  of  the  two  Chinese  boats  in  tow  was  swamped  by  bad  steering, 
whereupon  the  other,  in  fear  of  a similar  catastrophe,  cast  off  and  attempted 
to  proceed  up  the  river.  The  owner,  who  happened  to  he  on  hoard  the 
steamer,  expressed  his  fears  that  she  would  be  overhauled  by  pirates  before 
her  arrival  at  Whampoa ; nor  were  his  fears  groundless ; she  was  hoarded 
and  robbed  a few  hours  only  after  she  had  lost  sight  of  the  Mississippi 
While  the  steamer  was  at  Hong  Kong  several  piracies  were  committed  almost 
under  the  guns  of  the  vessels-of-war.  As  for  the  land  pirates,  they  are  to 
the  full  as  expert  at  picking  and  stealing  as  the  most  accomplished  thieves 
and  pickpockets  of  New  York  or  London.  One  of  the  lieutenants  of  the 
Mississippi,  at  early  twilight  one  evening,  just  as  he  was  stepping  into  a hired 
boat  to  return  to  the  ship,  was  seized  amid  a crowd  of  people,  and  an 
attempt  was  made  to  pull  his  watch  from  his  fob ; fortunately  his  Pick- 
wickian rotundity  of  form  saved  the  watch,  but  the  chain  was  carried  off  in 
triumph. 

From  the  mouth  of  the  river  to  Canton  the  distance  is  about  thirty- two 
miles,  but  the  large  vessels  do  not  proceed  further  than  the  anchorage  at 
Whampoa,  ten  miles  below  the  foreign  quarter  of  the  city,  with  which  com- 
munication is  kept  up  by  boats.  The  country  adjacent  to  Canton  is  inter- 
sected with  rivers  and  creeks,  in  which  fish  abound,  and  a plentiful  market  is 
daily  open  in  the  city. 

The  alluvial  ground  south  of  the  city  is  highly  cultivated  with  rice  fields 
and  gardens.  The  higher  ground  to  the  north  and  east  is  wooded  with  firs 
and  other  trees.  A wall  encloses  a portion  of  the  city,  which  is  subdivided 
by  another  wall  running  from  east  to  west.  North  of  the  latter  is  that  part 
called  the  inner  or  old  city,  which  is  inhabited  chiefiy  by  the  dominant  Tar- 
tar families,  while  to  the  south  we  find  the  new  or  outer  city,  where  the 
inhabitants  are  mostly  composed  of  the  descendants  of  the  original  Chinese 
population.  The  streets  are  narrow,  tortuous,  and  winding,  like  a cork- 
screw, but  thronged  by  an  immense  population,  and  so  very  contracted  that 
there  is  often  barely  room  for  two  sedan  chairs,  the  only  vehicles  allowed,  to 
pass  each  other. 

The  importance  of  Canton  results  from  its  being  the  emporium  of  the 
great  trade  of  Europe  and  America  with  China ; the  annual  amount  of  which 
was,  some  years  ago,  estimated  at  eighty  millions  of  dollars,  the  principal 
part  of  which  is  under  the  control  of  the  merchants  of  England  and  the 
United  States. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


Hospitable  treatment  at  Macao. — TJsages  of  the  foreign  merchants  toward  ' isitors. — Depressed  condition 
of  Macao.— Description  of  the  place.— Tanka  boats,  and  girls  who  manage  them.— Cave  of  Camoens.— 
Departure  of  Mississippi  from  Macao. — Saratoga  left  to  bring  Mr.  Williams  the  interpreter. — Difficulties 
of  navigation  from  Hong  Kong  to  the  mouth  of  Tang-tse-Keang. -Entrance  of  the  river  dangerous.- 
Susquehanna,  Plymouth,  and  Supply  all  aground.— Mississippi  saved  by  the  power  of  her  engines 
ouly. — Description  of  Shanghai. — Its  immense  trade. — Cultivation  of  the  country. — Population  of  the 
city. — Visit  of  the  Commodore  to  the  Governor  of  the  city. — Chinese  rebellion. — Its  effects. — Ply- 
mouth left  at  Shanghai  to  protect  American  interests. — Departure  for  great  Lew  Chew. — Arrival  of  the 
squadron  at  the  capital,  Napha,  the  Saratoga  having  joined  at  the  entrance  to  the  harbor. 


N leaving  Canton,  Mr.  Spooner, 
of  the  house  of  Russell  & Co., 
offered  the  Commodore  the  use 
of  the  magnificent  residence  at 
Macao  belonging  to  that  firm ; 
accordingly  he,  together  with 
three  of  his  officers,  took  up 
his  quarters  in  their  sumptuous 
dwelling.  The  Commodore  and 
his  company,  thinking  that  they 
were  to  be  their  own  pi-oviders, 
their  caterer,  one  of  the  officers 
of  the  squadron,  was  very  par- 
ticular in  ordering  the  head  ser- 
vant in  charge  of  the  establish- 
ment to  procure  this  and  that,  and  no  sooner  was  a wish  expressed  than  it 
was  promptly  attended  to.  Great,  then,  was  the  surprise,  on  the  completion 
of  the  visit,  to  find  that  not  a penny  would  be  received  beyond  the  ordinary 
gratuity  by  that  prince  of  major-domos.  He  said  that  his  employers  were 
always  happy  to  have  their  house  occupied  by  their  friends,  and  he  expressed 
a hope  that  the  Commodore  and  his  companions  would  not  think  of  going 
elsewhere  on  their  next  visit  to  Macao. 

When  a guest  is  once  received  into  one  of  these  hospitable  mansions  he 


164 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


finds  himself  quite  at  home,  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  most  agreeable  society ; 
for  it  is  a custom  of  the  merchants  of  the  East  to  extend  to  strangers  of  re 
spectahility  a hospitality  that  is  quite  unreserved.  Such,  indeed,  is  the  free- 
dom of  the  guest  that  he  has  only  to  order  whatever  he  may  require  and  his 
demand  is  complied  with  at  once.  The  master  does  not  trouble  himself  about 
the  matter,  hut  he  is,  for  the  most  part  of  the  time,  away  about  his  business  ; 
and  the  whole  concern  of  the  household  devolves  upon  the  major-domo,  whose 
duty  it  is  to  satisfy  every  want.  There  is  a very  convenient  official  of  these 
establishments,  termed  a comprador,  whose  vocation  it  is  to  pay  all  the  bills 
accruing  from  the  purchases  and  incidental  expenses  of  the  guests,  who,  how- 
ever, of  course,  refund  what  has  been  paid. 

While  enjoying  the  luxury  of  these  oriental  establishments,  one,  in  fact, 
might  fancy  himself  in  a well-organized  French  hotel,  as  he  has  only  to  ex- 
press a wish  to  have  it  gratified,  were  it  not  that  he  has  nothing  to  pay  in  the 
former  beyond  the  usual  gratuities  to  servants,  while  in  the  latter  he  is 
mulcted  roundly  for  every  convenience. 

There  is  not  much  at  present  to  interest  the  visitor  at  Macao,  as  it  is  but 
a ghost  of  its  former  self.  There  is  almost  a complete  absence  of  trade  or  com- 
merce. The  harbor  is  deserted,  and  the  sumptuous  dwellings  and  storehouses 
of  the  old  merchants  are  comparatively  empty,  while  the  Portuguese  who  in- 
habit the  place  are  but  rarely  seen,  and  seem  listless  and  unoccupied.  An 
occasional  Parsee,  in  high  crowned  cap  and  snowy  robe,  a venerable  mercliant, 
and  here  and  there  a J esuit  priest,  with  his  flock  of  youthful  disciples,  may  be 
seen,  but  they  are  only  as  the  decaying  monuments  of  the  past. 

At  one  time,  however,  the  town  of  Macao  was  one  of  the  most  flourishing 
marts  of  the  East.  When  the  Portuguese  obtained  possession,  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  sixteenth  century,  they  soon  established  it  as  the  centre  of  a wide 
commerce  with  China  and  other  oriental  countries.  Its  origin  is  attributed 
to  a few  Portuguese  merchants  belonging  to  Lampacayo,  who  were  allowed 
to  resort  there  and  establish  some  temporary  huts  for  shelter  and  the  drying 
of  damaged  goods.  Hue,  the  Chinese  traveller,  gives  a different  account ; he 
states  that  the  Portuguese  were  allowed  to  settle  by  the  Emperor,  in  return 
for  the  signal  service  of  capturing  a famous  pirate  who  had  long  ravaged  the 
coasts.  From  an  humble  beginning,  the  settlement  gradually  arose  to  an  im- 
posing position  as  a commercial  place,  for  which  it  was  greatly  indebted  to 
the  monopoly  it  enjoyed  of  eastern  commerce.  It  has,  however,  declined, 
and  is  now  a place  of  very  inconsiderable  importance  and  trade. 

The  town  is  situated  upon  a peninsula  at  the  southward  of  the  island  of  Ma- 
cao. It  is  sufficiently  picturesque  in  appearance,  built  as  it  is  upon  the  accliv- 
ities of  the  rising  ground  about  the  harbor,  with  its  gay-looking  white  houses, 
which  overhang  the  terraces  that  bound  the  shore  and  look  out  upon  the 
sea.  The  houses  of  the  old  merchants,  though  they  now  bear  some  appearance 
of  neglect,  yet  attest,  by  the  spaciousness  of  the  apartments,  and  the  luxu- 


TANKA  BOAT,  MACAO. 


TANKA  UOAT  (Ulir,.  (1IIINE8E  WOMAN  AND  CHILD,  MACAO. 


TANKA  GIEL  S — C AVE  OF  CAMOENS. 


165 


riousness  of  their  appointments,  the  former  opulence  of  the  Portuguese  tra- 
ders. The  pleasant  walks  about  the  circuit  of  the  neighboring  hills  and  the 
Praya  invite  the  visitor  to  strengthen  himself  in  cheerful  exercise.  The  dull 
look  of  the  town  is  somewhat  relieved  in  the  summer  time,  when  the  foreign 
residents  of  Canton  and  Hong  Kong  resort  there  to  bathe  in  the  waters  of 
Bishop’s  Bay,  and  to  recreate  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  healthful  sea  air  of  the 
place. 

The  harbor  is  not  suitable  for  large  vessels,  which  anchor  in  Macao  roads, 
several  miles  from  the  town.  It  is,  however,  though  destitute  of  every  ap- 
pearance of  commercial  activity,  always  enlivened  by  the  fleet  of  Tanka  boats 
which  pass,  conveying  passengers  to  and  fro,  between  the  land  and  the  Can- 
ton and  Hong  Kong  steamers.  The  Chinese  damsels,  in  gay  costume,  as 
they  scull  their  light  craft  upon  the  smooth  and  gently  swelling  surface  of 
the  bay,  present  a lively  aspect,  and  as  they  are  looked  upon  in  the  distance, 
from  the  verandahs  above  the  Praya,  which  command  a view  of  the  bay,  have 
a fairy-like  appearance,  which  a nearer  approach  serves,  however,  to  change 
into  a more  substantial  and  coarse  reality. 

The  Cave  of  Camoens,  where  the  Portuguese  poet  is  supposed  to  have 
written  a portion  of  his  Lusiad,  is  a place  of  universal  interest  and  resort  at 
Macao.  It  is  picturesquely  situated  upon  the  summit  of  a small  hill,  on  the 
margin  of  the  inner  harbor.  Large  granite  rocks  are  here  gathered  in  a 
confused  cluster,  which  form  a natural  cave,  from  the  entrance  of  which 
there  is  a wide  prospect  of  the  surrounding  country.  The  banians,  the  pa- 
goda, and  other  oriental  trees  unite  their  foliage  and  form  a grove  in  which 
the  rocky  cave  is  embowered.  Surrounding  it  are  grounds  cultivated  with 
trees,  creeping  vines,  and  flowering  shrubs,  charmingly  arranged  by  the  bor- 
ders of  winding  paths,  and  upon  the  sides  of  the  hills.  Artificial  terraces, 
ingeniously  disposed,  invite  the  visitor  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  view  or  to 
rest  beneath  the  shade. 

Above  the  cave  rises  a rotunda,  from  which  there  is  an  enchanting 
prospect,  and  a marble  monument,  with  a bronze  bust  and  an  inscription, 
here  record  the  features,  the  genius,  and  virtue  of  Camoens,  the  poet. 

Camoens’  visit  to  Macao  was  during  his  banishment  from  Portugal,  in 
consequence  of  his  pertinacious  courtship  of  a lady  of  rank,  whose  parents 
did  not  affect  an  alliance  with  the  poet,  who,  although  of  a respectable  fami- 
ly, was  poor,  and  looked  upon  as  an  uncertain  adventurer.  In  1551,  he 
proceeded  to  Groa,  in  India,  where  he  again  involved  himself  in  trouble  by 
writing  his  “ Absurdities  of  India,”  and  was  banished  to  the  Moluccas,  and 
in  the  course  of  his  exile  he  resorted  frequently  to  Macao,  which  was  a favo- 
rite residence  of  the  poet.  The  cave  was  his  chosen  spot  of  retirement,  where, 
in  its  “ sweet  retired  solitude,”  he  meditated  his  great  work,  the  Lusiad. 
Camoens  returned  to  Portugal,  but  only  to  live  in  misery  and  die  in  an 
hospital. 


166 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


The  interior  of  the  island  of  Macao,  which  is  exclusively  cultivated  hy 
the  Chinese,  yields  a variety  of  vegetable  productions,  with  which  the  town 
is  supplied.  The  whole  population  is  about  20,000,  and  of  these,  13,000 
belong  to  the  peninsula  and  town,  whereof  more  than  one-half  the  inhabitants 
are  Chinese,  and  in  the  interior  of  the  island  this  race  compose  the  whole. 
The  government  of  the  town  is  in  the  hands  of  the  Portuguese.  The  Portu- 
guese have  a college,  churches  and  various  ecJucational,  benevolent  and  eccle- 
siastical institutions  in  Macao,  where  the  Chinese  also  have  their  peculiar 
establishments  and  a temple. 

On  the  evening  of  April  28th,  the  Mississippi  was  again  under  weigh,  leav- 
ing the  Saratoga  at  Macao  to  await  the  arrival  of  Dr.  S.  W.  Williams,  of 
Canton,  who  had  been  appointed  interpreter  to  the  expedition.  The  course 
was  now  directed  for  Shanghai. 

The  navigation  of  the  coast  of  China,  from  Hong  Kong  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Yang-tse-Keang,  is,  at  most  seasons,  difficult  and  perplexing.  The  fre- 
quent fogs  and  irregular  tides  and  currents  make  it  very  annoying  to  those 
who  are  strangers  to  the  navigation,  when  close  in  with  the  coast.  Fortu- 
nately, however,  vessels  are  always,  when  near  the  land,  on  anchoring  ground, 
and  although  they  are  sometimes  obliged  to  bring  to,  in  situations  exposed  to 
winds  from  the  sea,  it  is  better  to  resort  to  the  anchor  than  to  drift  blindly 
among  groups  of  islands  and  reefs.  If  the  weather  be  moderately  clear,  ves- 
sels may  run  from  island  to  island,  and  thus  navigate  the  coast  with  perfect 
safety  and  convenience,  but  the  fogs  which  prevail  at  certain  seasons  scarcely 
allow  of  this  advantage.  During  the  passages  of  the  Susquehanna  and  Mis- 
sissippi from  Hong  Kong  to  Shanghai  neither  had  a meridian  observation  of 
the  sun. 

The  entrance  to  the  Yang-tse-Keang,  which  leads  to  the  commercial  city 
of  Shanghai,  is  obstructed  on  either  side  by  shoals,  which  make  it  dangerous 
for  vessels  not  having  pilots.  On  the  north  side  is  a shoal  called  the  North 
Sand,  extending  some  six  leagues  westward  from  the  main  land,  and  on  the 
south  side  is  a parallel  shoal,  called  the  South  Sand,  projecting  nearly  as  far 
from  the  shore  on  that  side.  The  outer  extremities  of  these  shoals  are  be- 
yond sight  of  the  main  land.  The  channel  between  the  two  shoals  may 
be  estimated  at  about  two  miles  in  width,  and  there  are  no  light-houses, 
boats,  beacons,  or  buoys  to  indicate  to  strangers  the  entrance.  A small  islet 
called  Gutzlaff  Island  is  the  only  indication,  for  the  navigator  to  direct  his 
course. 

The  rise  and  fall  in  the  Yang-tse  Keang  averages  about  ten  feet,  and 
vessels  are  obliged  to  find  their  way  hap-hazard  into  the  channel,  or  perchance 
run  upon  one  of  the  sister  sands.  Numbers  of  vessels  resorting  to  Shanghai 
are  lost,  and  still  nothing  has  been  done  to  remedy  the  evil.  The  Commo- 
dore was  convinced,  on  visiting  this  river  with  the  Mississippi,  that  until 
proper  landmarks  and  beacons  are  established  to  indicate  the  entrance,  it 


11 


CAilOENs’  GAVE.  MACAO — EEAK  VIEVT. 


KIVER  WAMPO  N — S H A N G H A I . 


167 


must  be  an  unfit  resort  for  any  but  the  smaller  vessels  of  a squadron,  and 
consequently,  an  unfit  place  for  a naval  depot.  The  Susquehanna,  the  Ply- 
mouth, and  the  Supply,  all  grounded  on  going  in,  and  the  last  remained 
thumping  on  the  North  Sand  twenty-two  hours,  and  was  only  saved  from 
total  loss  by  a providential  change  of  wind.  The  Mississippi  was  carried,  in 
the  confusion  of  her  pilot,  out  of  the  channel,  but  by  good  fortune  did  not 
stop,  though  she  ran  into  nineteen  feet  water,  one  foot  less  than  her  draft, 
on  the  South  Sand,  but  the  power  of  the  engines  proved  her  salvation.  The 
wealthy  foreign  merchants  established  at  Shanghai,  who  are  gathering  a 
plentiful  harvest  from  the  increasing  trade  of  the  place,  should  contribute 
some  of  their  thousands  toward  rendering  the  navigation  less  dangerous.  It 
is  but  justice  to  say  that  a willingness  has  been  expressed  by  fome  of  these 
gentlemen  to  subscribe  liberally  toward  the  accomplishment  of  the  desired 
object,  and,  in  fact,  a boat  had  been  ordered  to  be  built  in  the  United  States, 
for  the  purpose  of  towing  vessels  up  and  down  the  river. 

Shanghai  is  built  upon  the  left  bank  of  the  river  Wampon,  a branch  of 
the  Yang-tse-Keang.  Near  the  mouth  of  the  Wampon  is  the  village  of 
Woosung,  the  station  where  the  foreign  merchants  formerly  established  their 
receiving  ships,  and  the  trading  vessels  their  anchorage.  Nothing  can  be 
less  picturesque  than  the  scenery  of  the  banks  of  the  Wampon  in  the  approach 
to  Shanghai.  Monotonous  flats  of  alluvial  grounds  stretch  their  wide  ex 
panse  on  either  side  of  the  tortuous  river.  The  fertile  fields,  rich  with  an 
abundant  harvest  of  rice  and  grain,  are  encouraging  prospects  to  the  eye  of 
the  agriculturist,  but  the  poetical  observer  is  sadly  disappointed  in  a view 
which  presents  a dead  level  of  landscape,  without  a mountain,  a hill-side,  or 
even  a tree  to  relieve  the  monotony. 

In  front  of  the  city  of  Shanghai,  quays  have  been  built  out,  and  along 
them  extend  the  storehouses  and  sumptuous  residences  of  the  foreign  mer- 
chants, which  have  been  constructed  since  the  termination  of  the  opium  war 
with  Glreat  Britain.  Here  are  to  be  found  wide  and  well  graded  streets, 
beautiful  gardens,  and  all  the  comforts  and  conveniences  that  are  to  be  met 
with  in  any  part  of  the  world.  Two  Gothic  churches,  one  belonging  to  the 
English,  and  the  other  to  the  American  Protestant  Episcopal  mission,  show 
an  encouraging  success  of  missionary  effort,  and  excite  the  hopes  of  the 
Christian,  for  the  progress  of  his  faith. 

The  Commodore  was  a guest,  while  at  Shanghai,  of  the  American  firm  of 
Russell  & Co.,  in  whose  splendid  establishment,  as  at  Macao,  every  want  was 
satisfied.  So  complete  are  the  conveniences  of  these  residences,  and  so  per- 
fect every  appointment,  that  the  stranger  finds  himself  surrounded  with  all 
the  necessaries  and  luxuries  of  his  own  home.  A trifling  incident  will  illus- 
trate the  effectiveness  with  which  the  most  insignificant  demands  of  the  guest 
are  complied  with.  The  Commodore  was  asked  if  he  liked  soda  water,  to 
which  polite  inquiry  he  responded  that  the  only  mineral  water  he  cared  for 


168 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


was  that  from  Congress  spring  in  Saratoga ; the  next  morning  the  serrant 
entered  his  room  with  a hottle  of  it.  During  the  stay  of  the  ships  at 
Shanghai  there  was  a constant  succession  of  dinners  and  halls,  and  the 
officers  were  entertained  everywhere  with  the  most  generous  hospitality. 

The  native  city  is  a great  contrast  to  that  part  of  the  suburbs  inhabited 
by  the  foreign  residents,  although  the  portion  of  the  latter  occupied  by  the 
natives  is  miserable  enough.  Shanghai,  proper,  is  enclosed  within  a wall, 
and  has  the  appearance  of  most  of  the  Chinese  cities.  The  place  is  quite 
large,  and  very  populous.  Its  streets  are  narrow,  like  most  of  those  of  the 
native  cities,  not  being  much  more  than  eight  or  ten  feet  in  width,  and  are 
intersected  by  dirty  alleys,  which  lead  to  the  rear  of  the  small  and  contracted 
dwellings  of  the  Chinese,  who  live  in  the  midst  of  foul  air  and  all  kinds  of 
filth.  The  filthiness  of  Shanghai  gives  no  favorable  idea  of  the  domestic 
habits  of  the  people  ; a slight  glance  at  the  men  and  women  usually  met  in 
the  streets  was  quite  convincing  enough  of  their  want  oi  reverence  for  what 
the  proverb  says  is  “ next  to  godliness.”  During  the  stay  of  the  Commo- 
dore at  Shanghai,  the  shops  had  been  emptied  of  their  contents  and  carried 
into  places  of  safety,  in  expectation  of  an  attack  upon  the  city  by  the  rebels  ; 
consequently,  the  bazaars  had  a dull  look,  and  but  few  of  the  native  fabrics 
could  be  seen. 

The  domestic  trade  of  the  city  has  been  immense  for  a long  time,  being 
carried  on  in  all  directions  with  the  vast  interior  of  China.  A multitudinous 
population  swarms  in  that  part  of  the  country  which  stretches  back  of 
Shanghai,  and  the  commercial  intercourse  with  the  large  city  of  Kankin  and 
others,  with  their  millions  of  inhabitants,  and  incessant  trading  activity,  was 
constant,  until  interrupted  by  the  Chinese  rebellion.  The  trade  of  Shanghai 
has  been  stated  to  be  as  large  as  that  of  any  part  of  the  world,  not  excepting 
even  Loudon. 

The  immediate  neighborhood  of  Shanghai  is  highly  cultivated,  and  fertile 
fields  stretch  in  all  directions  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach,  rich  with  their  har- 
vests of  cotton,  rice,  wheat,  barley,  beans  and  potatoes.  The  markets  of  the 
town  are  well  supplied,  and  at  moderate  prices,  with  beef,  mutton,  poultry, 
game,  fish,  and  vegetables  of  all  varieties.  Among  the  different  kinds  of 
game,  the  pheasant,  woodcock,  and  snipe  abound,  and  of  the  fish,  the  shad  is 
common  during  its  season,  of  good  size  and  flavor ; some,  indeed,  larger  than 
are  seen  in  the  United  States,  though  in  taste  inferior  to  those  caught  in  our 
rivers.  Fruit  is  scarce,  and  of  inferior  quality,  as  the  Chinese  pay  hut  little 
attention  to  its  cultivation ; some  cherries,  however,  were  tasted,  which  proved 
to  be  tolerably  good,  and  it  was  said  that  the  peaches  were  also  good.  All 
the  varieties  of  Chinese  manufactured  articles  can  ordinarily  be  obtained  at 
Shanghai,  and  especially  a silk  of  famous  fabric,  woven  at  Su-Chan,  a neigh- 
boring city.  But  the  intestine  disturbances  prevailing  deprived  the  Com- 
modore of  any  but  a hearsay  knowledge  of  many  of  these  articles,  which, 


I 


AMERICAN  CONSULATE  AND  PCKT  OF  SHANGHAI. 


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THE  T A 0 U-T  A I V ISIT  TO  HIM. 


169 


however,  are  said  to  be  obtained,  in  pacific  times,  more  easily  at  Shanghai 
than  at  Canton. 

The  foreign  commerce  has  greatly  increased  since  the  termination  of  the 
war  with  Great  Britain,  and  the  general  belief  is  entertained  that  Shanghai, 
with  its  superior  advantages,  will  monopolize  most  of  the  foreign  trade  with 
China. 

The  population  of  the  place  was  estimated  at  two  hundred  and  eighty 
thousand,  and  the  Chinese  who  composed  it  seemed  to  be  of  a better  class 
than  those  at  Canton  and  Hong  Kong.  Like  all  their  countrymen,  they  are 
indefatigable  in  labor  and  untiring  in  trading  activity,  for  which  they  have, 
undoubtedly,  a natural  instinct. 

The  Commodore,  while  at  Shanghai,  made  an  interesting  return  visit  to 
the  Taou-tai  or  governor  and  commander  of  the  city,  who  first  called  upon 
him  at  the  American  consulate,  and  afterward  visited  the  ship.  The  Taou- 
tai  has  a lucrative,  but  by  no  means  easy  office.  Among  his  other  duties,  he 
has  to  watch,  especially,  the  interests  and  conduct  of  the  foreign  residents, 
and  what  with  the  caprices  of  strangers,  the  sometimes  inordinate  claims  of 
their  representatives,  and  the  arbitrary  requirements  of  his  imperial  master, 
he  must  have  hard  work  to  keep  up  a fair  balance  between  his  duties  to  his 
government  on  the  one  hand  and  the  foreigners  on  the  other.  This  high 
official  has  also  to  sustain  the  responsibility  of  a secure  transport  of  the  taxes 
of  the  province,  and  to  fulfil  the  by  no  means  sinecure  duty  of  protecting  the 
commerce  of  Shanghai  against  the  pirates  who  swarm  the  coasts.  His  high- 
ness makes  his  official  visits  with  a pomp  and  circumstance  suitable  to  his 
dignified  station.  The  ringing  sounds  of  gongs  herald  his  approach,  and  he 
comes  seated  grandly  in  his  chair  of  state,  attended  by  his  suite  of  subordinate 
mandarins.  The  office,  in  common  with  the  general  practice  of  China,  is 
bestowed  ordinarily  upon  him  who  has  earned  one  of  the  topmost  of  the  nine 
colored  buttons,  which,  worn  above  the  official  cap,  serve,  by  their  vari-co- 
lored  grades,  to  distinguish  the  mandarins.  As  literary  eminence  is  the 
passport  to  office,  the  Taou-tai  is  ordinarily  well  up  in  Chinese  literature, 
and  can  quote  whole  passages  of  Confucius  or  Mencius  with  the  utmost 
volubility. 

In  the  Commodore’s  visit  to  the  Taou-tai  he  was  accompanied  by  twenty 
of  his  officers  and  the  American  consul,  who  were  all,  with  due  regard  to 
the  importance  of  the  occasion,  dressed  up  in  full  uniform.  The  party,  thus 
adorned,  and  duly  seated  in  sedan  chairs,  were  conveyed  from  the  consular 
residence  to  the  government  house,  situated  in  the  centre  of  the  city,  within 
the  walls.  On  arrival  at  the  entrance,  the  Commodore  and  his  suite  were 
saluted  with  the  usual  salvo  of  three  guns  (the  extent,  with  the  Chinese,  of 
honorable  ammunition  on  such  occasions)  and  the  music  of  a band.  The 
Taou-tai  was  at  the  threshold  to  meet  his  visitors,  and  as  the  Commodore 
alighted  from  his  sedan  chair  his  highness  escorted  him  into  the  hall  of 


170 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


I 

audience,  while  the  rest  of  the  company  followed.  The  Commodore  was 
placed,  in  accordance  with  Chinese  ceremony,  at  the  side  of  the  Taou-tai, 
on  a platform  raised  a little  above  the  floor. 

. On  entering  and  departing  from  the  government  house,  the  party  passed 
through  an  open  apartment,  adorned  with  a hold  representation  of  a gigantic 
Chinese  deity  on  the  wall,  and  furnished  with  large  wooden  chairs,  stuffed 
with  red  cloth  cushions,  which  were  ranged  along  the  sides.  A table  stand- 
ing in  the  apartment,  and  holding  the  vessel  containing  the  pieces  of  bam- 
boo which  are  thrown  by  the  hand  of  the  Chinese  judge  to  the  executioner, 
to  indicate  the  number  of  strokes  to  be  applied  to  the  convicted  criminal, 
showed  the  ordinary  purposes  of  the  chamber,  which  was  that  of  a hall  of 
justice. 

Refreshments,  consisting  of  teas,  liquors,  (including  champagne,)  cake, 
and  so  forth,  were  handed  round  to  the  visitors  in  succession ; and,  after  a 
stay  of  an  hour,  the  Commodore  and  his  party  returned  in  the  same  manner 
as  they  came.  Entering  again  their  sedan  chairs,  and  traversing  the  narrow 
streets  of  Shanghai  in  long  procession,  and  jostling  everyone  who  obstructed 
the  way,  they  finally  reached  the  American  consulate. 

While  Commodore  Perry  was  at  Shanghai,  the  revolution,  which  is  still 
in  progress,  had  made  great  headway.  Although  new  developments  have 
taken  place  since,  which  have  altered  very  much  the  position  of  affairs,  it 
may  not  be  amiss  to  give  the  results  of  the  Commodore’s  observations  of  a 
civil  commotion,  which  naturally  excited  his  deepest  interest.  He  writes  on 
the  spot,  at  the  date  of  May,  1853 : “ The  political  condition  of  China  at 
the  present  time  is  very  unsettled  ; the  whole  empire  seems  to  be  in  a state 
of  agitation  arguing  some  mighty  revolution ; one-half  of  the  country  is  in 
occupation  of  an  insurgent  force,  which  claims  to  represent  the  old  Chinese, 
who  were  dispossessed  a long  time  since  by  the  present  ruling  dynasty.  At 
the  head  of  the  rebel  force  is  a very  sagacious  man,  who  from  disappoint- 
ment, or  some  imaginary  wrong,  growing  out  of  his  examination  for  literary 
honors,  (so  highly  prized  by  the  Chinese,)  became  disgusted,  and  at  once 
showed  his  disaffection,  and  finally  raised  the  flag  of  open  rebellion.  At 
first  he  had  only  a few  followers,  but  in  the  course  of  time  multitudes  flocked 
to  his  standard  ; and  now,  after  overrunning  a great  many  provinces,  he  is 
quietly  in  possession  of  the  great  city  of  Nanking. 

“ This  man  denounces  the  prevailing  religion,  and  has  caused  to  be 
destroyed  numerous  Buddhist  temples.  He  professes  a faith  somewhat  sim- 
ilar to  that  of  the  Mormons  in  America,  and  gives  forth  that  he  has  constant 
communion  with  God,  and  has  been  acknowledged  as  his  Son.  His  ignorant 
and  lawless  followers  profess  to  believe  in  his  pretended  revelations,  and 
with  them  he  has  acquired  great  power  by  his  religious  devices.  He  pre- 
tends to  fraternize  with  Christians,  and  argues  that  all  Christian  nations,  by 
reason  of  similar  faith,  should  aid  him  in  driving  out  of  the  empire  the 


THE  AMERICANS  IN  CHINA. 


171 


present  usurping  family,  and  putting  upon  the  celestial  throne  a true  son  of 
heaven,  a believer  of  the  decalogue,  and  a scion  of  the  old  Chinese  monarchs. 
He  does  not  pretend  to  any  claims  himself  to  the  imperial  diadem ; hut  it 
may  be  well  imagined,  from  his  professed  dogmas  of  religion,  that  when  the 
time  comes  he  will  turn  out  to  be  the  proposed  great  Celestial  on  Earth.” 

In  the  state  of  agitation  produced  by  these  civil  disturbances  it  was 
natural  that  the  foreign  merchants  who  had  large  interests  at  stake  should  be 
anxious  about  the  security  of  their  property ; accordingly,  the  American 
commercial  houses  established  at  Shanghai  addressed  a letter  to  the  Hon. 
Humphrey  Marshall,  minister  of  the  United  States  to  China,  in  which  they 
stated  that  the  amount  of  their  property  at  a fair  valuation,  then  at  risk 
in  the  port  of  Shanghai,  was  $1,200,000,  and  that  they  considered  it  fairly 
entitled  to  protection,  which  the  rumored  withdrawal  of  the  naval  force 
would  seem  to  deprive  them  of.  Commodore  Perry,  regarding  the  interests 
of  American  citizens  in  China,  and  at  the  same  time  not  forgetting  the  great 
purpose  of  his  expedition,  resolved  to  leave  the  Plymouth  to  protect  his 
countrymen  and  their  property,  but  not  otherwise  to  interfere  with  his  own 
mission  or  the  affairs  of  China.  The  request  of  the  American  commissioner 
to  have  a vessel  of  war  to  convey  him  to  the  mouth  of  the  Peiho,  in  order 
to  secure  a recognition  on  the  part  of  the  Chinese  government  of  his  ofi&eial 
presence,  was  not  complied  with  by  the  Commodore,  who  declined  not  only 
on  the  score  of  policy,  but  from  the  necessity  of  concentrating  all  the  naval 
force  he  could  on  the  expedition  to  J apan. 

The  Mississippi  had  arrived  at  Shanghai  on  the  4th  of  May,  and  the 
interval  between  that  date  and  the  17th  of  the  same  month,  was  chiefly 
employed  in  transferring  the  Commodore  to  the  Susquehanna,  which  then 
became  his  flag-ship,  and  in  taking  in  the  usual  supplies  of  coal  and  provi- 
sions for  the  voyage.  No  less  thdiafive  tons  of  Chinese  “ cash,”  * to  be  dis- 
pensed in  the  Lew-Chew  islands,  was  rather  an  unusual  addition  to  the 
ship’s  stores. 

On  Monday  morning,  May  16th,  1853,  the  Mississippi  moved  down  the 
river,  and  was  followed  the  next  day  by  the  Commodore  in  the  Susquehanna, 
while  the  Plymouth  was  left  behind,  for  a short  time,  to  await  the  course  of 
events  in  the  rebel  camp,  her  commander  having  orders  to  follow  as  soon  as 
he  could  do  so  consistently  with  the  safety  of  American  interests  at  Shang- 
hai. 

The  day  of  departure  was  unusually  clear,  and  the  cultivated  banks  of 
the  river,  with  their  orchards  and  flelds  of  grain,  never  appeared  more  beau- 
tifully green.  With  the  flne  day,  which  gave  a bright,  cheerful  aspect  to 
every  object,  the  inspiriting  music  of  the  band,  which  struck  up  a succession 
of  lively  airs,  the  crowds  of  spectators  on  the  shore,  and  the  natural  enthu- 
siasm of  all  on  the  prospect  of  carrying  out  the  enterprise  which  was  the 


The  “ cash”  is  a small  copper  coin,  about  the  twelve-hundredth  part  of  a dollar. 


172 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


great  object  of  the  expedition,  the  departure  from  Shanghai  was  in  a high 
degree  animating. 

The  Mississippi  had  preceded,  as  we  have  seen,  the  Susquehanna,  to 
which  the  Commodore  had  now  transferred  his  flag,  and  joined  the  Supply, 
which,  after  having  grounded  on  the  North  Sand,  succeeded  fortunately  in 
getting  off  without  damage.  The  squadron,  which  now  prepared  to  sail  for 
Lew  Chew,  was  composed  of  the  Susquehanna,  the  Mississippi,  the  Supply, 
and  the  Caprice,  which  was  discovered  standing  in,  as  the  other  ships  were 
standing  out,  and  was  ordered  to  follow.  The  Plymouth  was,  as  has  just 
been  stated,  left  at  Shanghai,  as  a guard  of  American  property  and  interests, 
and  the  Saratoga  remained  at  Macao,  to  await  the  arrival  of  Dr.  Williams, 
the  interpreter.  These  vessels  were  expected  to  follow,  and  join  the  rendez- 
vous at  Lew  Chew. 

The  Susquehanna,  on  reaching  the  mouth  of  the  Tang-tse-Kiang,  came 
to  anchor  and  remained  there  for  three  days.  The  Mississippi  and  Supply 
took  up  their  positions  on  either  side.  The  junk  belonging  to  Kussell  & Co., 
the  American  merchants,  which  had  been  hired  to  carry  a cargo  of  coal  to 
the  mouth  of  the  river  to  be  put  on  board  the  Mississippi,  was,  while  under 
the  charge  of  its  own  commander  and  officers,  lost  on  the  North  Sand.  From 
the  anchorage  of  the  Mississippi,  GutzlafPs  island  could  be  seen  some  six 
miles  distant,  and  beyond  it  stretched  the  long  uneven  outline  of  Ruggles’ 
islands.  The  weather  was  alternately  clear  and  rainy,  and  when  the  sun 
did  not  shine  the  scene  was  particularly  gloomy  and  oppressive  to  the  spirits. 
The  muddy  waters  of  the  Yang-tse-Kiang,  looking  more  muddy  still  in  the 
yellow  light  of  a foggy  atmosphere,  and  the  dull  constraint  of  a tedious 
anchorage,  presented  a sad  prospect  to  the  eye,  and  a wearisome  sensation  to 
the  feelings,  which  made  all  anxious  for  departure. 

The  naturalists  had  an  opportunity  of  gratifying  their  tastes  in  observ- 
inff  a flock  of  small  birds  from  the  land,  which  hovered  in  and  about  the 
ship.  Mr.  Heine,  the  artist,  succeeded  in  obtaining  several  specimens, 
which  had  somewhat  the  appearance  of  the  starling.  He  also  caught  a 
graceful  dove,  of  a light  brownish  color.  A beautiful  king-flsher  was 
brought  on  board,  which  had  been  caught  by  some  of  the  sailors  of  the 
Mississippi.  Its  plumage  was  exceedingly  rich  and  charmingly  variegated ; 
its  long  bill  was  of  a bright  red ; its  wings  were  black ; its  body  was  of  a 
rich  blue  color,  and  its  flossy  neck  was  of  a whitish  cream  tint. 

The  Susquehanna  got  under  way  at  one  o’clock  on  the  23d  of  May,  fol- 
lowed by  the  Mississippi  with  the  Supply  in  tow,  all  bound  for  Napha,  the 
principal  port  of  the  Great  Lew  Chew  island.  In  the  course  of  the  even- 
ing, about  six  o’clock,  the  low  range  of  islands  known  as  the  Saddles,  and 
inhabited  by  a sparse  population  of  flshermen,  was  passed,  the  ships  direct- 
ing their  course  to  the  north  of  them,  where  there  is  an  open  channel  free 
from  shoals.  The  night  was  clear,  with  a full  moon,  and  the  weather  was 


n rc 


'T&ni&f 


-Capstaii . 


\ s'' 

^ ' x. 

StUcthFi^^^Zi.  ^ ^ 


J(^K  HAKDOl? 


yjRanUui 

j6:ood 


¥ 


' & ' 


"1 


CHART 


L»:  W CIIKW  1“ 

Survfvrtl  liv 

(»K»'u  KUSuftiir  r s i'K)x 

JAPAN 


//.«»  Hillfr  at  Kill  « **  J' 

tf>at  • tUV  »f  KA 
tWMKiw  r’thSirir 


g 


CHAPTER  VII 


Number  and  position  of  Islands  of  Lew  Chew. — ^Their  supposed  political  relations  to  Japan  and  China. — 
Description  of  the  island  of  great  Lew  Chew,  as  seen  on  the  first  approach  to  it — Visit  of  officials  to 
the  Susquehanna. — Visit  of  Dr.  Bettleheim. — Refusal  of  presents,  and  consequent  mortification  of  th| 
Lew  Chcwans. — E:cpIoration  of  the  island  resolved  on  by  the  Commodore. — Daguerreotyping  on 
shore. — Coral  insect  and  its  formations. — Second  visit  of  the  Authorities  of  Lew  Chew. — Regent  of  the 
island  received  by  the  Commodore. — Friendly  nature  of  the  interview. — Surprise  of  the  Lew  Chewans 
at  sight  of  the  steam  engine. — Commodore  announces  to  them  his  intention  of  returning  the  risit  at 
the  palace  ofShui. — Their  evident  embarrassment  thereat — Leave  to  go  on  shore.— Description  of 
Napha  and  its  vicinity,  by  one  of  the  officers. — Exploring  party  sets  out,  placed  under  the  command 
of  the  chaplain,  Mr.  Jones. — Mr.  Bayard  Taylor  attached  to  it,  with  orders  to  take  notes  and  furnish 
a detailed  report  of  the  journey. — Negotiations  with  the  Lew  Chew  authorities  to  obtain  a bouse  on 
shore. — Their  manifest  opposition. — Commodore  persists  and  succeeds. — Officers,  when  on  shore,  con- 
tinually watched  by  spies. — Captain  Basil  Hall's  account  of  the  Lew  Chewans  somewhat  exaggera- 
ted.— Impressions  made  on  the  officers  as  to  the  character  of  the  natives. — Hydrographic  surveys.— 
Boat  exercise  of  the  crews,  and  drilling  on  land  of  the  marines. 


N Thursday,  the  26th 
of  May,  the  squadron 
found  itself  quietly  an- 
chored in  the  harbor  of 
Napha,  the  principal 
port  of  the  Great  Lew 
Chew  island,  and  the 
first  point  where  the 
expedition  touched  on 
Japanese  territory,  if 
Lew  Chew  (or,  as  the 
natives  caU  it,  Doo 
Choo)  be  indeed  a de- 
pendency of  Japan. 
The  group  of  islands 
known  as  the  Lieou 
Kieou,  or  Lew  Chew,  is  said  to  he  in  number  thirty-six,  at  considerable 
distances  from  each  other,  and  lying  between  the  islands  of  Kioosioo  and 
Formosa ; they  are  between  24°  10'  and  28°  40'  north  latitude,  and  127° 
and  129°  east  longitude  from  Greenwich. 


r ■ '>^1^  ^ 

■■  ■ ■_  r 

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jot'  Sa^'aTloai'. 


Otmhrtff^ ' 


’V/  Lycat 


T Crawford  ^ 


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ScriomXefu. 


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^■i&s& 


St^oos'kQu.-^ 

fc.iii  'i|}\f^ 


I«rHL*r.  •^. 


Soul/i  Voiut 


7*-Bop 


SidiJn^aJ}C 


iJcep  Bay 


6’3c  Nortli 


UaTi'd^HT  Bay 


^ ^Vlchcy 


IfoLiP--  -^<I*Hanadi 


muna^o  . 


Ma.tthe*y's  Bay 


I S L AIN  n 

or 

GREAT  LE^V-^f^E^\ 


.4cfc<.'TUw?-Zu7i.  3 ry^-rrao*  a*3C* 


ISLAND  OF  LEW  CHEW, 


175 


It  is  a question  yet  discussed  to  what  power  Lew  Chew  belongs.  By  some 
it  is  said  to  be  a dependency  of  the  Prince  of  Satzuma,  of  Japan ; others 
suppose  it  to  belong  to  China.  The  probabilities,  however,  are  all  on  the 
side  of  the  dependence,  more  or  less  absolute,  of  Lew  Chew  on  Japan,  and 
probably,  also,  of  some  qualified  subordination  to  China,  as  they  undoubtedly 
send  tribute  to  that  country.  Language,  customs,  laws,  dress,  virtues,  vices, 
and  commercial  intercourse,  all  are  corroborative  of  such  an  opinion.  But 
of  this  more  will  be  said  hereafter. 

The  Great  Lew  Chew  was  seen  from  the  ships,  as  they  approached,  at  the 
distance  of  more  than  twenty  miles,  and,  when  near  enough  to  render  objects 
distinguishable,  presented  a very  inviting  appearance.  It  is  thus  graphically 
described  by  the  pen  of  one  of  the  officers  of  the  expedition  : * 

“ The  shores  of  the  island  were  green  and  beautiful  from  the  water,  di- 
versified with  groves  and  fields  of  the  freshest  verdure.  The  rain  had  bright- 

* The  well-known  traveller  Bayard  Taylor,  who  joined  the  Susquehanna  in  China.  The 
ch'cumstances  under  which  this  gentleman  joined  the  expedition  are  thus  detailed  by  the 
Commodore  : 

“ On  my  arrival  at  Shanghai  I found  there  Mr.  Bayard  Taylor,  who  had  a letter  of  intro- 
duction to  me  from  an  esteemed  friend  in  New  York.  He  had  been  a long  tune,  as  I under- 
stood, exceedingly  anxious  to  join  the  squadron,  that  he  might  visit  Japan,  which  he  could 
reach  in  no  other  way. 

“On  presenting  the  letter  referred  to,  he  at  once  made  a request  to  accompany  me,  hut 
to  tliis  application  I strongly  objected,  intimating  to  him  the  determination  I had  made  at 
the  commencement  of  the  cruise  to  admit  no  civilians,  and  explaining  how  the  few  who  were 
in  the  squadron  had,  by  signing  the  shipping  articles,  subjected  themselves  to  all  the  re- 
straints and  penalties  of  naval  law;  that  there  were  no  suitable  accommodations  for  him, 
and  that,  should  he  join  the  expedition,  he  would  be  obliged  to  suffer,  with  the  other  civil- 
ians, many  discomforts  and  privations,  and  would  moreover  be  restricted,  under  a general  or- 
der of  the  Navy  Department,  from  communicating  any  information  to  the  public  prints,  or 
privately  to  his  friends ; that  all  the  notes  or  general  observations  made  by  him  during  the 
cruise  would  belong  to  the  government,  and  therefore  must  he  deposited  with  me.  Notwith- 
standing this,  however,  with  a full  knowledge  of  all  the  difficulties  and  inconveniences  which 
would  attend  his  joining  the  squadron,  he  still  urged  his  application. 

“ Being  thus  importmied,  and  withal  very  favorably  impressed  with  his  gentlemanlike 
and  unassuming  manners,  I at  last  reluctantly  consented,  and  he  joined  the  mess  of  Messrs. 
Heine  and  Brown,  on  hoard  the  Susquehanna.  During  the  short  time  he  remained  in  the 
squadron  he  gained  the  respect  and  esteem  of  all,  and,  by  his  habits  of  observation,  aided 
by  his  ready  pen,  became  quite  useful  in  preparing  notes  descriptive  of  various  incidents  that 
transpired  during  our  brief  visit  to  Japan  and  the  islands.  It  was  the  only  service  he  could 
render,  and  it  was  afforded  cheerfully.  These  notes  have  been  used  in  the  preparation  of 
my  report,  and  due  credit  has,  I trust,  been  given  to  him. 

“ Some  of  the  incidents  illustrative  of  the  events  mentioned  in  my  official  communica- 
tions were,  with  my  consent,  written  out  by  Mr.  Taylor,  and  sent  home  by  him  for  publica- 
tion in  the  United  States.  These  he  has  used  in  his  late  work.  His  original  journals  were 
honorably  deposited  in  my  hands.  His  reports,  like  those  of  every  other  individual  detailed 
for  the  performance  of  a special  duty,  were,  of  course,  delivered  to  me,  and  became  part  of 
the  official  records  of  the  expedition.” 


176 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


ened  the  colors  of  the  landscape,  which  recalled  to  my  mind  the  richest  En- 
glish scenery.  The  swelling  hills  which  rose  immediately  from  the  water’s 
edge,  increased  in  height  towards  the  centre  of  the  island,  and  were  pictu- 
resquely broken  by  abrupt  rocks  and  crags,  which,  rising  here  and  there,  gave 
evidence  of  volcanic  action.  Woods,  apparently  of  cedar  or  pine,  ran  along 
the  crests  of  the  hills,  while  their  slopes  were  covered  with  gardens  and 
fields  of  grain.  To  the  northward  the  hills  were  higher,  and  the  coast  jutted 
out  in  two  projecting  headlands,  showing  that  there  were  deep  bays  or  in- 
dentations between.”  “ By  three  o’clock  we  were  so  near  that  the  town  of 
Napha  was  distinctly  visible,  at  the  bottom  of  the  bay.  The  cape,  called 
Abbey  Point,  projected  in  front  of  it,  covered  with  foliage,  and  the  extremity 
crowned  with  an  isolated  group  of  crags,  whose  mossy  turrets  and  buttresses 
evidently  suggested  the  name  of  the  point.  The  hills  were  dotted  in  various 
places  with  white  specks,  which  I at  first  took  to  be  dwellings,  but  which 
were  tombs  of  limestone  rock.”  * 

As  the  ships  entered,  the  British  ensign  was  seen  suddenly  to  rise  on  a 
flag-staff,  placed  near  a house,  which  was  perched  on  a curious  overhanging 
point  of  rock,  north  of  the  town ; this  house  was  the  residence  of  the  mis- 
sionary, Mr.  Bettelheim,  a convert  from  Judaism,  who  married  in  England, 
and  had,  for  some  five  or  six  years,  been  resident  on  the  island,  under  the 
auspices  of  an  association  of  pious  English  gentlemen,  officers  of  the  British 
navy,  very  much,  however,  against  the  inclinations  of  the  Lew  Chewans.  On 
passing  Abbey  Point,  the  mouth  of  the  inner  harbor  became  visible,  and 
within  it  was  a number  of  large  Japanese  junks  riding  at  anchor.  Two 
persons  were  seen  watching  the  movements  of  the  squadron  from  the  foot  of 
the  flagstaff ; and,  through  a telescope,  numbers  could  be  seen  leaving  the 
town  under  white  umbrellas. 

The  ships  had  not  been  at  anchor  two  hours,  before,  notwithstanding  the 
rain,  a boat  came  off  with  two  officials.  On  reaching  the  deck,  they  made 
many  profound  salutations,  and  presented  a folded  red  card  of  Japanese 
paper,  about  a yard  long.  The  principal  personage  wore  a loose  salmon- 
colored  robe  of  very  fine  grass  cloth,  while  the  dress  of  the  other  was  of 
similar  fashion,  but  of  a blue  color.  On  their  heads  were  oblong  caps  of 
bright  yellow ; they  had  blue  sashes  tied  around  their  waists,  and  white 
sandals  upon  their  feet.  Their  beards  were  long  and  black,  though  thin, 
and  their  ages  were,  seemingly,  some  thirty-five  or  forty  years.  They  had 
the  Japanese  cast  of  countenance,  and  in  complexion  were  a dusky  olive. 
Who  they  were,  or  what  the  purpose  of  their  visit,  was  not  immediately 
known,  as  there  happened  to  be  no  interpreter,  at  the  time  of  their  visit,  on 
board  the  Susquehanna,  to  which  ship  they  came ; but  one  of  the  Commo- 

* Extracted  from  tlie  manuscript  journal  of  Mr.  Taylor,  which,  with  those  of  other  oflS- 
cers,  pursuant  to  the  orders  of  the  Hon.  Secretary,  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Commo- 
dore. 


VISITORS  FROM  THE  SHORE.  It7l7 

dore’s  Chinese  servants  was  summoned,  who  understood  the  characters  on 
their  card  sufficiently  to  explain  that  the  visit  was  merely  a chin-chin,  or 
complimentary  salutation  on  arrival.  The  Commodore,  however,  acting  on 
his  previously  determined  plan,  declined  seeing  them,  or  receiving  any  other 
than  one  of  the  principal  dignitaries  of  the  island;  and  they  accordingly 
returned  to  the  shore.  They  had,  no  doubt,  been  sent  to  make  observations, 
and,  without  committal,  to  ascertain  what  they  could  of  the  strangers,  that 
the  policy  and  treatment  of  the  authorities  of  the  island  might  be  shaped 
according  to  circumstances. 

Scarcely  had  they  gone, before  Dr.  Bettelheim  came  on  board  in  a native 
boat ; and  such  were  the  relations  in  which  he  stood  to  the  islanders  that  he 
hailed  the  arrival  of  the  squadron  with  delight,  and  manifested  no  little  ex- 
citement of  manner.  He  was  conducted  to  the  Commodore’s  cabin,  where 
he  remained  for  two  or  three  hours ; and  in  the  course  of  the  interview  it 
appeared  that  he  had  never  heard  even  of  the  intended  American  expedition ; 
that  a year  and  a half  had  elapsed  since  any  foreign  vessel  had  been  at 
Napha,  and  that  he  was  almost  beside  himself  with  joy.  Gr«g  and  biscuit 
were  given  t#  his  beatmen,  and  in  their  exhilaratiijn,  when  they  started  fer 
the  sh*re,  they  centrived  t®  carry  the  missi®nary  seme  three  miles  up  the 
ceast. 

The  next  day,  the  27th,  the  shores  looked,  if  possible,  more  brilliantly 
green  and  beautiful  than  ever,  and  all  on  board  were  struck  with  the  loveli- 
ness of  their  appearance.  About  seven  o’clock,  four  boats  came  off,  bringing 
presents  for  the  ship ; in  one  of  these  were  the  two  visitors  of  the  day  before, 
who  brought  another  card,  seemingly  a list  of  the  presents.  He  of  the  sal- 
mon-colored robe  had  given  his  name,  on  bis  first  visit,  as  Whang-cha-ching , 
probably  the  Lew  Chew  pronunciation  of  Whang-ta-zhin,  or  “ his  excellency. 
Whang.'"'  The  presents  brought  consisted  of  a bullock,  several  pigs,  a white 
goat,  some  fowls,  vegetables,  and  eggs.  These  were  peremptorily  refused, 
nor  were  those  who  brought  them  permitted  to  come  on  board.  After  wait- 
ing a short  time,  they  returned  to  the  town,  with  an  evident  expression  of 
anxiety  and  uneasiness  on  their  countenances.  At  this  time  it  was  observed 
in  the  squadron  that  several  of  the  junks  put  out  from  the  inner  harbor  and 
sailed  to  the  northward,  as  it  was  conjectured,  for  Japan.  Some  of  them 
passed  quite  near  to  the  ships,  to  gratify  their  curiosity  by  a closer  inspec- 
tion of  such  large  vessels.  The  junks  were  somewhat  like  those  of  the 
Chinese,  and,  like  them,  had  two  great  eyes  inserted  in  the  bows,  as  if  to  see 
the  way.  Undoubtedly,  the  presence  of  the  squadron  had  created  great  alarm 
among  the  junks ; for  no  force,  half  as  large,  had  ever  been  seen  at  Napha 
before,  and  probably  some  of  the  junks  had  been  despatched  to  Japan  with 
the  news  of  the  squadron’s  appearance  at  Lew  Chew. 

A boat  was  sent  off  for  Dr.  Bettelheim,  and  he,  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Jones, 
chaplain  of  the  Mississippi,  and  Mr.  Wells  Williams,  the  interpreter,  break- 
12 


178 


E X*P  EDITION  TO 


JAPAN. 


fasted  with  the  Commodore.  An  exploration  of  the  island  was  resolved  on 
by  the  chief  It  was  to  consist  of  three  parties,  two  by  sea,  and  one  into  the 
interior.  The  former  were  to  survey,  respectively,  the  eastern  and  western 
coasts;  the  latter  to  make  a thorough  examination  of  the  interior,  and  to 
collect  specimens  of  its  animals,  minerals,  and  vegetables.  The  Commodore 
also  resolved  to  procure  a house  on  shore,  and  gave  notice  to  Mr.  Brown, 
the  artist  in  charge  of  the  daguerreotype  apparatus,  that  he  must  prepare  his 
materials,  occupy  the  building,  and  commence  the  practice  of  his  art. 

On  the  27th,  the  Commodore  gave  permission  to  the  masters’  mates  to 
take  the  gig  and  pull  about  in  the  harbor,  with  a prohibition,  however,  of 
landing  or  communicating  with  the  natives.  Mr.  Bayard  Taylor  was  of  the 
party,  and  we  prefer  to  give  our  narrative  in  his  own  words,  perfectly  satis- 
fied that  we  shall  thus  most  gratify  the  reader.  * 

“ The  crew  were  Chinamen,  wholly  ignorant  of  the  use  of  oars,  and  our 
trip  would  have  been  of  little  avail,  had  not  the  sea  been  perfectly  calm. 
With  a little  trouble  we  succeeded  in  making  them  keep  stroke,  and  made 
for  the  coral  reef  which  separates  the  northern  from  the  oar-channel.  The 
tide  was  nearly  out,  and  the  water  was  very  shoal  on  all  the  approaches  to 
the  reef  We  found,  however,  a narrow  channel,  winding  between  the  groves 
of  mimic  foliage,  and  landed  on  the  spongy  rock,  which  rose  about  a foot 
above  the  water.  Here  the  little  pools  which  seamed  the  surface  were  alive 
with  crabs,  snails,  star-fish,  sea-prickles,  and  numbers  of  small  fish  of  the  in- 
tensest  blue  color.  We  found  several  handsome  shells  clinging  to  the  coral, 
but  all  our  efforts  to  secure  one  of  the  fish  failed.  The  tide  was  ebbing  so 
fast  that  we  were  obliged  to  return  for  fear  of  grounding  the  boat.  W e hung 
for  some  time  over  the  coral  banks,  enraptured  with  the  beautiful  forms  and 
colors  exhibited  by  this  wonderful  vegetation  of  the  sea.  The  coral  grew  in 
rounded  banks,  with  clear,  deep  spaces  of  water  between,  resembling,  in 
miniature,  ranges  of  hills  covered  with  autumnal  forests.  The  loveliest  tints 
of  blue,  violet,  pale  green,  yellow,  and  white  gleamed  through  the  waves, 
and  all  the  varied  forms  of  vegetable  life  were  grouped  together,  along  the 
edges  of  cliffs  and  precipices,  hanging  over  the  chasms  worn  by  currents 
below.  Through  those  paths,  and  between  the  stems  of  the  coral  groves,  the 
blue  fish  shot  hither  and  thither,  like  arrows  of  the  purest  lapis-lazuli ; and 
others  of  a dazzling  emerald  color,  with  tails  and  fins  tipped  with  gold,  eluded 
our  chase  like  the  green  bird  in  the  Arabian  story.  Far  down  below,  in  the 

* It  is  due  to  Mr.  Taylor  here  to  state  that  we  draw  the  principal  part  of  the  story  of 
the  first  visit  to  Lew  Chew  from  his  journal,  and  are  glad  often  to  adopt  his  language,  as 
we  can  frame  none  better.  Commodore  Perry  has  desired  that  we  should  do  so.  His  own 
jom’nal  is  less  full  in  some  particulars  of  this  part  of  the  voyage,  because  he  relied  on  Mr. 
Taylor’s,  (which  he  knew  would  he  accurate  and  careful,)  to  amplify  topics  on  which  he 
made  but  brief  notes.  The  Commodore  has  particularly  directed  this  statement  to  be  made 
that  justice  may  be  done  to  Mr.  Taylor  for  the  serwces  he  rendered. 


REGENTS  VISIT. 


179 


dusky  depth  of  the  waters,  we  saw,  now  and  then,  some  large  brown  fish, 
hovering  stealthily  about  the  entrances  to  the  coral  groves,  as  if  lying  in  wait 
for  their  bright  little  inhabitants.  The  water  was  so  clear  that  the  eye  was 
deceived  as  to  its  depth,  and  we  seemed,  now  to  rest  on  the  branching  tops 
of  some  climbing  forest,  now  to  hang  suspended  as  in  mid-air,  between  the 
crests  of  two  opposing  ones.  Of  all  the  wonders  of  the  sea  which  have  fur- 
nished food  for  poetry  and  fable  this  was  assuredly  the  most  beautiful.” 

“ We  succeeded  in  obtaining  a number  of  fine  specimens  of  coral.  The 
tips  of  the  branches  were  soft  and  glutinous,  and  the  odor  exhaling  from  them 
was  exceedingly  ofiensive.” 

On  the  30th,  it  was  rumored  on  board  that  some  of  the  principal  authori' 
ties  on  shore  intended  on  that  day  to  visit  the  Susquehanna.  Mr.  Williams, 
the  interpreter,  came  on  board  and  took  up  permanently  his  quarters  in  the 
ship,  and  a boat  was  despatched  for  Dr.  Bettelheim,  to  be  present  on  the 
occasion. 

On  the  preceding  day.  Lieutenant  Contee  and  Mr.  Williams  went  on 
shore  to  pay  a visit  to  the  then  supposed  governor  of  Napha,  since  ascertained 
to  be  the  mayor.  They  were  received  in  a very  polite  and  friendly  manner ; 
though  the  mayor  expressed  his  deep  sense  of  mortification  that  his  presents 
had  been  refused.  Lieutenant  Contee  explained  that  it  was  the  uniform 
practice  of  our  government  not  to  accept  such  presents  for  her  ships,  and 
that  (in  consequence  of  our  custom)  the  offering  of  them  not  unfrequently 
subjected  the  commander  and  officers  to  mortification,  as  their  refusal  seemed 
like  an  ungrateful  return  for  offered  courtesy ; and  that  in  this  case  no  dis- 
respect was  intended. 

About  one  o’clock,  a very  ordinary  native  barge,  containing  the  Lew 
Chew  dignitaries,  came  alongside.  The  marines  were  in  uniform,  and  every 
preparation  had  been  made  on  board  to  show  them  respect  and  produce  im- 
pressive effect.  One  of  the  inferior  officers  came  first  up  the  gangway  with 
the  card  of  his  superior,  which  Mr.  Williams,  the  interpreter,  received  and 
read ; the  officer  then  returned,  and  the  regent  of  the  kingdom  of  Lew 
Chew,  a venerable  old  man,  in  a few  minutes  appeared,  supported  by  two  of 
his  officers.  Captains  Buchanan  and  Adams  received  him  at  the  gangway, 
and  were  saluted  by  the  regent  after  the  fashion  of  his  country.  His  hands 
were  joined  upon  his  breast,  while  his  body  and  knees  were  bent  very  pro- 
foundly, and  his  head  was  slightly  turned  away  from  the  person  he  addressed 
The  prince,  it  was  said,  was  a lad  of  eleven  years  old,  and  was  represented 
to  be  ill.  The  old  gentleman  acted  as  regent  for  him.  Six  or  eight  other 
officers  and  some  dozen  subordinates  followed  the  regent  to  the  deck.  A 
salute  of  three  guns  was  then  fired,  which  so  startled  some  of  the  Lew  Chew  -p 
officers  that  they  dropped  upon  their  knees.  o 

One  of  the  most  striking  features  in  the  visitors  was  their  general  im- 
perturbable gravity.  It  was  indeed  plain  that  they  had  intense  curiosity. 


180 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN, 


not  unmingled  with  considerable  alarm  ; but  they  were  careful  to  preserve 
the  most  dignified  demeanor.  They  were  conducted  to  the  captain’s  cabin, 
and  thence  shown  over  the  ship.  They  observed  every  thing  with  great 
gravity  ; but  when  they  reached  the  ponderous  engine,  their  assumed  indif- 
ference was  fairly  overcome,  and  it  was  evident  that  they  were  conscious  of 
having  encountered  in  it  something  very  far  beyond  their  comprehension. 
They  were  much  quicker  of  perception,  however,  than  the  Chinese,  as  well  as 
more  agreeable  in  features,  and  much  more  neat  and  tidy  in  apparel. 

Up  to  this  time  they  had  not  seen  the  Commodore.  He  had  remained 
secluded  in  solitary  dignity,  in  his  own  cabin.  It  was  not  meet  that  he 
should  be  made  too  common  to  the  eyes  of  the  vulgar.  All  this,  of  course, 
was  mere  matter  of  policy  for  the  time  being,  as  the  Commodore  was  no  very 
unusual  sight  to  the  officers  and  men  of  the  squadron.  The  visitors  were, 
however,  informed  that  they  were  now  to  be  conducted  into  his  presence,  and 
were  accordingly  taken  to  his  cabin.  Just  as  the  regent  reached  the  head 
of  the  steps  the  band  struck  up  a lively  air ; but  the  dignified  old  man 
passed  on  without  even  casting  an  eye  on  the  musicians.  To  him  it  was 
doubtless  a solemn  occasion.  The  Commodore  received  and  entertained  his 
guests  most  handsomely,  and  during  the  interview  of  an  hour  and  a half 
between  himself  and  the  regent,  assurances  of  amity  and  good  will  were 
exchanged  between  the  parties.  On  the  retirement  of  the  regent  he  was 
escorted  with  great  respect  to  the  ship’s  side,  and  on  his  departure  received 
honors  similar  to  those  that  had  been  tendered  on  his  arrival. 

Among  other  matters  that  occurred  at  the  meeting  between  the  regent 
and  the  Commodore,  the  latter  informed  his  guest  that  he  should  do  himself 
the  honor  to  return  his  visit,  at  the  palace,  in  the  city  of  Sheudi  or  Shui,  on 
the  following  Monday  week,  (June  6th.)  This  information  caused  some  con- 
sultation and  discussion  between  the  regent  and  his  counsellors ; but  the 
Commodore  put  an  end  to  it  by  stating  that  he  had  fully  made  a determina- 
tion to  go  to  the  palace  on  that  day,  and  should  surely  execute  it.  He 
further  added  that  he  should  expect  such  a reception  as  became  his  rank  and 
position  as  commander  of  the  squadron  and  diplomatic  representative  of  the 
United  States  in  those  regions;  and  with  a distinct  understanding,  if  not 
acquiescence,  on  the  part  of  the  regent,  to  this  effect,  he  took  his  departure. 

One  result  of  the  visit  was  very  agreeable  to  the  officers,  for  permission 
was  immediately  given  them  to  go  on  shore,  accompanied  with  a request  that 
they  would  in  no  case  intrude  themselves  where  their  presence  might  seem 
to  be  disagreeable  to  the  natives.  Thej^  very  soon  availed  themselves  of  the 
privilege,  and  a party  (of  which  Mr.  Taylor  was  one)  landed  at  the  foot  of 
the  rock  upon  which  Dr.  Bettelheim  had  erected  his  flagstaff.  They  found 
the  shore  to  be  coral  rock  covered  with  a dense  and  luxurious  vegetation ; 
and  about  the  distance  of  twenty  yards  from  flood  tide  mark,  the  gardens  of 
the  natives  commenced,  divided  from  each  other  by  coral  walls  and  bristling 


w 


LKW  CHEW  PEASANT, 


APPEARANCE  OF  NAPHA. 


181 


hedges  of  yucca  and  cactus.  Mr.  Taylor  thus  describes  this  his  first  land- 
ing on  Lew  Chew : “ Several  groups  of  Lew  Chewans  watched  our  landing, 
but  slowly  retired  as  we  approached  them.  The  more  respectable,  distin- 
guished by  the  silver  pins  in  their  hair,  made  to  us  profound  salutations.  The 
lower  classes  wore  a single  garment  of  brown  cotton  or  grass-cloth,  and  the 
children  were  entirely  naked.  Even  in  the  humblest  dwellings  there  was  an 
air  of  great  neatness  and  order.  Most  of  them  were  enclosed  within  high 
coral  walls,  in  the  midst  of  a small  plot  of  garden  land,  some  of  which  con- 
tained thriving  patches  of  tobacco,  maize,  and  sweet  potatoes. 

“ Threading  the  winding  lanes  of  the  suburb  for  a short  distance,  we 
came  into  the  broad  paved  road  which  leads  from  Napha  to  Sheudi.  It  is  an 
admirable  thoroughfare,  almost  equal  to  the  macadamized  roads  of  England. 
The  walls  on  either  hand  of  coral  rock  are  jointed  together  with  great  pre- 
cision. No  mortar  is  used  in  their  construction,  but  the  stones  are  so  well 
fitted,  (very  much  in  the  manner  of  the  Cyclopean  walls  of  Italy,)  that  the 
whole  appears,  at  a little  distance,  to  be  one  mass.  W e here  came  upon  par- 
ties from  the  Mississippi  and  Saratoga.  The  natives  collected  in  crowds  to 
see  us  pass,  falling  back  as  we  approached,  and  closing  behind  us.  They 
were  under  the  authority  of  several  persons,  who  had  evidently  received  a 
special  appointment  to  watch  us.  Among  them  were  many  fine,  venerable 
figures — old  men  with  fiowing  beards  and  aspects  of  great  dignity  and 
serenity ; but  no  sooner  were  any  of  these  addressed  than  they  retreated  with 
great  haste.  The  houses  were  all  closed,  and  not  a female  was  to  be  seen. 
The  roofs  were  of  red  tiles,  of  excellent  manufacture,  and  this,  with  the 
dark-green  foliage  of  the  trees  which  studded  the  city,  the  walls  topped  with 
cactus,*and  the  occasional  appearance  of  a palm  or  banana,  reminded  me  of 
the  towns  in  Sicily. 

“ As  we  entered  the  thickly  inhabited  portion  of  Napha,  the  road  passed 
over  the  foot  of  a low  hill,  by  regularly  graded  steps,  and  then  descended  to 
the  inner  harbor,  where  the  Japanese  junks  lay  at  anchor.  From  this  harbor 
a creek,  or  estuary,  almost  dry  at  low  water,  extends  eastward  into  the 
island.  The  market-place  is  in  this  portion  of  the  town.  It  was  deserted, 
like  the  streets,  except  by  the  inhabitants  of  two  or  three  large  tents,  which 
were  closed,  except  a narrow  aperture.  On  our  asking  (by  signs)  for  water, 
the  people  went  to  these  tents  and  procured  some  in  a square  wooden  ladle, 
exactly  similar  to  those  used  by  the  Turcomans,  in  Asia  Minor.  I did  not 
go  down  to  look  at  the  Japanese  junks,  but,  with  some  others,  followed  the 
course  of  the  creek.  Two  of  the  police  officers — as  we  took  them  to  be — 
stuck  to  us,  and  whenever  we  paused  motioned  to  us  to  take  the  road  which 
would  have  led  us  back  to  the  beach.  For  this  very  reason  I was  desirous 
of  proceeding  further.  All  of  the  town  which  we  had  seen  was  completely 
closed,  the  shops  shut,  and  the  stalls  of  vendors  of  small  wares,  in  the  streets, 
deserted  with  such  haste,  in  some  instances,  that  the  articles  remained  ex- 


182 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


posed.  We  walked  for  about  half  a mile  up  the  creek,  and  finally  reached 
another  road,  which  appeared  to  be  one  of  the  principal  thoroughfares.  The 
appearance  of  the  interior  of  the  island  was  exceedingly  beautiful.  The 
land  rose  in  bold  hills,  crowned  with  groves,  of  a variety  of  pine  which  was 
new  to  me,  resembling  the  cedar  of  Lebanon  in  its  physiognomy.  The  sides 
of  the  hills  were  covered  with  fields  of  brilliant  green,  spotted,  here  and 
there,  by  the  white-washed  sepulchres  of  former  generations.  In  the  vege- 
tation there  was  a mixture  of  the  growths  of  tropical  and  temperate  climates, 
and  in  no  part  of  the  world  have  I seen  a greater  richness  or  variety.  A 
stone  bridge,  of  rough  but  substantial  workmanship,  crosses  the  creek  near 
its  head.  I noticed  several  of  the  natives  riding  over  it  into  the  country,  on 
the  Lew  Chew  ponies — shaggy,  little  animals,  probably  descended  from  the 
Chinese  stock. 

“We  strolled  into  a temple,  from  the  walls  of  which  several  persons,  pro- 
bably females,  had  been  watching  us.  They  disappeared  with  great  rapidity 
as  we  entered  the  door.  The  court-yard  of  the  temple  was  shaded  with  fine 
trees,  but  we  discovered  nothing  of  interest  except  two  long,  narrow  boats, 
of  the  kind  called  ‘ centipede  ’ at  Hong  Kong,  designed  for  public  festivals. 
While  we  sat  down  upon  them  to  rest,  quite  a crowd  of  natives  gathered 
about  us,  and  soon  became  familiar,  though  respectful  in  their  demeanor. 
They  were  very  neatly  dressed  in  grass-cloth  robes  of  a blue  or  salmon  color, 
and  (perhaps  by  contrast  with  the  filthy  Chinese)  seemed  to  me  the  cleanest 
persons  I had  ever  seen.  The  street  vendors  had  not  had  time  to  get  out 
of  our  way,  and  they  sat  beside  their  piles  of  coarse  cheese-cakes.  There 
were  some  women  among  them,  but  they  were  all  old  and  hideously 
The  costume  of  the  female  does  not  differ  from  that  of  the  males,  but  they 
are  distinguished  by  having  a single  instead  of  a double  hair-pin.” 

On  the  30th  of  May,  the  party  ordered  to  explore  the  interior  of  the 
island,  and  its  eastern  coast,  set  out  for  the  performance  of  that  duty.  It 
consisted  of  twelve  persons — four  ofiScers,  four  of  the  crew,  and  four  Chinese 
coolies.  From  the  Susquehanna  were  sent  Mr.  Taylor  and  Mr.  Heine ; and 
from  the  Mississippi  the  Rev.  Mr.  Jones,  chaplain,  and  Dr.  Lynah,  assistant 
surgeon.  The  command  of  the  expedition  was  given  to  Mr.  Jones,  who  was 
directed  particularly  to  observe  the  geology  of  the  island  ; as,  if  it  contained 
coal,  it  was  a most  important  characteristic.  Mr.  Taylor  was  ordered  to 
take  notes,  and  write  out  a detailed  account  of  the  journey.  It  was  sup- 
posed the  duty  would  occupy  five  or  six  days,  and  accordingly  the  expedition 
was  furnished  with  provisions  for  that  period,  and  with  a tent.  The  men 
were  armed  with  cutlasses  and  carbines,  and  ten  rounds  of  ball  cartridges 
each.  It  was  not,  however,  supposed  that  there  would  be  need  of  a resort 
to  force  on  any  occasion;  still,  it  was  deemed  prudent  to  let  the  natives  see 
the  power  of  the  party  to  defend  itself ; and  beside,  guns  and  ammunition 
were  required  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  birds  and  animals. 


1 


t 


NAPHA  OFFICIAL  DEVICES. 


183 


On  this  day,  also,  the  Commodore  sent  two  of  the  officers  of  the  squad- 
ron ashore,  with  the  interpreter,  to  make  arrangements  with  the  authorities 
for  procuring  a house.  On  landing,  they  proceeded  to  a building  which 
seemed  to  he  what  we  should  call,  in  the  United  States,  a “ town  hall.”  It 
was  the  place,  in  the  village  of  Tumai,  where  common  strangers  were 
received,  and  contained  some  thirty  mats  on  the  floor  for  sleeping ; waiters 
were  also  in  attendance  with  tea  and  pipes.  The  purposes  to  which  the 
building  is  applied  seemed,  however,  to  be  various.  The  literati  meet  there 
to  converse  and  interchange  opinions ; and  any  one  of  them  may  spend  the 
night  there  upon  any  unoccupied  mat.  Our  officers,  on  reaching  this  build- 
ing, sent  for  one  of  the  principal  men,  who,  after  an  hour’s  delay,  made  his 
appearance,  and  was  most  profound  in  his  obeisance.  Tea  and  pipes  (the 
never  failing  preliminary)  having  been  disposed  of,  the  gentlemen  made 
known  their  business  to  the  Japanese  official.  He  promptly  declared  that 
it  would  be  utterly  impossible  for  the  Americans  to  occupy  a house  on  shore. 
But,  as  Captain  Hall,  of  the  British  navy,  had,  after  much  delay,  at  last 
obtained  a house  on  shore,  and  our  officers  knew  it,  they  reminded  the  Lew 
Chewan  of  the  fact,  and  simply  told  him  that  they  must  have  a house.  He 
was  very  ingenious  in  arguments  to  show  that  the  difficulties  in  the  way  were 
insurmountable.  He  was  then  asked  if  some  two  or  three  of  the  Americans 
might  not  sleep  in  the  house  for  that  night,  and  replied  that  no  American 
must  sleep  in  a house  on  shore.  Upon  being  pressed  further  he  seemed  to 
become  somewhat  impatient,  and,  rising  from  his  seat,  he  crossed  over  to 
where  the  officers  sat,  and  dispensing  with  the  aid  of  the  interpreter,  (through 
whom  all  communications  had  thus  far  been  made,)  to  the  surprise  of  our 
gentlemen,  said  : “ Uentlemen,  Doo  Choo  man  very  small,  American  man 
not  very  small.  I have  read  of  America  in  books  of  Washington — very 
good  man,  very  good.  Doo  Choo  good  friend  American.  Doo  Choo  man 
give  America  all  provision  he  wants.  American  no  can  have  house  on  shore.” 
These  were  nearly  his  exact  words ; and  the  officers  concluded  that  he  had 
probably  learned  from  Dr.  Bettelheim  what  he  knew  of  the  English  language- 
When  they  insisted  that  two  or  three  of  their  company  should  stay  in  the 
house,  at  least  for  the  night,  he  begged  permission  to  go  and  confer  with  the 
mayor  of  Napha.  He  was  gone  for  some  time,  and  probably  went  three  miles 
heyond  Napha,  to  the  palace  of  Shui,  to  confer  with  the  regent.  “ Well,’’ 
(said  one  of  the  officers,  on  his  return,)  “ we  can  sleep  here  to-night  ? ” — with 
a polite  bow  and  marked  emphasis,  he  replied  “you  cannot.”  But  our  offi- 
cers had  been  ordered  to  procure  a house,  and  resolved  to  obey ; so  they  left 
one  of  their  number  with  the  interpreter  to  sleep  there,  unless  they  should 
be  sent  for  by  the  Commodore,  while  they  returned  to  the  flag-ship  to  report 
what  they  had  done.  The  officer  and  interpreter  occupied  two  of  the  mats 
that  night,  and  the  islanders  slept  on  the  rest.  There  was  no  forcible  taking 
possession  of  a building,  as  some  have  represented.  Two  men  slept  in  the 


184 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


town-house  for  one  night,  surrounded  hy  the  natives,  and  this  was  all  that 
was  exacted  or  taken.  The  next  day  the  Commodore  sent  a sick  officer,  with 
his  servant,  to  the  place,  and  those  who  slept  there  on  the  previous  night 
came  on  board.* 

There  was  evident  opposition  on  the  part  of  the  authorities,  at  first,  to 
visits  on  shore  from  the  ships.  This  was  expected,  for  the  narratives  of  all 
who  had  visited  the  island  had  prepared  the  squadron  for  this.  Notwith- 
standing, however,  our  officers  did  go  on  shore  and  wander  over  the  town  of 
Napha  and  its  suburbs,  objects  of  no  little  interest  and  curiosity  to  the 
natives,  who  followed  them  in  crowds,  and  were  very  polite,  bowing  low  to 
them  as  they  passed.  But,  despite  all  this  courtesy,  our  officers  were  quite 
sensible  that  the  eyes  of  spies  were  upon  them  continually,  and  that  every 
movement  was  watched.  The  women  and  children  were  taught  by  these 
officials  to  run  away,  as  if  affrighted,  on  the  approach  of  the  Americans,  and, 
in  short,  a polite  suspicion  characterized  the  intercourse  on  the  part  of  the 

* We  have  before  us  an  original  note  from  the  regent  of  Lew  Chew,  addressed  to  the 
Commodore,  with  a translation  of  the  same,  made  by  Mr.  Williams.  We  insert  the  latter 
as  affording  a specimen  of  the  Lew  Chew  epistolary  style,  premising  that  to  represent  them- 
selves as  very  poor  and  obscure,  and  indeed  unworthy  almost  of  notice,  was  the  uniform 
practice  of  the  oflScials  of  the  island,  in  all  their  communications  with  our  officers.  It  seems 
to  be  part  of  their  settled  policy ; for  we  find  the  same  humble  and  depreciatory  representa- 
tions of  themselves  pervading  their  letters  to  the  British  officers,  on  the  visit  of  the  Bishop 
of  Victoria.  The  communication  below  relates  to  the  two  subjects  of  the  Commodore’s 
visit  to  the  palace  at  Shui,  and  granting  a house  for  the  use  of  the  squadron  on  shore ; both 
of  which  events  they  strove  hard,  by  various  artifices,  to  prevent. 

A prepared  petition.  Shang  Ta-mii,  regent  of  Lew  Chew,  &c.,  &c.,  hereby  urgently 
petitions  upon  important  matters.  On  the  21st  day  of  the  present  month  (this,  of  course,  is 
a translation  of  their  mode  of  expressing  time  into  ours)  I received  your  excellency’s  verbal 
orders  that  on  the  30th  day  of  the  present  month,  at  10  o’clock,  you  had  concluded  to  come 
to  the  capital  to  return  your  respects.  Also,  on  the  26th  instant,  Ching  Changlieh,  the 
mayor  of  Napha,  received  your  excellency’s  communication  saying,  that  on  the  30th  instant, 
at  10  o’clock,  it  was  decided  to  go  up  to  Shui,  the  capital,  to  return  the  visit  of  the  regent 
at  the  palace,  and  wished  this  to  be  distinctly  stated  in  the  proper  way. 

Now,  it  is  plain  to  all  that  the  capital  and  towns  of  this  little  country  are  quite  different 
from  the  provincial  capitals  of  China : here  there  is  only  a palace  for  the  king,  and  no  halls, 
official  residences,  markets,  or  shops  ; and  up  to  this  time,  no  envoy  from  a foreign  country 
has  ever  entered  into  the  palace.  In  February,  of  last  year,  an  English  general  came  here, 
bearing  a public  letter,  and  was  strenuous  to  enter  the  palace,  there  to  deliver  it ; the  high 
officers  repeatedly  requested  that  it  might  be  given  them  elsewhere,  but  he  refused,  and 
forced  himself  into  the  palace.  At  that  time,  from  the  young  prince  and  queen  dowager 
down  to  the  lowest  officers  and  people,  all  were  alarmed  and  fearful,  hardly  keeping  soul 
and  body  together ; and  the  queen  dowager  has  been  dangerously  sick  even  to  this  day,  the 
physicians  giving  her  broths  and  medicines  for  her  alarming  ailments  which  are  not  yet 
removed.  All  the  officers  in  the  country  are  really  troubled  and  grieved  on  this  account ; 
and  having  heard  that  the  ruler  of  your  country  is  endued  with  great  kindness  and  vast 
compassion,  and  highly  prizes  humanity  and  benevolence,  they  urgently  beg  of  your  excel- 


CHARACTER  OF  LEW  CHEWANS, 


185 


Lew  Cliewans.  The  sick  officer,  however,  on  shore  at  Tumai,  seemed  to  he 
on  the  best  possible  terms  with  the  natives,  and  they  certainly  were  kind. 
The  inhabitants  appear  to  be  naturally  not  unamiable,  but  the  experience  of 
our  officers  does  not  altogether  sustain  the  glowing  accounts  of  the  simplicity, 
friendliness  and  contentment  of  the  people.  Either  Captain  Basil  Hall  was 
mistaken,  or  the  national  traits  have  changed  since  the  time  of  his  visit.  He 
represents  them  as  without  arms,  ignorant  even  of  money,  docile,  tractable 
and  honest,  scrupulously  obedient  to  their  rulers  and  their  laws,  and,  in  fact, 
as  loving  one  another  too  well  wilfully  to  harm  or  wrong  each  other.  Many 
of  the  officers  of  the  squadron  went  to  the  island,  expecting  to  find  these 
beautiful  traits  of  character;  but  gradually  and  painfully  undeceived  in 
many  particulars,  they  were  constrained  to  acknowledge  that  human  nature 
in  Lew  Chew  is  very  much  the  same  as  it  is  elsewhere. 

The  system  of  government,  of  which  secret  espionage  forms  a distinguish- 
ing feature,  must  beget  in  the  inferior  classes  cunning  and  falsehood,  and 

lency,  tliat  respectfully  embodying  the  humanity  and  benevolence  of  your  sovereign,  and  his 
great  love  for  men,  you  will  take  the  case  of  the  queen  dowager,  and  her  severe  indisposi- 
tion, into  your  favorable  consideration,  and  cease  from  going  into  the  palace  to  return 
thanks.  If  you  deem  it  necessary  to  make  this  compliment,  please  go  to  the  residence  of 
the  prince,  there  to  make  your  respects  in  person.  Respecting  the  matter  of  renting  a house 
for  residing,  it  has  been  stated  by  the  mayor  of  Napha  that,  on  the  24th  instant,  he  had 
clearly  shown  forth  the  circumstances ; and,  on  the  26th,  had  received  your  excellency’s 
reply,  in  which  it  was  remarked — “ that,  whenever  the  officers  and  men  from  the  ships 
were  on  shore,  rambling  about,  they  had  no  place  of  resort,  and  that,  as  there  were  no  inns 
in  the  country,  if  they  were  overtaken  by  rain  or  bad  weather,  or  were  detained  so  that  they 
were  unable  to  return  on  board  before  night,  there  was  no  place  to  rest  at,  unless  they 
abruptly  entered  the  houses  of  the  people ; that,  as  the  men  on  board  ship  were  ignorant  of 
the  Lew  Chewan  language,  if  they  wanted  only  a cup  of  water  they  could  not  get  it ; for 
these  reasons,  one  or  two  houses  were  required,  and  if  they  were  wanted  for  other  purposes, 
these  were  all  of  a peaceable  and  friendly  nature,  but  it  was  indispensable  to  have  one.  The 
mayor  (of  Napha)  having  intimated  that  the  building  already  occupied  by  the  sailors  was  a 
hmg-hwan,  or  public  hall,  if  the  officers  would  designate  another  building,  they  would  re- 
move to  it  according  to  their  wishes.”  I find  that  the  building  now  occupied  is  a public 
house,  for  the  deliberations  of  officers  and  police,  and  meetings  on  public  business ; but 
having  sought  out  a place  which  can  be  used,  I find  that  the  8hing-hien-s^,  or  Holy  Mani- 
festing monastery,  for  preserving  the  anchorage  of  ships,  can  be  obtained  for  a residence ; 
and  I beg  that  orders  for  removal  to  this  place,  as  a temporary  residence,  may  be  given. 
Then  will  the  prince  and  authorities  one  and  all,  be  greatly  obliged  by  this  great  kindness. 
An  important  petition. 

Hien  fimg,  3d  year,  4th  moon,  27th  day,  (June  3d,  1853.) 

This  building  might  readily  have  been  granted  on  the  first  application.  It  was,  we 
believe,  the  same  used  by  the  English,  on  Captain  Hall’s  visit.  As  to  the  young  prince,  the 
reader  will  be  surprised  to  learn  that  there  were  the  strongest  reasons  in  the  minds  of  many 
for  suspecting  him  to  be  an  imaginary  personage.  No  one  believed  a syllable  of  the  story 
about  the  queen  dowager’s  illness ; indeed,  there  was  no  evidence  to  the  Americans  that 
there  was  a queen  dowager. 


186 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


these  our  officers  certainly  found.  The  Lew  Chewans  pretend  ignorance  of 
offensive  weapons,  and  of  such  no  open  display  is  made  by  the  people,  but 
Dr.  Bettelheim  says  that  he  has  seen  fire-arms  in  their  possession,  though 
they  seek  to  conceal  them  from  strangers ; and  they  are  doubtless,  by  nature, 
a pacific  people.  As  to  money,  they  know  the  value  of  gold  and  silver  very 
well,  and  they  traffic  for  the  Chinese  “ cash,”  of  which  from  twelve  to  four- 
teen hundred  are  equivalent  to  the  Spanish  dollar.  They  are  an  eminently 
shrewd  people,  and  proved  themselves  to  be  somewhat  “ smart  ” in  the  matter 
of  exchange,  when  the  disbursing  officers  of  the  squadron  came  to  settle  with 
them  the  value  of  the  “ cash.”  They  showed  no  reluctance  to  take  our  eagles 
and  half-eagles,  though  Captain  Hall  says  they  would  not,  in  his  day,  touch 
the  British  gold  coins.  They  have,  on  the  whole,  many  excellent  natural 
traits,  and  their  worst  vices  are  probably  the  result,  in  a great  measure, 
of  the  wretched  system  of  government  under  which  they  live. 

The  officers  of  the  squadron  were,  during  the  period  of  the  visit,  most 
usefully  and  diligently  employed  in  making  hydrographic  surveys,  and  the 
results  are  all  embodied  in  the  charts  which  form  part  of  the  records  of  the 
expedition.  Boat  exercise  in  the  harbor  formed  also  part  of  the  occupation 
of  the  several  crews ; while  the  marines  were  on  shore,  drilling  under  the 
charge  of  their  officers.  These  things  indicated  that  the  Commodore  was 
determined  to  have  every  department  in  the  highest  state  of  discipline,  that 
he  might  be  prepared  for  any  event. 

On  Saturday,  the  4th  of  June,  the  party  that  had  been  sent  to  explore 
the  interior  of  the  island  returned  in  safety,  and  the  result  of  their  labors  will 
be  found  in  the  following  chapter. 


Report  of  an  Inland  Exploration  of  Great  Lew  Chew,  by  a Party  from  the  Squadron,  under  the  Command 

of  Commodore  Perry. 


ONDAY,  the  30th  of  May,  says  the  report, 
was  the  day  fixed  upon  by  Commodore  Perry  for 
our  departure.  We  were  ordered  to  cross  the 
island  to  the  eastern  shore,  follow  the  line  of 
coast  northward,  and  return  through  the  interior,  pushing  our  course  as  far 
as  practicable,  under  our  instructions  to  return  within  six  days.  All  the 
stores  having  been  procured,  and  packed  in  convenient  parcels,  together  with 
portfolios  and  drawing  materials,  implements  for  preparing  birds,  &c.,  we 
landed  about  10  o’clock,  and  proceeded  to  the  house  of  the  missionary.  Dr. 
Bettelheim,  which  had  been  chosen  as  the  rendezvous.  The  authorities  had 
not  been  previously  informed  of  our  intention ; and,  as  it  was  evident  that 
we  should  not  be  allowed  to  advance  far  without  an  escort,  or  espionage  of 
some  kind,  Dr.  Bettelheim  sent  to  request  that  a proper  ofiicer  should  accom- 
pany us  as  guide.  After  waiting  about  an  hour,  and  no  person  appearing,  we 
decided  to  set  out,  believing  that  our  guide  would  be  forthcoming  before 
we  left  the  city.  In  fact,  we  had  no  sooner  reached  the  main  street,  com- 


188 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


municating  with  the  road  to  Sheudi,  than  a portly  personage,  with  a long 
white  heard,  and  two  younger  officers,  with  black  beards  and  swarthy  com- 
plexions, joined  us.  A crowd  of  curious  natives  had  also  collected,  and 
followed  us  until  we  left  the  city. 

Each  of  the  men  carried  a haversack,  in  addition  to  his  arms,  leaving 
about  120  pounds  weight  of  baggage  to  be  divided  among  the  four  coolies. 
The  men,  Terry  and  Mitchell,  marched  in  advance,  the  former  carrying  the 
flag,  while  the  other  men.  Smith  and  Davis,  remained  in  the  rear  of  the  bag- 
gage; this  order  was  preserved  during  the  whole  expedition.  We  had  not 
proceeded  half  a mile  before  our  coolies  showed  signs  of  breaking  down  under 
their  loads,  and,  even  though  we  might  force  them  to  keep  up  for  some  time 
longer,  it  was  evident  that  we  could  not  make  much  progress  without  further 
help;  Mr.  Jones,  therefore,  requested  the  portly  old  officer,  who  seemed  to 
have  special  charge  over  us,  to  supply  us  with  four  more  coolies,  promising 
that  they  should  be  paid  on  our  return.  After  waiting  half  an  hour  at  the 
northern  end  of  the  city,  four  spare  young  natives  came  up  with  bamboo 
poles,  and  relieved  the  Chinamen  of  half  their  load.  We  now  took  the  high 
road  to  Sheudi,  passing  the  salt  creek  which  comes  up  from  the  village  of 
Tum6,  by  a bridge  of  one  arch ; the  crowd  turned  back  at  this  point,  leaving 
us  about  a dozen  followers,  who  seemed  to  be  attendants  or  subordinates  of 
the  principal  officers. 

Beyond  the  bridge  we  passed  over  a meadow,  studded  with  singular  bro- 
ken rocks  of  secondary  limestone,  covered  with  clumps  of  pine  trees.  The 
road  then  passed  around  the  base  of  a hill,  the  front  of  which  was  occupied 
by  a temple  of  massive  stone  masonry.  It  was  shaded  with  large  trees,  resem- 
bling in  foliage  the  Indian  fig  or  sycamore.  Paths,  over  which  the  hedges  of 
bamboo  formed  complete  arches,  ran  up  the  sides  of  the  hill.  On  our  right  were 
meadows  of  bearded  rice,  a variety  which  Dr.  Lynah  declared  to  be  unknown 
in  the  southern  States.  The  country  now  became  open  and  undulating,  and  cov- 
ered with  the  richest  vegetation ; not  only  was  all  the  low  land  planted  with 
rice,  but  the  hills  were  in  many  places  terraced  nearly  to  the  top,  and  the  water 
carefully  conducted  from  field  to  field  by  artificial  channels.  The  streams  were 
lined  with  thick  hedges  of  banana,  and  the  knolls  which  dotted  the  landscape 
were  crowned  with  groves  of  the  Lew  Chew  pine,  a beautiful  tree,  strongly 
resembling  the  cedar  of  Lebanon  in  its  flat  horizontal  layers  of  foliage ; it  is 
probably  a new  species.  There  was  something  in  the  forms  of  the  landscape 
which  reminded  me  of  the  richest  English  scenery,  mixed  with  the  superb 
vegetation  of  the  tropics.  The  views  on  each  side  increased  in  beauty  as  we 
approached  Sheudi,  the  capital  city  of  the  island,  which  is  scattered  along  the 
southwest  slope  of  a group  of  hills.  The  houses  are  half  buried  in  foliage,  and 
stretch  over  an  extent  of  a mile,  the  citadel,  or  residence  of  the  viceroy,  oc- 
cupying an  elevated  central  position. 

The  day  was  dark  and  cloudy,  threatening  rain,  and  fresh  wind  blew  in 


A LEW  CHEW  CUNG  QHA. 


189 


our  faces  as  we  climbed  the  heights.  Near  the  summit  we  passed  through  a 
high  wooden  gate,  upon  which  were  inscribed  two  Chinese  characters,  (signi- 
fying “ the  central  hill,”  or  “ place  of  authority,”)  and  entered  the  main  street 
of  the  city,  which  is  broad,  handsomely  paved,  and  lined  with  high  walls,  be- 
hind which,  and  the  foliage  of  their  gardens,  the  principal  dwellings  are 
mostly  concealed.  As  we  reached  the  gate,  the  flag  was  unrolled,  and  fastened 
upon  the  end  of  a musket.  A fine  grove  of  old  trees,  with  crooked  trunks, 
gnarled  boughs,  and  thick,  dark-green  foliage,  attracted  my  attention  on  en- 
tering. We  had  not  proceeded  fifty  paces  before  the  ofiicers  attending  us 
beckoned  to  us  to  enter  a doorway  on  the  right  side  of  the  street.  W e made  a 
halt,  and,  leaving  men  and  coolies  outside,  went  in.  It  proved  to  be  a Cung- 
qud,  or  resting  place  for  ti’avellers,  or  rather  for  ofiicers  of  government,  since 
in  Lew  Chew  there  are  no  other  travellers.  The  Cung-qud  corresponds  very 
nearly  to  the  Turkish  khan,  except  that,  being  used  only  by  persons  of  some 
consideration  it  is  far  more  neat  and  elegant  in  every  respect.  The  house  into 
which  we  were  ushered  resembled  a private  dwelling  of  the  better  class.  The 
principal  apartment  was  carpeted  with  very  fine  soft  mats,  and  surrounded  on 
three  sides  by  an  open  verandah.  Adjoining  the  building  were  kitchens  and 
out-houses  for  servants,  and  in  front  a small  yard  planted  with  sago  palms  and 
a tree  resembling  the  Inocarpus.  We  were  politely  received  by  a gentleman 
in  a gray  robe,  who  performed  the  ko-tow  towards  us  in  the  most  approved 
style.  Seats  were  brought,  and  tea,  prepared  after  the  Chinese  fashion,  served 
in  small  cups.  The  attendant  was  directed,  by  signs,  to  wait  first  upon  Mr. 
Jones,  who  was  thenceforth  recognized  as  the  head  of  the  party.  The  for- 
mer served  us  on  his  knees,  both  when  he  offered  and  when  he  took  away  the 
cups.  We  remained  but  a few  minutes,  and  took  our  leave,  evidently  to  the 
surprise  and  perplexity  of  our  conductors,  who  did  not  as  yet  comprehend 
our  object. 

On  leaving  Napha,  we  had  noticed  an  expression  of  doubt  and  anxiety 
upon  the  faces  of  the  natives,  and  this  rather  increased  as  we  proceeded.  No 
remonstrance  whatever  was  made  to  us,  but  our  movements  were  suspiciously 
scrutinized.  When,  therefore,  we  left  the  Cung-qua,  and  instead  of  returning^ 
took  our  course  directly  onward  through  the  city,  the  faces  of  our  convoy  be- 
came clouded,  and  an  expression  of  alarm  communicated  itself  to  those  of  the 
natives  whose  curiosity  had  attracted  them  around  us.  W e soon  reached  the 
gate  of  the  citadel,  at  the  foot  of  the  massive  walls,  which,  rising  through 
groves  of  trees,  dominate  over  the  city.  The  gate  was  closed,  but  had  it 
been  open,  we  should  not  have  presumed  to  enter.  The  northern  and  eastern 
slope  of  the  hill  is  covered  with  splendid  old  trees,  divided  by  winding,  shaded 
avenues,  on  the  sides  of  which  many  natives  were  sitting,  with  fans  in  their 
hands.  The  sun,  which  shone  out  hot  and  clear  for  an  instant,  chequered 
this  rich  park-like  scenery  with  strong  contrasts  of  light  and  shadow,  and 
down  through  the  depths  of  the  trees  illuminated  the  face  of  a pool  of  water, 


190 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


SO  completely  covered  with  the  floating  leaves  of  a species  of  lily  as  to  appear 
like  a patch  of  green  sward.  We  passed  around  the  base  of  the  citadel  to  its 
eastern  side,  and  after  some  deliberation,  took  a paved  road  which  led  through 
the  suburbs  of  the  city  in  an  E.  S.  E.  direction.  Wherever  we  turned  we 
could  see  scouts  running  in  advance,  and  driving  the  inhabitants  away  from 
our  path,  so  that  a silence  and  desertion,  like  that  which  follows  pestilence, 
took  place  wherever  we  moved.  All  with  whom  we  accidentally  came  in  con- 
tact saluted  us  politely,  but  with  a settled  air  of  melancholy,  which  I ascribed 
to  the  surveillance  exercised  over  them  by  an  unnatural  government,  rather 
than  any  ill-will  towards  us. 

The  northern  side  of  Sheudi  is  a wilderness  of  rich  vegetation.  The  ap- 
pearance of  a flourishing  cocoa-palm,  now  and  then,  showed  that  the  climate 
is  entirely  tropical.  The  eastern  suburb  of  the  capital  is  composed  princi- 
pally of  bamboo  huts,  thatched  with  rice  straw.  The  inhabitants  were  all 
hidden  away  out  of  sight,  and  blinds  of  split  bamboo  let  down  before  the 
doors.  We  took  a road  which  led  along  the  hills  towards  the  southeast,  and 
after  issuing  from  the  capital,  gained  a ridge  whence  we  could  see  a long 
line  of  the  western  coast,  with  the  squadron  riding  at  anchor  in  the  harbor  of 
Napha.  From  this  point  the  interest  of  the  journey  properly  commenced,  as 
we  were  entering  upon  ground  which  no  one  before  us  had  ever  explored. 
The  limit  of  the  excursions  made  by  others  was  Sheudi,  and  very  few  suc- 
ceeded in  entering  that  capital.  We  were,  therefore,  greatly  enlivened  by 
the  prospect  before  us,  and  pursued  our  way  with  more  alacrity  than  com- 
ported with  the  comfort  of  our  disheartened  conductors. 

About  a mile  from  Sheudi,  the  road  turned  more  to  the  east,  and  after 
passing  through  a dense  wood,  came  out  upon  a hill,  whence  we  caught  a 
glimpse  of  the  sea  on  the  eastern  side.  A temple  apparently  erected  during 
the  past  year,  (for  it  was  destitute  of  either  altar  or  god,)  stood  in  the  shade 
of  a clump  of  pines,  and  as  it  was  now  one  o’clock  we  halted  for  refreshment. 
Some  of  the  natives  brought  water,  while  the  men  picked  up  sufficient  dead 
wood  to  boil  our  kettle,  and  in  the  course  of  time  we  were  regaled  with  tea 
and  ship’s  biscuit.  We  offered  the  former  to  the  officers,  but  they  did  not  ap- 
pear to  relish  it.  The  Lew  Chew  coolies,  however,  ate  heartily  of  the  bis- 
cuit, which  they  had  better  earned  than  our  vagabond  Chinese.  They  gave 
the  name  of  the  place  as  Pino.  Mr.  Heine  took  a sketch  of  it,  and  astonished 
the  natives,  some  forty  or  fifty  of  whom  had  collected  to  look  at  us,  by  firing 
at  a mark  with  his  rifle.  Immediately  after  leaving  Piilo,  whence  we  started 
at  3 p.  m.,  the  paved  road  ceased  and  the  way  became  deep  and  miry.  Tho 
soil  was  a lead-colored,  stiff  clay,  the  disintegration  of  shale  rock,  which  here 
appeared  for  the  first  time.  W e had  not  proceeded  more  than  half  a mile 
before  we  reached  the  dividing  ridge  or  crest  of  the  island,  and  a magnificent 
panorama  opened  below  us  to  the  eastward.  The  sea-line  of  the  Pacific 
formed  the  horizon,  and  a spacious  sheet  of  water  between  two  headlands 


EXPLORATION  OF  LEW  OHEW. 


191 


which  made  out  from  the  island  led  us  to  suppose  that  we  were  looking  upon 
Barrow’s  Bay.  Between  us  and  the  sea  lay  an  amphitheatre  of  hills,  culti- 
vated to  their  very  tops  and  clothed  with  the  greenest  verdure.  Their  sides 
were  carefully  terraced,  and  every  advantage  taken  of  the  inclination  of  the 
soil,  so  as  to  collect  the  rains  for  irrigation.  The  cultivation  was  quite  as 
patient  and  thorough  as  that  of  China.  The  picturesque  formation  of 
the  hills  gave  a great  variety  of  outline  to  the  landscape,  which  embraced 
a compass  of  perhaps  twenty  miles.  Towards  the  west  we  overlooked  all 
the  country  we  had  passed,  as  far  as  a headland  in  the  northwest  which  I 
took  to  be  Cape  Broughton.  Mr.  Heine  took  a sketch  of  the  view,  looking 
eastward,  while  I attempted  to  take  the  western  side. 

Resuming  our  march,  we  descended  the  ridge,  which  was  about  600  feet 
above  the  sea-level.  The  clayey  path  leading  down  was  very  wet  and  slip- 
pery, and  the  coolies  fell  and  rolled  over  several  times  with  the  baggage. 
Passing  through  gaps  between  the  lower  hills,  we  reached  a semi-circular 
plain,  nearly  two  miles  in  breadth,  extending  around  the  head  of  the  bay. 
On  either  side  was  a village  of  thatched  huts,  buried  in  trees.  The  scouts 
had  already  been  before  us,  and  the  natives  lay  concealed  in  their  habitations 
The  former  supposed  that  we  would  take  a road  leading  to  a large  village  at 
the  head  of  the  bay,  but  as  we  turned  abruptly  to  the  northward,  we  soon 
saw  them  running  across  the  fields  to  regain  the  road  ahead  of  us.  There 
were  a number  of  villages  at  the  base  of  the  hills,  on  our  left,  but  so  thickly 
studded  with  trees  that  tl^ey  were  almost  concealed  from  view.  I collected 
a number  of  plants,  one  of  them  a species  of  althaea,  with  a splendid  scarlet 
blossom.  The  road  which  we  took  led  through  the  rice  fields  and  was  very 
deep  and  muddy.  While  stopping  to  rest  on  a bridge  over  one  of  the  irriga- 
ting streams,  our  old  conductor  came  up  with  his  two  assistants,  and  intima- 
ted to  us  by  signs  that  it  was  time  we  should  return  to  the  ships.  The  sun 
would  soon  set,  they  said,  and  we  should  have  noplace  to  sleep.  We  replied, 
(also  by  signs,)  that  instead  of  returning  we  were  going  northward  and  would 
not  reach  the  ships  again  for  five  or  six  days.  They  appeared  greatly  sur- 
prised at  this  and  a little  troubled,  since  it  was  part  of  their  duty  not  to  lose 
sight  of  us.  The  old  fellow,  who,  in  his  haste  to  keep  up,  had  slipped  down  in 
the  muddy  road  and  soiled  the  hinder  part  of  his  robe,  laughed  heartily  at  the 
accident,  and  finally  became  resigned  to  the  prospect  of  the  long  tramp  be- 
fore him.  They  then  pointed  to  the  west,  saying  that  there  was  a Cung-qui 
in  that  direction,  where  we  could  spend  the  night.  Our  course,  however, 
was  nearly  northeast,  and  about  half  past  five,  having  reached  a hill  over- 
looking the  bay,  on  the  summit  of  which  was  an  open  space  surrounded  with 
young  pines,  we  determined  to  encamp  there.  The  people  objected  to  our 
cutting  down  the  trees,  and  we  made  tentpoles  by  fastening  together  the 
bamboo  staves  used  by  the  coolies.  There  was  a village  on  the  slope  of  the 
hill  below  us,  and  after  some  delay,  caused  by  the  difficulty  of  interpreting  our 


192 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


wants  to  the  native  ofiicials,  we  obtained  four  fowls,  forty  eggs,  and  two  bun- 
dles of  firewood.  One  of  our  Chinamen,  “ A-sbing,”  professed  to  speak  the 
Lew  Chew  language,  but  we  soon  found  him  as  miserably  deficient  in  this  as 
be  was  in  all  other  useful  qualities.  His  comrade,  however,  who  spoke  no 
English,  could  write  Chinese,  and  the  message  having  been  thus  communica- 
ted and  written,  was  finally  read  by  the  old  Pe-ching.  The  latter  refused  to 
accept  either  “ cash  ” or  dollars,  saying  that  they  were  of  no  use  to  the  peo- 
ple whatever,  but  that  everything  we  needed  would  he  furnished  us.  The 
Chinese  suggested — probably  on  their  own  account — that  we  should  pay  the 
people  in  ship’s  biscuit,  but  we  had  scarcely  enough  for  our  own  wants.  It 
was  at  length  decided  that  we  should  take  what  we  required  and  settle  for 
its  value  with  the  Pe-ching  on  our  return. 

The  people  were  tardy  in  bringing  our  firewood,  and  we  were  obliged  to 
eat  our  supper  by  the  light  of  our  camp  fire.  I succeeded  in  getting  a sketch 
of  the  bay,  while  daylight  remained.  It  is  deep  and  spacious,  and  protected 
by  reefs  across  the  mouth,  but,  judging  from  the  appearance  of  the  water,  too 
shallow  to  be  made  available  for  naval  purposes.  A large  village  lies  at  its 
head,  and  several  fishing  junks  were  at  anchor  before  it.  At  night  the  plain 
sparkled  with  lights,  some  of  them  moving  to  and  fro — probably  lanterns  car- 
ried by  persons  passing  from  one  village  to  another.  The  officers  determined 
to  remain  with  us  at  all  hazards,  and  at  their  command  the  people  brought  up 
bamboo  poles  and  matting,  out  of  which  they  erected  a temporary  structure  be- 
side our  tent.  They  were  perfectly  good  humored  in  their  demeanor,  and  sub- 
mitted with  great  patience  to  what  they  could  not  avoid.  Before  going  to  sleep 
we  arranged  four  watches  of  two  hours  each,  from  9 p.  m.  until  5 a.  m.,  and  the 
subordinate  native  policemen  kindled  a fire  and  kept  a counter- watch.  We 
were  all  somewhat  fatigued  with  our  first  march  of  ten  miles,  but  the  mos- 
quitos were  so  terribly  annoying  that  few  of  us  slept  more  than  half  an  hour 
during  the  whole  night. 

We  rose  at  dawn,  and  found  the  natives  already  stirring.  The  morning 
gave  promise  of  fair  weather.  The  Pe-ching  and  his  associates  came  up  and 
saluted  us  gravely  as  soon  as  we  arose.  It  required  about  two  hours  to  cook 
and  eat  breakfast,  strike  the  tent,  and  pack  the  baggage  for  carrying.  When 
we  were  all  ready  we  found  eight  native  coolies  on  hand,  those  whom  we  took 
from  Napha  having  returned  the  evening  previous.  Leaving  Camp  Perry 
(as  we  named  the  spot)  we  took  a path  leading  up  a steep  hill  to  the  nortL 
Winding  around  its  brow,  we  descended  into  a valley,  surrounded  by  abrupt, 
scarped  hills.  A stream  flowing  at  the  bottom  of  a deep  gully,  overhung 
with  large  banana  trees,  made  its  way  out  of  this  broad  cul-de-sac  towards 
the  sea.  We  crossed  the  valley  on  the  ridges  of  swampy  grass,  between  the 
flooded  rice-fields,  and  climbed  a long  and  toilsome  ridge,  by  wet,  slippery 
paths,  leading  up  through  copses  of  young  pine.  We  had  now  gained  the 
spinal  ridge  of  the  island,  and  turned  northwestward,  over  alternate  hills 


ENCAMPMENT  OF  EXPLORING  PARTY,  LEW  CHEW. 


ik'. 

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HANNKlt  ItOCK 


EXPLORATION  OP  LEW  CHEW. 


193 


and  meadows,  along  its  summit.  The  wood  was  principally  pine,  hut  [ ob- 
served several  new  varieties  of  shrubs,  not  in  flower.  Now  and  then  we  passed 
the  huts  of  the  natives,  generally  in  clusters  of  two  and  three,  but  even  in 
this  secluded  region  notice  of  our  coming  had  reached  them,  and  the  inhabit- 
ants were  hidden.  I looked  into  some,  and  found  the  interiors  to  consist  of 
a single  room,  smoke-blackened,  and  furnished  with  the  rudest  utensils.  Two 
of  them  had  a grating  of  bamboo,  raised,  like  a floor,  about  six  inches  above 
the  ground,  and  the  thick  mats  which  serve  the  Lew  Chewans  as  beds  were 
spread  upon  this. 

Mr.  Jones  left  the  camp  before  us,  and  we  had  not  yet  found  him.  Com- 
ing to  a deep,  wooded  gorge,  with  a stream  flowing  westward,  we  discovered 
that  our  true  course  lay  further  to  the  east,  and  retraced  our  steps  through 
the  pine  woods,  and  over  upland  rice-meadows  to  an  open,  grassy  height, 
whence  we  saw  Mr.  J ones,  surrounded  by  a group  of  natives,  about  half  a 
mile  to  the  south  of  us.  In  a short  time  we  again  reached  the  summit  ridge, 
overlooking  the  bay,  and  enjoyed  the  view  of  a superb  landscape.  The 
dividing  ridge  of  the  island,  as  we  had  already  noticed,  is  nearest  the  eastern 
shore,  to  which  the  descent  is  much  more  abrupt  than  on  the  western.  The 
cultivation  on  this  side  is  also  more  thorough,  and  the  crops  more  luxuriant. 
The  knees  of  the  mountains  below  us  were  feathered  with  beautiful  groves  of 
the  Lew  Chew  pine,  intermingled  with  terraced  fields  of  grain  and  vegetables, 
while  the  plain  below,  through  its  whole  sweep  of  fifteen  miles,  was  brown 
with  its  harvest  of  rice.  We  counted  a dozen  villages,  some  of  them  of  con- 
siderable size,  dotting  its  expanse.  To  the  northward  extended  a long  head- 
land, fq^'  beyond  what  we  had  supposed  to  be  the  extremity  of  the  bay,  and 
projecting  from  the  island  in  a southeasterly  direction.  It  was  now  plain 
that  we  had  not  yet  reached  Barrow’s  Bay,  of  which  this  headland  formed 
the  southern  boundary.  While  halting  to  rest  our  coolies,  in  the  shade  of  a 
clump  of  pines.  Mi-.  Heine  shot  a raven,  with  a beak  much  broader  than  the 
European  species.  There  was  a very  large  tomb,  of  a shape  nearly  circular, 
on  the  northern  side  of  the  ridge.  About  two  miles  further,  the  road  swerv- 
ing a little  to  the  west,  we  came  upon  a singular  rock,  rising  high  out  of  a 
forest  of  pines.  The  summit,  which  was  very  sharp  and  jagged,  was  seventy 
or  eighty  feet  above  the  crest  of  the  ridge,  and  being  composed  of  seeondary 
limestone,  honeycombed  by  the  weather,  it  was  an  exceedingly  striking  and 
picturesque  object.  While  Mr.  Heine  stopped  to  sketch  it,  and  Mr.  Jones 
to  examine  its  geology,  I climbed  to  the  summit,  which  was  so  sharp  as  to 
make  it  a most  uneasy  seat.  Finding  that  it  was  the  highest  peak  in  that 
part  of  the  island,  commanding  a view  which  embraced  a considerable  reach 
of  both  shores,  I ordered  the  flag  to  be  brought,  and  unfurled  it  from  the 
top  of  the  rock,  while  the  men  fired  a salute  from  the  base  and  hailed  it  with 
three  hearty  cheers.  We  bestowed  npon  it  the  name  of  “ Banner  Bock.” 
The  natives  looked  on,  unable  how  to  understand  our  proceedings,  but  not  in 
13 


194 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


the  least  troubled  by  them.  A little  to  the  north  of  where  we  were  the 
island  narrowed  suddenly,  between  the  head  of  the  eastern  hay  and  a deep 
bight,  which  makes  in  on  the  western  side,  between  Cape  Broughton  and  the 
headland  bounding  Port  Melville  on  the  west.  I judged  its  breadth,  at  this 
point,  to  be  about  four  miles,  in  a straight  line.  To  the  southwest  I could 
see  the  position  of  Sheudi,  eight  or  ten  miles  distant.  The  landscape  was 
rich  and  varied,  all  the  hills  being  coated  with  groves  of  pine.  We  found 
on  the  rock  the  “Wax  plant”  of  our  greenhouses,  in  full  bloom,  the  splendid 
scarlet  AltlicBa,  and  a variety  of  the  3Ialva,  with  a large  yellow  blossom. 

Continuing  our  march  along  the  summit  ridge,  we  came  gradually  upon 
a wilder  and  more  broken  region.  Huge  fragments  of  the  same  dark  lime- 
stone rock  overhung  our  path,  or  lay  tumbled  along  the  slopes  below  us,  as 
if  hurled  there  by  some  violent  natural  convulsion.  As  the  hill  curved  east- 
ward, we  saw  on  its  southern  side  a series  of  immense  square  masses,  separated 
by  deep  fissures,  reaching  down  the  side  nearly  to  its  base.  Ttiv.y  were  ap- 
parently fifty  feet  high,  and  at  least  a hundred  feet  square,  and  their  tops 
were  covered  with  a thick  growth  of  trees  and  shrubbery.  In  the  absence 
of  any  traces  of  volcanic  action,  it  is  difScult  to  conceive  how  these  detached 
masses  were  distributed  with  such  regularity,  and  carried  to  such  a distance 
from  their  original  place.  The  eastern  front  of  the  crags  under  which  we 
passed  was  studded  with  tombs,  some  of  them  built  against  the  rock  and 
whitewashed,  like  the  tombs  of  the  present  inhabitants,  but  others  excavated 
within  it,  and  evidently  of  great  age.  Looking  down  upon  the  bay  it  was 
easy  to  see  that  the  greater  part  of  it  was  shallow,  and  in  some  places  the 
little  fishing  junks  could  not  approach  within  half  a mile  of  the  shore.  The 
rice-fields  were  brought  square  down  to  the  water’s  edge,  which  was  banked 
up  to  prevent  the  tide  from  overfiowing  them,  and  I noticed  many  triangular 
stone  dykes,  stretching  some  distance  into  the  water,  and  no  doubt  intended 
as  weirs  for  fish. 

In  less  than  an  hour  after  leaving  Banner  Bock  we  were  surprised  by  the 
discovery  of  an  ancient  fortress,  occupying  a commanding  position  upon  the 
summit  of  one  of  the  spurs  of  the  central  ridge.  Its  outline  was  irregular, 
but  with  a general  direction  from  northeast  to  southwest ; and  while  some 
parts  of  it  were  in  perfect  preservation,  other  portions  were  overgrown  with 
vines  and  shrubbery,  and  hardly  to  be  distinguished  from  the  natural  rock 
upon  which  it  was  based.  Passing  through  an  arched  gateway,  the  road  led 
to  a terrace  overgrown  with  trees,  upon  which  stood  a structure  of  masonry 
resembling  a cenotaph.  A fiight  of  stone  steps  conducted  us  to  another  gate- 
way, after  passing  which,  and  a spacious  vestibule,  we  entered  the  interior 
of  the  fortress.  The  space  was  occupied  by  a luxuriant  grove  of  trees,  and 
at  the  further  end  was  a private  dwelling  of  respectable  appearance.  Our 
Pe-ching  was  already  there,  and  the  master  (whom  our  Chinese  coolies  des- 
ignated the  “ Japanese  Consul  ”)  respectfully  invited  us  to  enter.  The  day 


CASTLE  OF  NAGAGUSKO. 


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■--  4-  -■•*.. '4. V 


EXPLORATION  OF  LEW  CHEW. 


195 


was  oppressively  hot,  and  we  found  two  or  three  cups  of  Lew  Chew  tea  an 
agreeable  refreshment.  Returning  to  the  terrace,  at  the  base  of  tlie  outer 
wall,  we  halted  in  the  shade  to  allow  the  men  their  mid-day  rest  and  meal. 
A flight  of  steep  steps,  cut  in  the  rock,  led  downward  on  the  northern  side  to 
a grotto  under  the  foundation  of  the  castle,  at  the  bottom  of  which  was  a 
pool  of  cold,  sweet  water.  The  place  was  completely  overhung  by  dense  fo- 
liage, and  inaccessible  to  the  beams  of  the  sun. 

While  our  meal  was  preparing,  Mr.  Jones  traced  out  a rough  plan  of  the 
fortress,  and  the  men  took  measurements. 

The  material  was  limestone,  and  the  masonry  of  admirable  construction, 
the  stones,  some  of  which  were  cubes  of  four  feet  square,  were  so  carefully 
hewn  and  jointed  that  the  absence  of  any  mortar  or  cement  did  not  seem  to 
impair  the  durability  of  the  work.  There  were  two  remarkable  points  about 
the  work.  The  arches  were  double,  the  lower  course  being  formed  of  two 
stones  hewn  into  almost  a parabolic  curve,  and  meeting  in  the  centre,  over 
which  was  the  regular  Egyptian  arch,  with  its  key-stone,  as  represented  in 
the  annexed  outline.  No.  1. 


The  other  peculiarity 
was,  that  in  place  of  bas- 
tions, there  were  square 
projections  of  masonry, 
presenting  a concave  front, 
(No.  2,)  which  would  catch 
and  concentrate  the  force 
of  a cannon  ball,  rather 
than  ward  it  off.  But  this 
fortress  must  have  been 
erected  many  centuries  be- 
fore the  use  of  fire  arms  of 
any  kind  could  have  been 
known  to  the  Lew  Chew- 
ans.  Our  Chinese  pre- 
tended to  give  the  name  of 
the  place  as  Ching-  King,  which  are  Chinese  words,  signifying  the  chief  or 
capital  citadel. 

We  resumed  our  march  at  half  past  one  o’clock.  The  old  Pe-ching^ 
“ Chang-Yuen,”  who  had  become  a little  fatigued  by  this  time,  took  a Tca-goo^ 
or  Lew  Chew  chair,  and  followed  in  our  rear,  leaving  the  particular  charge 
of  us  to  his  subordinates.  The  scouts  were  sent  ahead,  as  usual,  fw  our  path 
descended  again  to  the  populous  plain  at  the  base  of  the  hills.  We  already 
perceived  indications  of  a fixed  system  in  the  espionage  to  which  we  were  sub- 
jected. Chang-Yuen  and  his  two  secondary  officers  were  deputed  to  accom- 
pany us  during  the  whole  journey,  while  their  dozen  or  more  attendants  and 


196 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


helpers  were  changed  as  we  passed  from  one  district  of  the  island  into  another. 
Nothing  could  exceed  the  vigilance  with  which  they  watched  us.  We  might 
separate  into  as  many  divisions  as  there  were-  men,  and  yet  each  of  us  would 
still  retain  his  native  convoy.  We  could  neither  tire  them  down,  nor  run 
away  from  them.  When,  by  chance,  we  suddenly  changed  our  course,  we 
still  found  them  before  us.  And  though  this  was  the  result  of  a jealous  and 
exclusive  system,  yet  they  managed  to  give  it  the  appearance  of  being  done 
through  respect  for  us. 

I was  curious  to  obtain  some  information  regarding  the  domestic  life  of 
the  natives,  and  frequently  entered  their  huts  unawares,  in  the  hope  of  find- 
ing them  at  their  avocations  within.  In  most  cases  1 found  the  huts  deserted, 
but  in  some  others  caught  the  merest  glimpses  of  Lew  Chew  life,  in  its  more 
humble  aspects.  Near  the  castle,  while  our  convoy  was  passing  around  a 
village,  I slipped  into  one  of  the  alleys  and  entered  a bamboo  enclosure, 
within  which  were  five  neat  dwellings.  The  mats  were  let  down  before  the 
doors,  but  the  people  were  all  hidden  behind  screens  and  in  lofts  under  the 
thatch,  for  on  looking  in  I found  no  one  but  a child  and  an  old  man,  who 
immediately  knelt  down  and  knocked  his  forehead  on  the  floor  before  me. 
In  another  hut,  in  a village  on  the  plain,  I found  an  old  woman  and  a 
girl  of  about  twelve  years  of  age,  both  of  whom  fell  on  their  knees,  and  held 
up  their  hands  with  an  expression  which  was  at  once  imploring  and  rev- 
erential. A few  words  of  friendly  greeting,  though  in  English,  encouraged 
them,  and  I should  no  doubt  have  been  able  to  inspect  the  interior  of  the 
hut,  had  not  one  of  the  spies  come  up  at  that  moment  and  driven  them 
away. 

In  the  rich  rice  plains  to  which  we  descended  we  found  sugar-cane  for 
the  first  time,  sorghum,  or  millet,  and  three  varieties  of  the  grain  known  in 
the  United  States  as  “ broom-corn.”  The  road  struck  out  into  the  swampy 
rice  fields,  and  we  made  for  a green  headland  covered  with  pines.  A village, 
almost  completely  buried  in  bowers  and  arcades  of  bamboo,  lay  at  its  foot. 
As  we  were  about  entering,  we  came  upon  two  curious  stones  planted  in  the 
earth.  The  largest  was  about  four  feet  high,  and  from  its  peculiar  form 
struck  me  at  once  as  a lingam,  or  emblem  of  the  Phallic  worship.  The 
same  idea  occurred  to  Mr.  Heine,  who  made  a sketch  of  it.  It  was  a very 
hard  dark-colored  stone  resembling  porphyry,  .and  the  only  thing  we  could 
learn  from  the  natives  respecting  it  was,  that  they  called  it  “ ishee.'"  There 
is  no  trace  of  this  feature  of  the  Hindoo  religion  existing  either  in  Japan, 
China,  or  Lew  Chew.  The  discovery  of  this  stone,  if  it  should  prove  to  be 
a Phallic  emblem,  is  therefore  exceedingly  curious.  In  the  course  of  the 
afternoon  we  found  two  more,  one  of  which  was  prostrate  and  broken.  In 
conjunction  with  these  remains,  the  face  of  the  hill  behind,  for  a distance  of 
two  miles,  is  almost  entirely  covered  with  excavated  tombs,  resembling  the 
simpler  forms  of  the  rock  tombs  of  Egypt  and  Syria.  Our  native  conduc- 


EXPLOEATION  OP  LEW  CHEW. 


197 


tors,  when  interrogated  respecting  them,  called  them  “ the  houses  of  the 
devil’s  men,”  and  seemed  amused  at  our  taking  notice  of  them.  This  fact, 
in  a country  where  ancestral  tombs  ai-e  considered  sacred,  as  among  the 
Chinese,  seems  to  point  to  the  existence  of  another  race  on  the  island,  in 
ancient  times — a race  who  may  have  received  the  worship  of  the  Lingam 
from  Java,  or  other  islands  where  memorials  of  it  exist. 

After  an  unavailing  attempt  to  shoot  a couple  of  herons  in  a rice  field, 
we  kept  a course  nearly  due  north,  passing  through  several  beautiful  villages. 
The  houses  were  surrounded  with  banana  trees,  and  the  alleys  completely 
overarched  with  bamboo.  In  one  of  the  houses  I found  a woman  weaving 
grass-cloth  in  a loom  of  primitive  construction.  She  ceased  from  work  as  I 
approached  the  door,  but  commenced  again,  in  obedience  to  my  gestures. 
The  shuttle  was  a little  longer  than  the  breadth  of  the  stuff,  and  thrown  by 
hand.  At  the  foot  of  the  hill.  Dr.  Lynah  found  a piece  of  lignite,  which 
resembles  coal,  but  is  unfortunately  no  indication  of  its  presence.  We  had 
a long  and  toilsome  ascent  up  a barren  hill  which  brought  us  again  upon  a 
cultivated  upland.  There  were  three  or  four  cattle  grazing  here,  the  first 
we  had  noticed  since  leaving  Napha.  We  saw  a horse  now  and  then,  but  this 
animal  appeared  to  be  scarce.  The  dividing  ridge  between  the  bays  was 
about  three  miles  in  advance,  and  though  the  afternoon  was  nigh  spent,  and 
the  whole  party  was  considerably  fatigued,  we  determined  to  get  sight  of 
Barrow’s  Bay  before  encamping.  At  last  we  reached  a l^rge  village  on  the 
western  slope  of  the  ridge.  It  was  surrounded  with  plantations  of  banana, 
and  a tall  pine  grove  towered  over  it.  Through  a deep  road  gate,  cut  in 
the  crest  of  the  hill,  a fine  picture  of  Barrow’s  Bay  and  the  mountains 
beyond  presented  itself  to  our  view.  The  southern  shore  of  the  bay  was 
about  three  miles  distant,  and  a singular  range  of  rocks,  rising  in  detached 
square  masses  like  the  walls  and  towers  of  a ruined  city,  intervened.  The 
landscape  was  more  richly  wooded  than  those  on  the  southern  bay,  and  the 
outlines  of  the  hills  were  rounder  and  more  gently  undulating.  We  seemed 
to  have  reached  a region  of  a different  geological  character.  We  were 
about  to  pitch  our  tent  at  this  place,  when  the  native  officers  gave  us  to 
understand  that  there  was  a Gung-qu'i  a short  distance  further,  and  urged 
us  so  strongly  to  go  on  that  we  shouldered  our  muskets  and  haversacks  and 
started  again.  But  we  had  a rough  tramp  of  nearly  three  miles  further, 
and  finally  came,  with  bruised  feet  and  aching  shoulders,  upon  the  last 
descent  to  Barrow’s  Bay.  Picturesque  crags  studded  the  hillside,  and  a 
large  village,  completely  covered  with  thickets  of  banana  and  bamboo,  lay 
before  us.  Over  it  towered  a tall  crag,  rent  through  the  centre  and  sur- 
mounted with  a square  rock,  like  a ruined  tower.  We  threaded  the  village 
by  shaded  alleys,  and  at  the  further  end,  on  a spot  commanding  a fine  view 
of  the  bay,  found  a handsome  Oung-qud,  in  an  enclosure  planted  with  trees. 
A dignitary  of  some  kind  welcomed  us,  and  we  were  at  once  served  with 


r 


198  EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 

small  cups  of  excellent  tea.  The  soft,  thick  mats,  the  shelter  and  comfort 
of  the  building,  were  well  worth  the  fatigue  of  our  forced  march.  Fresh 
water  in  earthen  jars,  with  a square  wooden  ladle  floating  on  the  top, 
stood  ready  for  us,  and  there  was  a kitchen  in  the  rear  where  our  men 
could  cook  conveniently.  The  Pe-ching  came  in  after  sunset  and  greeted 
us  with  much  cordiality.  Eggs  and  fowls  were  immediately  furnished,  and, 
as  at  our  former  camp,  all  payment  was  refused.  The  utmost  curiosity 
appeared  to  prevail  in  the  village  respecting  us,  and,  as  it  grew  dark,  the 
circle  of  heads  peering  over  the  wall  enclosing  the  Cung-qua  increased 
rapidly  till  there  could  not  have  been  less  than  two  or  three  hundred. 
Fires  were  kindled  all  around  us,  and  the  ruddy  glow  thrown  up  by  them 
and  by  the  torches  carried  back  and  forth,  flickered  brilliantly  over  the 
dusky  foliage  of  the  trees. 

A watch  was  set  as  before,  and  the  mosquitoes  being  less  annoying  we 
all  enjoyed  a tolerable  rest.  The  Chinamen  were,  or  feigned  to  be,  com- 
pletely spent,  and  for  the  greater  part  of  the  day  the  baggage  had  been 
carried  by  Lew  Chew  coolies.  The  patience,  good  humor,  and  endurance 
of  the  latter,  quite  put  to  shame  the  worthless  and  deceitful  creatures  whom 
we  had  been  indiscreet  enough  to  bring  with  us.  The  natives  kept  their 
counter-march,  and  on  rising  before  sunrise  the  next  morning,  we  found  that 
fifty  or  sixty  of  them  had  passed  the  night  at  their  camp  fires.  The  object 
of  the  officer  in  having  a watch  kept  seemed  to  be  both  to  prevent  any  of  us 
from  stealing  a march  upon  them  during  the  night,  and  to  hinder  any  of  the 
natives  from  annoying  us. 

3Ir.  Jones  made  application  for  a boat  to  carry  us  across  the  bay,  but 
there  was  none  to  be  had.  The  name  of  the  village  to  which  the  Cung-qua 
belonged  was  “ Missikya.”  We  set  our  little  file  in  motion  and  proceeded, 
by  a pleasant  path,  over  level  land,  a mile  or  two  inland.  The  cultivation 
was  thorough,  but  confined  mostly  to  beans  and  sweet  potatoes.  The  villages 
were  so  hidden  away  behind  their  alleys  of  tall,  arched  bamboo  that  the 
police  scouts  had  little  need  to  precede  us.  A native  guard  ran  ahead  ; but 
as  he  constantly  took  the  left-hand  road,  leading  into  the  middle  of  the 
island,  evidently  with  a view  of  conducting  us  back  to  Sheudi,  we  finally 
halted  at  the  foot  of  an  isolated  hill,  covered  with  wood,  and  held  a consul- 
tation. The  wild  mountain-range  north  of  Barrow’s  Bay  now  appeared  on 
our  right,  and  it  was  plain  that  our  course  was  leading  us  away  from  the 
head  of  the  bay,  which  we  desired  to  reach.  We,  therefore,  turned,  in  spite 
of  the  protestations  of  the  guide  and  the  native  officers,  and  passed  around 
the  eastern  brow  of  the  hill,  whereon  we  found  two  grottoes  of  soft  limestone 
rock.  The  scenery  here  was  a charming  mixture  of  pine  forest  and  culti- 
vated field ; and  both  in  its  features  and  its  prevailing  hue  of  dark-green 
resembled  the  landscapes  of  southern  Germany. 

In  the  bottom  of  the  valley  was  a stream  lined  with  bristling  ranks  of 


EXPLORATION  OF  LEW  CHEW. 


199 


pandanus,  or  false  pine  apple.  We  were  obliged  to  pull  off  our  boots 
and  wade.  We  here  found  a shrub  with  small  white  bh  ssoms  and  bright- 
green  milky  leaves;  another  with  yellow  berries  of  a powerful  aromatic 
taste ; and  a liliaceous  plant,  with  a racine  of  flowers  resembling  those  of 
the  snap-dragon,  but  white  in  hue,  with  a fringed  lip  of  the  richest  orange. 
At  one  of  the  villages  on  the  plain  I noticed  the  plum  and  the  orange,  and 
a new  variety  of  the  banyan,  with  very  small  glossy  leaves.  Beyond  the 
stream  we  struck  into  fragrant  pine  woods,  and  finally  into  a der  se  forest, 
where  the  path  was  still  wet  and  slippery  from  the  rains,  and  the  branches, 
meeting  overhead,  made  a perpetual  shade.  There  were  few  flowers,  and 
still  fewer  birds,  in  this  wilderness.  In  fact,  the  scarcity  of  birds  all  over 
the  island,  considering  that  they  are  not  destroyed  by  the  natives,  is  rather 
singular.  The  day  was  very  clear  and  hot,  and  the  trees,  while  they  shaded 
us,  quite  shut  off  the  sea  breeze.  The  foliage  was  almost  tropical,  consist- 
ing of  dense  glossy-leaved  shrubs  and  luxuriant  ferns,  overtopped  by  woods 
of  pine.  Smaller  paths  branched  off  here  and  there  to  the  distant  huts  of 
the  woodmen.  After  ascending  for  more  than  two  miles,  we  crossed  a ridge 
and  the  path  became  gradually  more  open,  exposing  a view  to  the  west,  over 
high  hills,  covered  entirely  with  copsewood  and  patches  of  pine  forest.  The 
counti'y  resembled  the  wild  lands  of  America.  There  were  swamps  in  the 
hollows,  and  we  began  to  look  out  for  the  wild  boars  which  are  said  to  exist 
in  this  part  of  the  island.  Catching  another  view  to  the  eastward,  we 
found  ourselves  near  the  head  of  Barrow’s  Bay,  and  after  a half  hour’s  halt, 
to  rest  the  coolies,  set  out  again.  Our  ofiicial  escort  came  up  during  the 
halt,  much  fatigued,  but  as  cordial  and  good-humored  as  ever.  Indeed, 
considering  that  all  their  trouble  and  fatigue  was  caused  by  ourselves,  we 
had  every  reason  to  admire  the  unshaken  patience  with  which  they  submitted 
to  our  apparently  wayward  course. 

Crossing  another  hill,  we  passed  down  broad,  well-trodden  paths,  shaded 
by  magnificent  arches  of  foliage,  through  a neat  village.  The  houses  were 
larger  than  usual,  and  there  was  an  aspect  of  greater  wealth.  Among  the 
trees  was  one  fifteen  feet  high,  covered  with  cream-colored  blossoms,  which 
exhaled  the  fragrance  of  nutmeg.  An  avenue  of  pines  led  down  from  this 
lovely  spot  to  a narrow  plain  at  the  head  of  Barrow’s  Bay.  The  rice 
growing  in  these  parts  was  very  scanty  and  not  yet  in  head.  A large  village, 
buried  in  trees,  extended  for  half  a mile  inland  from  the  sea  shore.  W e took 
a path  leading  down  to  the  beach;  but  Mr.  Jones,  who  was  in  advance, 
entered  the  village,  where  he  was  very  courteously  received  and  twice 
presented  with  tea  and  pipes.  The  exhibition  of  -his  watch,  and  a pocket 
microscope,  excited  the  unbounded  wonder  of  the  natives.  The  village  was 
named  “ Isitza.” 

We  forded  a salt  creek  and  pitched  our  noonday  camp  on  a piny  knoll, 
at  the  foot  of  the  hills.  As  Mr.  Jones  had  not  arrived,  we  fastened  our  flag 


200 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


to  the  top  of  a tree  and  fired  signals.  I took  a hath  in  the  sea,  with  the 
men,  while  our  kettle  was  boiling.  The  water  was  excessively  saline,  and 
the  fine  white  particles  of  salt  covered  my  face  like  dust  as  it  became  dry. 
At  this  point  Mr.  Jones  found  a stratum  of  gneiss,  for  the  first  time,  at  the 
water’s  edge.  Our  native  friends  drank  three  cups  of  our  tea  and  asked  for 
some  biscuits,  which  they  seemed  to  relish.  Before  starting  again  we  had  a 
talk  with  them  about  the  route.  We  wished  to  reach  a point  on  the  coast 
north  of  Barrow’s  Bay,  marked  as  “ Kaneja”  on  our  copy  of  the  Japanese 
chart  of  Lew  Chew.  The  officers  did  not  seem  to  recognize  any  such  place, 
though  they  spoke  of  “ Kannah,”  where  there  was  a Cung-qua,  30  li,  or  ten 
miles  distant,  and  we  decided  to  reach  it,  if  possible. 

We  left  at  half-past  one,  taking  one  of  the  natives  as  a guide.  The  path 
followed  the  line  of  the  hay,  and  we  walked,  for  two  hours,  in  deep  sand  and 
crushed  shells,  around  curve  and  headland.  It  was  very  todsome  work, 
especially  as  the  glare  of  the  sand  struck  directly  in  our  faces.  The  beach 
was  narrow  and  bordered  with  thick  hedges  of  the  pandanus,  the  fniit  of 
which  resembles  that  of  the  pine  apple.  The  mountains  on  our  left  were 
wild  and  uncultivated.  There  were  occasional  paths  striking  up  their  sides; 
hut,  although  the  compass  told  us  that  the  shore-path  led  us  out  of  our  true 
course,  the  guide  refused  to  take  any  of  them.  At  the  end  of  two  hours  we 
reached  a large  village,  where  the  guide,  who  had  followed  us  from  “ Isitza,” 
levied  a substitute  and  turned  hack.  A two-masted  junk,  of  thirty  or  forty 
tons’  burden,  lay  at  anchor  in  a cove  near  this  place.  We  were  now  ap- 
proaching the  northern  extremity  of  Barrow’s  Bay,  and  had  a full  view  of 
the  long  headland  south  of  it,  and  the  four  islands  which  lie,  like  a break- 
water, across  its  mouth.  The  bay  appeared  to  be  extremely  shallow,  except 
near  the  entrance ; and  I doubt  whether  it  would  be  of  much  value,  as  a 
harbor,  for  shipping  of  lai’ge  size. 

The  path,  finally,  turned  off  to  the  north  up  a steep  hill,  which  brought 
us  upon  a rolling  upland,  covered  with  abundance  of  wood.  The  mountains 
we  had  passed  exhibited  an  outline  similar  to  the  Catskills,  and  there  was 
nothing  in  the  scenery  to  i-emind  us  of  the  vicinity  of  the  tropics.  We 
presently  entered  a fine,  broad  avenue  of  pines,  at  the  extremity  of 
which  appeared  a handsome  house  with  a tiled  roof  Our  native  conductors 
passed  on  into  some  bamboo  arches,  which  denoted  a village  beyond ; but  I 
slipped  suddenly  into  the  open  entrance  and  found  a spacious  house  in  the 
midst  of  a garden,  with  a small  Buddhist  temple  beside  it.  Quick  as  my 
motions  had  been,  the  mats  were  already  let  down  before  all  the  doors,  and 
nobody  was  to  be  seen.  Before  the  house  was  a plant  about  ten  feet  high, 
with  large  scarlet  panicles  of  flowers.  I had  barely  time  to  break  off  a 
cluster  when  one  of  our  officers  came  hurrying  up  and  urged  me,  by  signs 
and  words,  to  leave,  saying  that  the  Bunyo,  or  Governor,  as  he  designated 
Mr.  Jones,  had  gone  on.  I,  therefore,  followed  him  through  the  village  to 


EXPLORATION  OF  LEW  CHEW. 


201 


a Cung-qua,  which  was  larger  and  finer  than  any  we  had  yet  seen.  It  was 
like  an  elegant  private  residence ; having  a garden,  enclosed  by  a square, 
clipped  hedge  of  jessamine,  and  a separate  establishment  for  servants  and 
attendants.  There  were  rows  of  chrysanthemums  (a  flower  much  esteemed 
by  the  Japanese)  and  two  peach  trees  in  the  garden,  besides  a stout  camellia, 
clipped  into  a fanciful  shape.  We  installed  ourselves  in  the  chief  apartment, 
on  the  soft  matting,  while  the  Pe-ching  and  his  train  took  the  other  building. 
The  only  supplies  we  could  procure  were  raw  salt  fish  and  sweet  potatoes, 
with  some  roots  of  a native  onion,  pickled  in  salt.  Neither  fowls  nor  eggs 
could  be  found.  The  natives  gave  the  name  of  the  village  as  “ Ching,” 
which,  being  a Chinese  word,  is  evidently  incorrect ; but  we  could  get  no 
other.  The  paper  screens  between  the  rooms  were  removed  on  our  arrival, 
tea  was  brought  in,  and  the  natives  busied  themselves  to  make  us  comfort- 
able ; but  the  same  unrelaxing  espionage,  as  at  “ Missikya,”  was  kept  up 
through  the  whole  night.  Again  camp-fires  were  kindled  and  guards  posted 
around  us,  while  crowds  of  curious  natives  peeped  from  behind  the  bushes 
and  walls  to  gratify  their  desire  of  seeing  us.  Mr.  Heine,  who  had  the  first 
watch,  went  out  to  the  camp  fire,  showed  the  people  his  watch,  and  other 
curiosities,  and  soon  had  a large  crowd  of  villagers  gathered  about  him ; 
but  one  of  the  officers  making  his  appearance,  a single  word  of  command 
scattered  them  in  all  directions,  and  they  did  not  return  again.  In  the 
evening  I offered  a handful  of  cash  to  one  of  the  boys  who  had  accompanied 
us  from  Napha.  He  refused  it  very  earnestly,  as  there  were  two  other  boys 
standing  near  ; but,  watching  an  opportunity,  when  he  was  alone,  I offered  it 
again,  when  he  immediately  accepted  it,  with  gestures  expressive  of  his 
thanks. 

The  Pe-ching,  who  had  fallen  in  the  rear,  came  up  after  dark,  and 
immediately  sought  us,  to  make  his  salutations.  We  found  that  he  and  his 
associates  had  been  keeping  a journal  of  our  proceedings,  and  had  already 
filled  a roll  of  paper  several  yards  in  length  with  their  remarks.  We  had 
but  few  mosquitoes,  and  slept  so  well  that  I had  some  difficulty  in  rising  for 
the  mid-watch.  After  much  search,  two  tough  old  hens  were  found  for  our 
breakfast,  which  we  ate  under  the  scrutiny  of  an  hundred  eyes,  continually 
peering  at  us  over  walls,  or  popping  out  from  behind  bushCvS.  Whenever 
we  noticed  any  of  them  the  heads  disappeared,  but  they  returned  again  as 
soon  as  our  gaze  was  removed. 

We  were  now  commencing  our  fourth  day,  and  it  was  time  to  think  of 
turning  back  shortly.  After  some  consultation,  it  was  determined  to  follow 
the  coast  for  a short  distance  further,  then  strike  across  the  island  in  the 
direction  of  Port  Melville,  and  reach  in  the  evening  a point  on  the  western 
shore  corresponding  to  the  latitude  of  our  present  camp.  On  starting,  the 
native  officers  were  very  urgent  in  requesting  us  to  take  a road  leading  west- 
ward. We  kept,  however,  a course  nearly  due  north,  and  soon  reached  a 


202 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


hill,  whence  there  was  an  excellent  view  of  the  country  on  all  sides.  The 
northern  headland  of  Barrow’s  Bay  lay  behind  us.  The  general  direction 
of  the  coast  in  advance  was  N.E.,  stretching  away  to  a distant  promon- 
tory. A spinal  ridge  of  mountains,  covered  with  a wilderness  of  forests, 
ran  parallel  with  the  coast,  leaving  a narrow  strip  of  cultivated  land  next 
the  sea.  A column  of  smoke  ascended  from  one  of  the  northern  peaks, 
which  we  judged  (and  rightly,  as  it  afterwards  proved)  to  he  a fire  in  the 
woods. 

Mr.  Jones  decided  to  make  for  a gorge  between  two  peaks,  about  six 
miles  distant,  and  rather  to  the  east  of  north.  We  crossed  a deep  valley, 
with  a salt  creek  at  its  bottom,  and,  after  following  the  coast  for  some  time, 
took  a road  which,  after  ascending  a long  barren  ridge,  plunged  into  the 
woods.  The  further  we  advanced,  the  more  dense  became  the  wilderness. 
The  only  persons  we  met  were  woodmen,  whom  we  saw  occasionally  felling 
trees  with  their  rude  axes.  The  path  was  narrow,  wet,  and  slippery,  and 
for  two  or  three  miles  a continual  ascent.  At  length  we  reached  a conical 
peak  covered  with  trees.  The  ascent  was  very  difficult,  and  I halted  with 
the  coolies  at  the  base,  while  Mr.  Jones,  Dr.  Lynah,  and  Mr.  Heine,  went 
up  to  obtain  a view.  By  climbing  the  trees  and  cutting  away  some  of  the 
limbs,  they  opened  space  for  a grand  central  panorama  of  the  island,  which 
Mr.  Heine  set  about  sketching  from  the  tree-top.  The  path,  which  by  this 
time  had  dwindled  almost  out  of  sight,  passed  directly  over  the  summit. 
We  found  the  ascent  like  a staircase,  and  were  obliged  to  use  hands  and  feet 
to  reach  the  top.  The  Lew  Chew  coolies  who  carried  our  baggage  made 
their  way  up  with  great  difficulty.  As  we  were  all  sufTering  from  thirst,  I 
started  in  advance,  with  the  seaman  Mitchell,  the  Chinamen,  and  the  cool- 
ies. The  path,  which  was  now  a faint  woodman’s  trail,  did  not  appear  to 
have  been  travelled  for  months.  It  was  shut  in  by  a species  of  small  bamboo, 
so  dense  as  almost  to  exclude  light,  and  a large,  red,  hairy  spider  had  woven 
innumerable  webs  across  it.  Now  ascending,  now  descending,  we  pushed 
ourselves  or  crept  through  the  almost  impervious  copse  wood,  for  nearly 
two  miles,  till  the  path  became  more  open,  and  a partial  look-out  to  the 
westward  showed  us  the  China  Sea.  On  the  side  of  the  nearest  peak  to  the 
northward,  we  distinctly  saw  the  woods  on  fire,  and  a bare  space  of  about  ten 
acres  studded  with  charred  trunks.  The  descent  was  very  slippery,  but 
becoming  more  and  more  open,  I at  length  recognized  our  position.  IVe 
were  approaching  the  head  of  the  deep  bight  south  of  Port  Melville,  and 
separated  from  it  by  an  arm  of  the  island,  which  stretches  out  to  the 
northwest,  at  right  angles  to  the  main  body.  The  curious  peaked  island 
called  the  “ Sugar  Loaf,”  off  the  point  of  this  promontory,  was  in  view 
before  us.  The  western  slope  of  the  island  at  this  point  is  covered  almost 
entirely  with  forests,  the  cultivation  being  confined  to  the  bottoms  of  val- 
leys and  ravines  opening  upon  the  sea. 


EXPLOBATION  OF  LEW  CHEW. 


20.3 


The  path  led  across  the  top  of  a narrow  ledge  about  a yard  wide,  with 
chasms  more  than  a hundred  feet  deep  on  each  side,  and  then  dropped  to 
the  bottom  of  the  glen,  where  we  found  a stream  of  deliciously  cool  and 
sweet  water.  We  all  drank  to  excess,  and  then  climbed  a little  ridge 
beyond,  where  the  air  blew  fresh,  and  sat  down  to  await  the  rest  of  the 
party.  Mr.  Jones  found  granite  of  fine  quality  in  the  ravine,  and  we  after- 
wards met  with  another  broad  stratum  in  a rocky  gateway  further  below. 
Our  only  path  made  for  a village  on  the  shore,  whither  we  repaired  for  our 
mid-day  halt.  The  houses  were  lined  with  luxuriant  bananas,  in  blossom, 
and  the  lanes  between  them  hedged  with  the  glossy  inocarpus,  forming 
walls  of  foliage  twenty  feet  in  height,  outside  of  which  were  neat  wicker 
fences  of  split  bamboo.  Near  the  village  were  three  structures  raised  upon 
timber  frames,  and  covered  with  thatched  roofs.  They  appeared  to  be  store- 
houses, elevated  in  this  manner  to  preserve  the  grain  from  the  moisture  of 
the  earth.  Beneath  them  were  wooden  platforms,  olfering  us  shade  and 
convenience  for  our  halt.  The  people  brought  us  sweet  potatoes,  a small 
pan  of  salt  fish,  and  a pumpkin,  which  was  all  they  could  supply.  Even 
these  were  refused  us  until  the  arrival  of  the  Pe-ching,  to  whose  authority 
all  the  others  deferred.  The  rapidity  of  our  march  had  left  him  in  the  rear, 
but  he  came  up  after  an  hour,  and  set  himself  to  work  with  great  good 
humor  to  supply  our  wants.  In  order  to  shield  themselves  from  the  heat 
of  the  sun,  some  of  his  attendants  had  tied  banana  leaves  around  their 
heads,  and  they  all  complained  of  fatigue. 

We  left  Ny-komma,  as  the  village  was  called,  about  half  past  two.  At 
this,  the  most  northern  point  we  reached,  we  could  not  have  been  more  than 
eight  or  nine  miles  distant  from  Port  Melville.  The  intervening  land  was 
low,  and  another  day  would  have  enabled  us  to  reach  the  head  of  that 
harbor.  The  native  officials  explained  to  us  by  signs,  and  by  tracing  lines 
on  the  sand,  that  the  road  to  Sheudi  lay  along  the  beach,  and  that  there  was 
a Cung-qua  about  20  li  distant.  We  tramped  along  sandy  beaches  and 
over  stony  headlands,  following  the  general  course  of  the  shore,  and  never 
diverging  far  from  it.  The  bay,  or  bight,  marked  with  numerous  abrupt 
indentations,  presented  some  fine  bold  outlines  of  shore.  Olf  the  many 
inferior  promontories  lay  rocky  islets,  covered  with  rich  vegetation.  The 
wooded  mountains  on  our  left  were  the  same  which  we  had  skirted  the  day 
previous  on  the  northern  side  of  BarroW'is  Bay.  The  lower  slopes  on  this 
side  were  partially  cultivated,  but  the  principal  thoroughfare  of  the  island, 
which  we  were  following,  kept  near  the  sea,  and  often  ran  for  a half  mile 
through  deep  sand  and  shells.  The  scenery  was  extremely  picturesque, 
reminding  me  of  the  coast  of  Sicily.  Inside  of  the  Sugar  Loaf  we  espied 
two  small  boats,  with  lug-sails  of  white  canvass,  which  the  men  declared 
were  our  ship’s  boats ; but  this  has  since  proved  to  be  a mistake. 

Notwithstanding  the  sultry  heat  of  the  afternoon,  the  Lew  Chew  coolies 


204 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


kept  pace  witli  us,  under  their  heavy  loads,  while  our  lazy  and  complaining 
Chinamen  lagged  behind.  These  coolies  were  mostly  hoys,  from  twelve  to 
sixteen  years  of  age.  I noticed  as  a curious  fact  that,  in  spite  of  the  heavy 
loads  they  carried,  and  the  rough  by-ways  we  frequently  obliged  them  to 
take,  they  never  perspired  in  the  least,  nor  partook  of  a drop  of  water,  even 
in  the  greatest  heat.  They  were  models  of  cheerfulness,  alacrity,  and 
endurance,  always  in  readiness,  and  never,  by  look  or  word,  evincing  the 
least  dissatisfaction.  Our  official  conductors  drank  but  two  or  three  times 
of  water  during  the  whole  journey.  Tea  appears  to  be  the  universal  beverage 
of  refreshment.  It  was  always  brought  to  us  whenever  we  halted,  and  fre- 
quently offered  to  Mr.  Jones,  as  the  head  of  the  pan^,  in  passing  through 
villages.  Once,  at  an  humble  fisherman’s  village,  when  we  asked  for  mizi, 
which  signifies  cold  water,  they  brought  us  a pot  of  hot  water,  which  they 
call  yu,  and  were  much  surprised  when  we  refused  to  drink  it. 

After  a march  of  ten  miles  along  the  picturesque  shore,  we  reached  one 
of  the  loveliest  spots  on  the  island.  It  was  a village  perched  on  a bold 
promontory,  overgrown  with  the  pine,  banyan  and  sago  palm,  at  the  mouth 
of  a charming  valley  which  opened  up  between  the  hills  to  the  base  of  the 
lofty  peak  behind  Barrow’s  Bay.  A stream  of  sweet  water  threaded  the 
valley,  which  was  covered  with  the  freshest  verdure,  and  overhung  with 
beautiful  groves  of  pine.  It  was  a picture  of  pastoral  loveliness,  such  as  is 
rarely  found  in  any  country.  Nothing  struck  me  more  during  the  journey 
than  the  great  variety  of  scenery  which  the  island  encloses  in  its  narrow 
compass.  We  passed  through,  at  least,  four  different  districts,  which  bore 
but  the  slightest  resemblance  to  each  other,  either  in  features  or  character. 
We  had  both  the  groves  of  the  tropics  and  the  wild  woods  of  the  north  j 
the  valleys  of  Grermany  and  the  warm  shores  of  the  IMediterranean. 

The  village  was  large,  thriving,  and  as  neatly  laid  out  and  hedged  in  as 
an  English  garden.  The  scrupulous  neatness  and  regularity  of  the  Lew 
Chew  villages  was  doubly  refreshing  to  one  familiar  with  the  squalor  and  filth 
of  China.  The  sight  of  the  Cung-qua,  which  occupied  the  place  of  honor 
at  the  top  of  the  promontory,  completed  our  raptures.  Its  roof  of  red  tiles 
glittered  in  the  sun;  a row  of  feathery  sago  palms  threw  their  brilliant 
leaves  over  the  wall  of  the  enclosure ; the  whitest  and  softest  of  mats  cov- 
ered the  floor ; the  garden  blazed  with  a profusion  of  scarlet  flowers ; and 
stone  basins,  seated  on  pedestals,  contained  fresh  water  for  our  use.  Its 
aspect  of  comfort  and  repose  was  a balm  to  travellers  as  weary  as  ourselves, 
and  I directed  Terry  at  once  to  hoist  the  stars  and  stripes  upon  the  roof  I 
hastened  back  to  make  a sketch  of  the  beautiful  valley  before  sunset,  while 
]Mr.  Heine  occupied  himself  with  a view  of  the  Cung-qui.  A venerable 
old  man,  with  a snowy  beard  reaching  nearly  to  his  knees,  approached  the 
bank  where  I sat,  but  upon  noticing  me,  made  a profound  yet  dignified  rev- 
erence, and  retired.  The  village  was  named  Un-ua.  We  had  not  yet 


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EXPLORATION  OF  LEW  CHEW. 


205 


reached  the  region  of  fowls,  hut  the  people  sent  us  two  small  fresh  fish,  with 
a pumpkin  and  some  cucumbers.  Our  own  stores  were  quite  low,  both  sugar 
and  pork  having  been  exhausted,  so  that  we  had  nothing  left  but  tea,  coffee 
and  ship  biscuit. 

The  natives  kindled  a fire  inside  the  grounds  of  the  Cung-qua,  and  half 
a dozen  of  them  sat  around  it  all  night.  The  morning  was  dull,  and  a cap 
of  mist  on  the  mountain  threatened  rain.  A bath  in  the  sea  before  sunrise 
refreshed  us  for  the  day’s  march.  For  our  breakfast,  there  were  sent  two  long, 
eel-like  fish,  resembling  the  gar,  a few  young  egg-plants,  two  gourds  and  a 
basket  of  sweet  potatoes.  So  much  time  was  occupied  in  cooking  and  con- 
suming these  delicacies,  that  we  did  not  get  under  way  before  8 o’clock. 
Another  consultation  was  held  with  our  attendants,  who  declared  that  Sheudi 
was  90  li  distant,  and  that  it  would  require  three  days  for  us  to  reach  Napha; 
this  did  not  correspond  with  our  own  ideas  of  our  position,  and  we  deter- 
mined to  attempt  reaching  Napha  the  next  evening,  as  we  had  been  ordered. 

We  passed  through  the  village  of  Un-na,  and  over  the  headland  to  a deep 
bay.  The  tide  was  running  out,  and  instead  of  wading  through  the  sand 
around  its  entire  curve,  we  made  a straight  line  for  the  opposite  shore,  tramp- 
ing through  water  two  or  three  inches  deep  over  beds  of  decomposing  coral. 
We  had  proceeded  along  the  shore  for  an  hour  and  a half,  when  A-shing,  one 
of  the  Chinese  coolies,  fell  sick  in  consequence,  as  it  afterward  appeared,  of 
drinking  sackee,  and  eating  green  peaches.  His  load  was  given  to  the  Lew 
Chew  coolies,  and  he  obtained  a temporary  relief  by  punching  his  throat,  in 
three  places,  so  violently  as  to  produce  an  extravasation  of  blood.  Counter  ir- 
ritation is  the  usual  Chinese  remedy  for  all  ailments,  and  it  is  frequently  very 
efficacious.  We  were  near  a fishing  village,  and  Mr.  Jones  endeavored  to  ob- 
tain a canoe,  in  which  to  send  both  our  Chinamen  back  to  the  vessel.  The 
Pe-ching  begged  him  to  give  up  the  idea,  since  one  of  the  native  officers  would 
be  obliged  to  accompany  them,  and  they  all  feared  to  trust  themselves  in  the 
frail  craft.  They  brought  a kagoo,  or  rude  sedan,  in  which  they  offered  to 
have  the  man  conveyed  to  Napha,  but  he  was  better  by  this  time,  and  de- 
clared himself  able  to  proceed  on  foot.  The  officers  expressed  the  greatest 
satisfaction  when  they  found  that  none  of  them  would  be  required  to  return 
in  the  canoe. 

In  the  meantime  the  rest  of  us  had  pushed  forward  with  the  baggage. 
The  morning  was  very  hot,  the  glare  from  the  white  beach-sand  skuck  in 
our  faces,  and  we  began  to  tire  of  an  endless  tramp  around  cove  after  cove, 
and  headland  after  headland.  We  were  now,  as  we  calculated,  opposite  the 
head  of  Barrow’s  Bay,  and  Sheudi  was  almost  in  a due  southerly  direction ; 
yet  the  road  still  clung  to  the  coast,  as  if  intent  on  carrying  us  to  the  extreme 
point  of  Cape  Broughton,  thus  greatly  lengthening  our  journey,  besides 
which,  our  orders  were  to  return  through  the  centre  of  the  island.  In  an- 
swer to  all  our  inquiries,  the  native  officers  and  guides  pointed  along  the 


206 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


shore,  and  were  extremely  anxious  to  prevent  our  taking  any  inland  paths. 
This  excited  our  suspicion,  and  we  imagined  their  object  to  he  to  prevent  our 
seeing  the  interior.  Finally,  coming  to  a well-trodden  path, which  struck  off 
up  the  hills,  we  shut  our  ears  to  all  remonstrance  and  took  it.  In  a short  time 
it  brought  us  to  a handsome  village,  shaded  not  only  with  bamboo,  but  with 
splendid  banyan  trees.  Beyond  it  there  was  a deep  ravine,  with  a faintly 
marked  foot-path  leading  to  some  water  at  the  bottom.  Again  the  natives 
entreated  us  to  take  a path  which  plainly  led  to  the  shore.  They  pointed 
to  the  gorge,  crying  “ mfxi,”  intimating  that  the  path  went  no  further  than 
the  water.  Nevertheless,  seeing  traces  of  a path  on  the  opposite  side,  we 
descended,  followed  by  the  unwilling  officers  and  coolies.  The  pool  of  water 
which  supplied  the  village  was  shaded  by  the  largest  pines  I saw  on  the 
Island.  They  were  70  or  80  feet  in  height,  whereas  the  average  is  not  more 
than  40  feet. 

Our  suspicions  did  injustice  to  the  natives,  for  we  soon  found  that  they 
had  our  convenience  in  view.  Our  path  struck  into  a side-branch  of  the  ra- 
vine, which,  though  not  more  than  twenty  feet  wide,  was  a rice-swamp  at  the 
bottom.  The  sides  were  nearly  perpendicular  walls  of  earth  and  loose  rocks, 
so  that  we  were  obliged  to  plunge  up  to  the  knees  in  mud.  One  of  the  men. 
Smith,  sank  so  deep  that  it  required  the  strength  of  three  natives  to  extricate 
him.  When,  at  last,  we  reached  the  top  of  the  hill,  we  found  it  covered  with 
waste  thickets,  and  no  path  to  be  seen  except  one  on  an  opposite  height, 
which  we  reached  with  some  trouble.  The  path,  an  old  and  unused  one,  led 
us  back  to  the  beach,  which  it  now  seemed  impossible  to  leave.  The  coolies, 
who  had  had  a hard  tug  to  get  through  the  rice-swamp,  took  the  whole  mat- 
ter very  good  humoredly,  and  the  officers  laughed,  as  I thought,  with  a sort 
of  malicious  pleasure  at  our  discomfiture.  The  walk  over  the  white  sand 
was  doubly  fatiguing  after  this,  and  on  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Jones  we  deter- 
mined ao-ain  to  make  for  the  interior,  especially  as  we  had  reached  the  head 
of  the  last  cove,  whence  the  coast  appeared  to  run  almost  due  westwardly  to 
Cape  Broughton. 

Mr.  Jones  and  Dr.  Lynah,  with  the  men  Davis  and  Smith,  took  a foot- 
path  leading  southward  into  the  mountains,  and  after  proceeding  a little 
further  along  the  coast,  I followed  them  with  the  seaman  Mitchell.  Mr. 
Heine,  with  Terry  and  the  Lew  Chew  coolies,  still  kept  the  shore.  We 
(]\Iitcliell  and  I)  reached  with  great  difficulty  the  path  taken  by  the  first 
party.  It  ascended  steeply  through  pine  forests,  alternating  with  dense 
copsewood,  for  about  two  miles,  till  we  gained  the  summit  of  the  ridge. 
The  whole  expanse  of  Barrow’s  Bay  came  full  into  view  to  the  eastward, 
while  to  the  south  we  looked  beyond  the  promontory  we  had  been  doubling 
so  tediously,  and  saw  the  same  deep  cove  we  had  beheld  three  days  before 
from  the  top  of  Banner  Bock.  But  all  the  interior  of  the  island  was  still  a 
wilderness,  and  for  ten  miles  in  advance  stretched  an  unbroken  forest.  Our 


EXPLORATION  OF  LEW  CHEW. 


207 


path  did  not  appear  to  have  been  much  travelled — other  small  paths  branched 
from  it,  but  the  party  in  advance  had  broken  off  boughs  and  left  them  as 
guides  for  us.  I was  much  spent  with  the  heat  and  the  exertion  of  climbing 
so  rapidly,  and  after  drinking  out  of  a muddy  hole  filled  with  leaves,  felt 
an  attack  of  mingled  heat  and  cold,  with  an  oppression  of  the  heart  which 
took  away  all  my  strength.  We  saw  the  other  party  on  the  top  of  a high 
peak  ahead  of  us.  The  path  crossed  a ledge  as  narrow  as  a wall,  with  deep 
gulfs  on  each  side,  and  then  ascended  a rocky  ladder,  the  steepness  of  which 
took  away  what  little  strength  I had  remaining — I was  obliged  to  lie  down 
for  some  time  before  I could  proceed  further.  A raincloud  coming  up  rap- 
idly over  Barrow’s  Bay,  admonished  us  to  leave  our  lofty  look-out.  The 
path  kept  on  southward  through  miles  of  wilderness,  but  the  natives  who  had 
accompanied  us  pointed  to  another,  which  led  back  almost  the  way  we  came, 
and  which  they  said  would  bring  us  to  a Cung-qua,  As  there  were  no  signs 
of  the  baggage,  we  were  thus  under  the  necessity  of  retracing  our  steps 
almost  to  the  shore.  On  our  way  we  passed  through  a singular  gorge,  which 
was  closed  up,  in  its  narrowest  part,  by  fragments  hurled  from  above  by  some 
convulsion  of  nature.  The  stream  flowing  at  the  bottom  disappeared  for 
about  fifty  yards,  when  it  again  issued  to  the  light  through  a cavernous  open- 
ing. 

A rain  now  came  on,  which  continued  for  two  or  three  hours,  and  made 
the  road  slippery  and  toilsome.  We  passed  through  a village,  romantically 
situated  in  a wooden  glen,  and  over  uplands,  covered  with  groves  of  pine, 
the  path  gradually  swerving  to  the  south,  till  it  finally  struck  directly  across 
the  promontory.  A great  part  of  the  way  was  a waste  of  wild  thickets,  with 
marshy  hollows  between  the  hills.  We  saw  several  times  the  tracks  of  wild 
boar,  which  the  natives  assured  us  were  abundant ; but  we  were  not  so  for- 
tunate as  to  get  a sight  of  one.  There  were  no  traces  of  our  baggage  until 
we  found  the  Pe-ching,  and  twm  other  natives,  crouching  under  a bush  to 
keep  out  of  the  rain,  and  smoking  their  pipes.  Finally,  about  half-past  two, 
we  heard  the  report  of  fire-arms,  and  soon  after  reached  the  Cung-qua  of 
“ Chandakosa,^'  where  Mr.  Heine  and  the  coolies  had  already  been  waiting 
some  time  for  us.  We  were  uncertain  whether  the  building  was  a hona  fide 
Cung-qua  or  the  residence  of  a himyo,  or  officer,  for  it  was  occupied,  when 
Mr.  Heine  arrived,  by  a personage  of  some  kind  with  his  attendants,  but  im- 
mediately given  up  for  our  use.  There  was  a crowd  of  at  least  a hundred  na- 
tives collected  within  the  enclosure,  and  looking  on,  with  great  astonishment, 
while  Mr.  Heine  fired  at  a mark.  What  seemed  most  to  interest  them,  next 
to  the  accuracy  of  his  aim,  was  the  fact  of  the  piece  exploding  without  the 
application  of  fire,  (nothing  but  Japanese  matchlocks  ever  being  seen  on  the 
island,)  and  its  being  loaded  at  the  breech.  They  appeared  familiar  with  the 
nature  of  gunpowder,  and  the  use  of  our  cutlasses ; but  during  our  journey 
we  never  saw  a single  weapon  of  any  kind.  There  is  said  to  be  a small  gar- 


208 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


risoa  of  Japanese  soldiers,  both  at  Napba  and  Sheudi ; but,  if  so,  they  were 
carefully  kept  out  of  the  way. 

The  Pe-ching,  who  soon  afterwards  came  up,  informed  us  that  we  had 
come  30  li,  and  that  Sheudi  was  still  60  li  distant,  and  we  could  not  reach  it 
on  the  following  day.  Learning,  however,  that  there  was  another  Cung-qua 
20  li  further,  we  decided  to  rest  an  hour  or  two,  and  push  on  to  it  the  same 
evening.  The  people  brought  two  fowls,  with  abundance  of  eggs  and  c-ucum- 
bers,  and,  hungry  and  tired  as  we  were,  we  made  a most  palatable  meal. 

We  left  again  at  half-past  four.  The  road  was  broad,  well  beaten,  and 
shaded  by  a double  row  of  pine  trees.  It  ran  in  a southeastern  direction, 
parallel  with  the  coast  and  about  two  miles  inland.  The  country  continued 
open,  slightly  undulating,  and  pleasantly  diversified  with  groves  of  pine  for 
four  miles,  when  we  came  suddenly  upon  a deep  glen,  traversed  by  much  the 
largest  stream  we  had  seen  upon  the  island.  The  road  was  crossed  by  a massive 
stone  bridge  of  three  arches,  remarkable  for  the  size  and  rude  strength  of  the 
piers,  each  of  which  had,  on  the  inner  side,  in  order  to  protect  it  from  floods, 
a triangular  abutment,  projecting  ten  or  twelve  feet.  The  sides  of  the  glen 
were  nearly  perpendicular,  and  covered  with  wild  and  luxuriant  vegetation. 
Towards  the  sea,  under  a range  of  broken  limestone  crags  that  hung  high 
over  the  stream,  were  several  ancient  excavated  tombs.  A spring  of  excel- 
lent water  gushed  out  from  the  foot  of  one  of  these  crags.  Mr.  Heine  took 
a sketch  of  the  place,  which  was  remarkable  for  its  seclusion  and  picturesque 
beauty.  The  natives  called  the  stream  the  “ Fi-ija.'' 

On  reaching  a height  overlooking  the  sea,  we  were  agreeably  surprised 
with  the  sight  of  the  squadron,  lying  off  the  furthest  point  to  the  soutliwest, 
and  between  fifteen  and  twenty  miles  distant  in  a straight  line.  This  encour- 
aged us  to  believe  that  we  could  reach  Napha  at  the  time  appointed,  and  we 
pushed  on  rapidly  and  cheerily,  for  it  was  now  growing  dark,  and  no  appear, 
ance  of  the  Cung-qu;\.  The  road  approached  the  shore,  and  became  a raised 
causeway,  passing  through  rich  rice-swamps.  The  natives  whom  we  met  in  the 
dusk  of  the  evening  took  to  flight  on  seeing  us.  At  last,  at  half-past  seven, 
weary  and  spent  with  a tramp  of  twenty-seven  miles,  the  native  herald  who 
ran  before  us  turned  into  a gateway,  over  which  towered  a magnificent  banyan 
tree.  We  followed,  and  discharged  our  pieces  in  a general  feu-de-joie,  on  see- 
ing a Cung-qu;l  with  the  lamps  lighted,  attendants  waiting  with  their  trays 
of  tea-cups,  and  a polite  old  gentleman  standing  in  the  verandah  to  receive 
us.  The  Lew  Chew  mats  were  never  so  soft,  nor  the  cups  of  unsugared  na- 
tive tea  so  refreshing,  as  on  that  evening.  Eggs,  cucumbers,  rice,  and  fowls 
were  immediately  forthcoming,  and  our  men  concocted  a soup  which,  to  our 
minds,  could  not  have  been  improved.  The  old  Pe-ching  made  his  appear- 
ance at  a late  hour,  nearly  as  fatigued  as  ourselves,  but  overflowing  with  cor- 
diality and  good  humor.  A company  of  native  guards  kindled  a fire  under 
the  banyan  tree,  and  prepared  to  spend  the  night  there.  Our  men  were  so 


EXPLORATION  OF  LEW  CHEW. 


209 


fatigued  that,  in  anticipation  of  another  hard  journey  on  the  morrow,  we  dis- 
pensed with  the  usual  watch.  It  was  the  less  important,  as  we  had  found  the 
native  guard  exceedingly  vigilant  in  keeping  away  all  stragglers  from  our 
vicinity.  The  light  of  the  ruddy  camp-fire,  playing  over  the  spreading  houghs 
of  the  banyan  tree,  brought  into  strong  relief  the  groups  of  swarthy  faces 
clustered  around  it,  and  presented  a picture  so  fantastic  and  peculiar,  that  I 
sat  looking  at  it  long  after  I ought  to  have  been  asleep. 

The  sound  of  rain  upon  the  tiles  of  our  Cung-qua  awoke  us  frequently  du- 
ring the  night,  and  when  we  arose  at  daybreak  the  sky  was  overcast,  the 
roads  flooded,  and  a steady  dismal  storm  had  set  in.  The  Pe-ching  and  his 
associates  wished  us  to  stay  at  “ Pi-ko,”  as  the  Cung-qua  was  called,  until 
the  next  day,  slapping  their  legs  to  indicate  how  tired  they  were,  and  making 
signs  of  slipping  up  and  falling  down  in  the  mud.  But  we  were  inexorable, 
and  they  sent  for  a new  set  of  coolies  to  carry  our  baggage.  We  had  another 
discussion  about  the  distance,  which  ended  in  their  declaring  that  Sheudi  was 
65  li  and  Napha  30  li  distant.  This  was  absurd,  and  probably  ought  to  be 
attributed  to  the  ignorance  of  the  Chinese,  through  whom  we  communicated 
with  them.  The  coolies  prepared  themselves  for  the  rain  by  putting  on 
shaggy  jackets  of  grass,  resembling  the  sheep-skin  garments  of  the  Roman 
herdsmen.  Our  men  had  their  pea-jackets,  and  we  were  partially  protected 
by  ponchos  of  gutta-percha  and  oilcloth.  We  were  delayed  in  getting  break- 
fast, and  did  not  break  up  our  camp  until  half-past  nine,  when  we  set  out, 
everybody  stiff  and  sore  from  the  previous  day’s  travel.  The  rain  was  still 
falling,  though  not  so  heavily  as  at  first,  and  the  road  was  an  alternation  of 
water  and  stiff  mud,  through  which  we  trudged  with  difficulty,  and  at  the 
risk  of  leaving  our  boots  behind  us.  After  rounding  the  head  of  the  bight, 
we  struck  on  over  the  hills  to  the  southwest,  and  in  an  hour  and  a half  came 
upon  another  deep  glen,  in  the  bottom  of  which  were  two  massive  bridges 
over  a stream  so  broad  and  deep  that  it  was  doubtless  a frith  of  the  sea.  W e 
stopped  an  hour  to  rest  and  enable  Mr.  Heine  to  take  a sketch  of  the  place. 
I noticed  that  the  heavy  triangular  abutments  to  the  piers  were  here  placed 
on  the  side  next  the  sea.  The  natives  gave  the  glen,  or  river,  the  name  of 
“ Machinatoo.” 

The  rain  had  ceased  by  this  time,  except  an  occasional  sprinkle,  and  the 
road  improved.  After  another  hour  the  roads  branched,  that  on  the  left 
striking  off  up  the  hills  to  Sheudi.  We  kept  on  over  the  hills  toward  Napha, 
the  scenery  gradually  assuming  a familiar  appearance,  till  finally,  from  a height 
covered  with  pine  trees,  we  looked  down  upon  the  harbor  and  the  American 
squadron.  After  fording  a broad  salt  creek  and  crossing  another  ridge,  we 
descended  to  the  village  of  Tume,  opposite  Napha.  We  reached  our  starting 
point,  the  house  of  Dr.  Bettelheim,  at  2 p.  m.,  and  there  took  leave  of  our 
worthy  Pe-ching  and  his  two  assistants,  after  having  appointed  a time  to 
14 


i 


1 


210  EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 

meet  them  again,  and  endeavor  to  return  some  compensation  for  the  provision 
furnished  during  the  journey. 

The  distance  we  travelled  during  the  six  days  was  108  miles,  as  nearly 
as  we  could  calculate.  Our  trip  embraced  a little  more  than  half  the  island, 
leaving  the  extremity  south  of  Napha,  (which  is  of  limited  extent,)  and  that 
part  north  of  the  head  of  Port  Melville,  and  lying  on  both  sides  of  that  har- 
bor, for  future  exploration.”  * 

On  the  return  of  the  party,  Mr.  Jones  submitted  the  following  report  to 
the  Commodore  of  his  observations. 

“ Before  describing  the  ancient  royal  castle  of  Chun-Ching,  which  we  dis- 
covered in  our  recent  exploration  of  Lew  Chew,  it  may  be  well  to  say  a few 
words  about  the  geology  of  the  island,  as  the  two  are  connected  with  each 
other. 

Going  northward  from  Napha  we  find  the  general  surface-rock  to  be  ar- 
gillaceous, either  compact  or  shaly,  which  is  intersected,  at  frequent  inter- 
vals, by  dykes  or  ridges  of  secondary  limestone,  of  a very  remarkable  char- 
acter. When  we  get  as  high  up  as  Barrow’s  Bay,  the  ai*gillaceous  rock  ceases 
and  is  succeeded  by  talcose  slate,  in  which,  however,  the  same  limestone 
dykes  occur.  At  the  most  northern  point  reached  by  us,  that  is,  at  the  vil- 
lage of  Nacumma,  on  the  west  side  of  the  island,  say  forty-two  miles  north  of 
Napha,  we  reached  granite,  rising  there  into  a hill  of  some  elevation,  hut  so 
soft  as  easily  to  he  cut  by  a hatchet.  This  granite  is  of  a grey  color,  some- 
times almost  white ; and  its  mica,  which  is  black,  lies  scattered  about  in  the 
mass  in  beautiful  six-sided  crystals,  giving  it  often  a handsome  appearance. 

The  talcose  slate  has  a strike  of  S.  10°  W.,  and  a dip  to  the  W.  of  60°. 
It  is  mixed  with  quartz  and  other  foreign  ingredients  of  a hard  character, 
and  comes  to  the  surface  in  sharp  jagged  edges ; very  severe  upon  the  feet. 

The  argillaceous  rock  gives  some  marked  features  to  the  island.  The 
rounded  hills  south  of  Barrow’s  Bay  are  all  of  this.  Being  soft,  it  yields 
readily  to  foreign  agencies,  and  is  often  broken  into  hare  faces,  with  perpen- 
dicular sides;  and  thus,  at  the  head  of  their  valleys,  sometimes  presents  us 
with  beautiful  cascades.  It  also  forms  the  chief  ingredient  in  the  soil  of 
the  island — in  wet  weather  a very  adhesive  clay. 

But  the  limestone  dykes  are  the  distinguishing  feature  of,  at  least,  this 
portion  of  Lew  Chew.  They  cross  the  island  in  ranges  of  N.  50“  E.  and 
N.  60°  E.,  rising  up  into  peaks  and  castellated  forms,  often  so  much  like 
ruins  of  ancient  buildings  as  to  make  a near  examination  necessary  in  order 
to  undeceive  ourselves.  The  rock  is  highly  granular,  hut  stiU  has  in  it,  not 
unfrequent  remains  of  marine  animals.  Sometimes  it  is  sufficiently  com- 
pact ; hut,  though  always  hard,  it  is  generally  so  vesicular,  as,  when  weather- 

* This  report  is  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  Bayard  Taylor,  who,  it  will  he  remembered,  was 
directed  by  Commodore  Perry  to  keep  a journal  of  the  incidents  of  the  exploration,  and  make 
the  report. 


GEOLOGY  OF  LEW  CHEW. 


211 


stained,  to  have  exactly  the  appearance  of  lava,  for  which,  indeed,  it  is  often 
mistaken.  Its  vesicular  character  opens  it  to  the  action  of  foreign  agencies, 
and,  in  consequence,  along  the  sea  and  hay  shores  it  is  often  undermined  by 
the  waves,  or,  if  harder  pebbles  find  their  way  there,  is  by  their  friction 
worked  into  kettle-shaped  holes,  with  ragged,  knife-shaped  edges  between 
them.  Where  the  roads  in  Lew  Chew  are  paved,  it  is  with  this  vesicular 
rock;  and  the  pavement  can  be  exceeded,  in  discomfort  to  the  traveller, 
only  by  the  sticky  mud,  from  which  it  is  intended  to  be  a protection. 

On  the  second  day  of  our  journey  (Tuesday)  we  were,  towards  noon, 
travelling  on  the  summit  of  one  of  these  limestone  ridges,  with  precipitous 
sides  descending  on  either  hand.  I was  ahead  of  the  party,  and  saw  before 
me,  by  and  by,  a something,  which  I took,  at  first,  to  be  the  natural  rock 
crossing  my  road ; till,  presently,  I saw  what  looked  like  a window,  or  some 
such  opening,  at  its  top.  A nearer  approach  showed  it,  to  my  great  surprise, 
to  be  the  old  deserted  castle  of  Chun-Ching. 

The  builders  had  taken  advantage  of  a spot  where  the  two  perpen- 
dicular faces  of  the  ridges  approached  each  other  suflSciently  near;  and 
here,  on  the  edges  of  the  natural  rock,  had  erected  their  walls,  giving  to 
the  sides  of  their  castle  a great  additional  height ; one  end,  also,  was  in 
part  protected  by  a similar  bold  face  of  the  rock.  The  road  by  which  I 
came  was  conducted  along  outside  of  the  main  castle,  though  it  was  still 
carried  through  the  fortifications,  which  it  entered  and  left  through  gate- 
ways in  very  thick  walls.  The  walls  themselves  were  in  the  style  so  com- 
mon in  Lew  Chew,  called  in  architecture  the  Cyclopean  style,  though  the 
stones  employed  here  are  much  smaller  than  their  archetypes  in  the  old 
Cyclopean  walls  of  Greece.  The  builders  of  Chun-Ching  contrived  also 
to  give  their  walls  that  inward  curve  which  seems  to  have  been  the 
fashion  in  Lew  Chew  castellated  buildings,  and  which  we  see  also  in  the 
royal  castle  in  Sheudi. 

Since  our  return  I have  learnt,  through  Dr.  Bettelheim,  that  Chun- 
Ching  was  once  a royal  residence.  There  were,  in  early  times,  seven 
kingdoms  in  Lew  Chew,  each  with  its  royal  castle  or  capitol,  and  Chun- 
Ching  was  one  of  them.  The  number  was  afterwards  reduced  to  three, 
then  to  one,  as  it  at  present  remains. 

What  I have  marked  as  places  for  burning  incense  (a,  a,  &c.)  are  little 
oven-like  buildings,  which  are  common,  also,  to  their  temples  and  hung- 
kwas,  and  which  Dr.  B.  tells  me  are  for  burning  paper.  The  Lew  Chewans 
have  a regard,  somewhat  like  the  Mahomedans,  for  any  paper  with  a sacred 
name  upon  it ; and  lest  such  may  be  trodden  under  foot,  and  so  desecrated, 
they  burn  them  in  the  little  edifices  alluded  to. 

Before  dismissing  the  geology  of  Lew  Chew,  I ought  to  say  that,  just 
south  of  Nacumma,  we  crossed,  along  the  shore,  numerous  patches  of 
recently  formed  rocks.  The  rolled  pebbles  of  the  shore,  together  with 


212 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN 


fragments  of  coral,  and  anything  else  that  may  happen  to  come  in,  are 
agglutinized  hy  carbonate  of  lime,  (probably  the  washings  of  coral  reefs,) 
and  are  formed  into  a firm,  compact  rock.  This  rock  is  only  about  a foot 
thick,  and  lies  in  table-like  fragments  upon  the  sands,  where  it  was  formed. 
[ saw  a similar  recently  made  rock,  of  fine  sandstone,  on  the  beach,  just 
west  of  Point  de  GraUe,  in  Ceylon.” 


The  Lew  Chew  Islands. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


Efforts  of  Authorities  of  Lew  Chew  to  prevent  a Visit  to  the  Palace. — All  Unsuccessful. — Landing  for  the 
— Procession. — Appearance  of  the  Country. — Keception  at  the  Palace. — Embarrassment  of  the 
Kegent. — Entertainment  at  the  Eegent’s  House.— Saki. — New  Dishes. — Commodore  Invites  Authori- 
ties to  a Dinner  on  board  the  Susquehanna.— General  Impressions  produced  by  the  Visit.— Espionage 
still  kept  up.— Daily  exercise  of  Sailors  and  Marines.— Settlement  of  Accounts  with  Lew  Chew  Au- 
thorities.—Mississippi  and  Supply  remain  at  Lew  Chew.— Susquehanna  and  Saratoga  leave  for  the 
Bonin  Islands.— Death  of  an  Opium  Smoker  on  the  passage. — Inhumanity  of  Chinese. — Sunday  on 
board. — Arrival  at  Port  Lioyd. 

HE  determination  of  the  Commo- 
dore to  return  the  visit  of  the 
regent,  at  the  palace,  and  nowhere 
else,  had  been  seemingly  acqui- 
esced in  by  the  Lew  Chew  digni- 
tary; hut,  in  truth,  he  had  but 
yielded  to  a necessity.  The 
Commodore  had  power  to  carry 
out  his  determination,  and  the 
regent  deemed  it  most  prudent  to 
concur,  with  the  semblance  of 
politeness,  in  that  which  he  could 
not  prevent. 

This,  however,  did  not  induce  that  functionary  and  his  subordinate 
officers  to  spare  their  efforts  in  the  attempt  to  escape  the  much  dreaded 
visit  to  the  palace.  Accordingly,  they  resorted  to  divers  devices  and 
stratagems,  too  clumsy,  however,  to  be  deemed  either  ingenious  or  cunning. 
In  the  first  place  they  begged  that  the  Commodore  would  return  the  visit 
at  Napha  instead  of  Shui ; then  the  effort  was  made  to  entrap  the  com- 
mander into  a meeting  with  the  regent,  which  would  have  been  considered  a 
return  of  the  latter’s  visit.  In  pursuance  of  this  scheme,  the  mayor  of 
Napha  made  a great  feast,  some  days  before  that  named  by  the  Commodore 
for  his  visit,  and  invited  him  to  be  present,  with  the  intention  of  having  the 
regent  attend  and  preside.  The  invitation  was  politely  declined,  on  the 
ground  that  the  storeship.  Caprice,  was  about  to  he  dispatched  on  the 
appointed  day  to  Shanghai,  and  the  Commodore  would  necessarily  he 


1 


214  EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN, 

occupied.  When  the  Lew  Chewans  found  that  the  Commodore  did  not 
attend,  they  were  determined  that  he  should  not,  at  any  rate,  lose  the  feast 
that  had  been  prepared  for  him,  and  accordingly  sent  off  to  the  ship 
numerous  dishes  of  the  intended  banquet.  These,  as  a matter  of  courtesy, 
were  allowed  to  come  on  board,  and  very  soon  the  quarter-deck  exhibited 
various  preparations  of  poultry,  fish,  vegetables,  and  fruits.  The  Commo- 
dore, however,  from  considerations  of  policy,  thought  it  best  to  be  invisible. 

The  next  device  was  to  appeal  to  the  humanity  of  the  Commodore,  and 
the  request  was  preferred  that  he  would  make  his  visit  to  the  palace  of  the 
Prince  instead  of  at  the  royal  residence.  The  reason  assigned  was,  that  the 
queen  dowager  was  sick,  and  had  been  for  a year,  in  consequence  of  the 
shock  received  on  the  visit  of  a British  naval  ofiBcer,  who  persisted  in 
entering  the  royal  residence,  to  present  a letter  from  Lord  Palmerston  to 
the  Lew  Chew  government ; and  it  was  intimated  that  a repetition  of  such 
desecration  of  the  palace  would  add  to  the  malady  of  the  queen,  if,  indeed, 
it  did  not  produce  a fatal  termination. 

The  Commodore,  who  did  not  believe  one  word  of  the  queen  dowager’s 
illness,  and  who  was  quite  convinced,  also,  that  all  this  manoeuvring  and 
trickery  were  designed  merely  to  satisfy  the  spies  kept  about  the  Lew 
Chewans  by  the  Japanese  government,  replied  to  this  afiFecting  appeal,  that 
it  was  his  duty  to  go  where  an  officer  of  the  Queen  of  England  had  been 
before  him  to  have  an  audience ; and  that,  if  the  queen  dowager  did  not 
see  fit  to  remove  to  the  palace  of  her  son  during  his  intended  visit,  he 
thought  that  the  pageantry,  music,  &c.,  attending  it  (purely  peaceful)  might 
divert  her  mind,  and  tend  rather  to  amuse  her ; while,  if  she  wished,  his 
learned  physicians,  who  would  accompany  him,  would  be  most  happy  to 
exercise  their  skill  for  her  benefit,  and  assist  in  restoring  her  to  health. 

At  last,  all  devices  having  utterly  failed  to  move  the  Commodore  from 
his  purpose,  the  day  came  which  he  had  designated  for  his  visit  to  the 
regent.  It  was  matter  of  policy  to  make  a show  of  it,  and  hence  some 
extra  pains  were  taken  to  offer  an  imposing  spectacle.  The  day  opened 
cloudily  with  a brisk  wind  stirring,  and  did  not  at  first  seem  to  promise  a 
propitious  season  ; but  after  a morning  shower  the  sky  came  out  bright  and 
blue,  and  until  evening  the  aspect  of  nature  was  as  fresh  and  beautiful  as 
could  have  been  desired. 

The  hour  of  departure  had  been  fixed  at  9 o’  clock.  Presently  the 
signal  was  made  from  the  fiag-ship,  and  all  the  boats  of  the  other  ships 
pushed  off  at  the  same  time,  and  as  they  pulled  to  the  land  presented  a very 
lively  appearance.  The  point  selected  for  landing  was  the  little  village  of 
Tumai,  about  two  miles  from  the  palace  of  Shui.  After  all  the  other  boats 
had  gone,  the  Commodore  set  out  in  his  barge,  and  on  his  arrival  the  marines 
were  found,  under  arms,  and  in  line,  under  a grove  of  trees  by  the  road-side, 
near  the  landing.  Groups  of  officers  in  uniform  were  gathered  in  little  knots 


PBOCESSION  TO  THE  PALACE. 


215 


under  the  shade  of  the  trees ; the  boats’  crews  rested  on  their  oars,  looking 
with  interest  on  the  proceedings,  while  the  natives  to  the  number  of  hundreds 
(many  of  them  of  the  better  class)  stood  around,  evidently  not  a little  moved 
and  excited  by  the  scene  before  them. 

The  Commodore,  with  the  captain  of  the  fleet  and  Commanders  Buchan- 
an, Lee,  and  Walker,  then  passed  down  the  line  of  the  marines  and  artil- 
lerymen, when  the  procession  was  immediately  formed.  First  came  two 
field-pieces,  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Bent,  each  having  above  it 
the  American  ensign,  and  immediately  preceded  by  the  master  of  the 
Susquehanna,  (Mr.  Bennet,)  with  Mr.  Williams  and  Dr.  Bettelheim,  the 
interpreters.  Next  followed  the  band  of  the  Mississippi  with  a company  of 
marines,  under  command  of  Major  Zeilin.  The  Commodore  followed  then 
in  a sedan  chair,  which  had  been  manufactured  for  the  nonce,  by  the 
carpenter  on  board  the  ship.  It  was  emphatically  a dignified  vehicle,  as 
became  the  occasion,  large  and  stately,  deeply  indebted  to  paint  and  putty, 
not  quite  as  polished  as  a turnout  from  Newark  or  Longacre,  but,  on  the 
whole,  decidedly  a feature  in  the  procession,  though  its  hangings  of  red  and 
blue  were  not  of  the  finest.  At  all  events,  it  was  the  most  imposing  sedan 
the  Lew  Chewans  ever  saw.  It  was  borne  by  eight  Chinese  coolies,  four 
relieving  each  other  alternately.  On  each  side  of  it  marched  a marine  as 
body  guard,  while  a handsome  boy  had  been  selected  as  a page,  who,  with  a 
Chinese  steward,  were  the  immediate  personal  attendants. 

Captain  Adams,  Lieutenant  Contee,  and  Mr.  Perry,  followed  the  sedan. 
Next  appeared  six  coolies  bearing  the  presents  designed  for  the  prince  and 
queen  dowager,  and  guarded  by  a file  of  marines.  Then  came  the  officers 
of  the  expedition,  headed  by  Captains  Buchanan,  Lee,  and  Sinclair,  followed 
by  their  servants.  Next  were  the  band  of  the  Susquehanna,  and  a company 
of  marines  closed  the  procession,  which  in  numbers  amounted  to  some  two 
hundred  or  more. 

The  whole  procession  was  well  arranged  and  picturesque  in  effect ; while 
the  beauty  of  the  day,  the  verdure  of  the  hills  and  fields,  and  the  cheerful 
music  of  the  bands,  gave  life  and  spirit  to  the  occasion.  The  natives  clus- 
tered thickly  on  the  sides  of  the  road  to  gaze  on  the  glittering  novelty, 
while  crowds  of  them  hung  in  the  rear  of  the  cortege.  They  did  not  mani- 
fest the  smallest  apprehension,  notwithstanding  the  presence  of  the  marines 
under  arms,  and  evidently  were  pleasantly  excited  by  the  spectacle  before 
them.  When  the  procession  passed  through  any  narrow  lane  the  natives 
nearest  to  them  knelt,  the  rank  behind  stooped  down,  and  the  rear  remained 
erect,  that  all  might  have  an  opportunity  of  seeing.  Very  soon  the  proces- 
sion emerged  from  the  village,  and  came  out  upon  the  open  undulating 
country  south  of  Shui.  The  picture  here  was  perfect.  The  fields  of 
upland  rice  were  gracefully  bending  like  waves  before  the  wind ; the  groves 
and  hill-sides  were  dark  with  the  deep-green  foliage,  so  suggestive  of  cool 


216 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


shady  retreats,  while,  in  the  distance,  the  roof-tops  of  Shui,  glittering  in 
the  sun,  revealed,  here  and  there,  a spot  of  dazzling  brightness  amid  the 
thick,  leafy  covering  of  the  trees  in  which  the  city  was  embosomed.  Under 
clumps  of  the  Lew  Chew  pine  the  pleased  natives  were  gathered  in  groups, 
while  others  might  be  seen  running  along  the  ridges  that  divided  the  rice 
fields,  that  they  might  head  the  procession,  and  thus  gain  another  view; 
while  over  all  the  music  from  the  bands  floated  far  around,  and  added  to  the 
pleasurable  excitement  of  the  march.  As  the  procession  ascended  the  hill 
of  Shui,  the  officers  and  men,  who  had  been  so  long  confined  to  the  monotony 
of  ship  board  life,  gazed  around  with  delight,  perfectly  charmed  with  the  rich 
cultivated  landscape  that  stretched  away  to  the  southward  and  westward. 

The  officer  designated  to  receive  the  Commodore  at  the  landing,  and 
conduct  him  to  the  capital,  was  the  Pe-ching  who  had  been,  in  the  previous 
week,  with  the  exploring  party  into  the  interior.  When  the  procession 
arrived  at  the  gate  of  Shui,  it  was  met  by  a crowd  of  native  dignitaries, 
with  their  attendants,  all  in  their  best  robes  of  grass  cloth,  and  with  the  red 
and  yellow  hatchee-matchees,  or  peculiar  Lew  Chew  cap,  on  their  heads.  The 
old  regent  and  his  three  venerable  coadjutors  here  appeared,  and  after  salu- 
tations, turned  and  accompanied  the  procession  into  the  city.  It  passed  on 
without  halting,  through  the  central  arch,  and  marched  up  the  principal 
street.  A large  train  of  attendants  was  in  the  retinue  of  the  regent  and 
chiefs;  some  carried  umbrellas,  others  bore  chow-chow,  or  refreshment 
boxes,  cases  for  cups,  and  other  articles.  There  was  an  inscription  in 
Chinese  characters  over  the  central  arch,  which  was  translated  by  Mr. 
Williams  to  signify  “ The  place  of  authority ; ” under  this  arch  the  common 
people  were  not  allowed  to  pass. 

The  main  street  showed,  on  either  side,  high  walls,  with  occasional  alleys 
branching  from  it  on  both  sides.  The  native  officers  kept  the  streets  clear 
of  spectators,  except  at  one  spot,  where  an  alley  branched  oflF  to  the  left. 
Here  was  a dense  crowd,  and  here  also  was  exhibited  the  final  device  to 
prevent  the  Commodore  from  going  to  the  palace.  The  regent’s  own  res- 
idence was  not  far  from  the  entrance  of  the  street  thus  crowded,  and  here 
that  dignitary  requested,  through  the  interpreter,  that  the  procession  should 
at  once  go  to  his  house,  and  partake  of  the  refreshments  he  had  provided. 
Mr.  Williams,  who  saw  at  once  the  object  of  the  request,  paid  no  attention 
to  it,  but  marched  straight  on  to  the  palace  gate.  It  was  obvious  that  the 
regent  had  anticipated  that  his  stratagem  would  prove  successful,  for  the 
gate  of  the  palace  was  closed.  A messenger,  however,  was  dispatched,  at 
full  speed,  to  cause  it  to  be  opened,  and  preparations  to  be  made  for  the 
Commodore’s  reception.  On  arriving  at  the  entrance,  the  artillery  and 
marines  were  drawn  up  in  line,  and  the  Commodore  and  his  suite  walked 
past  them  into  the  castle  or  palace ; the  troops  presented  arms,  the  ensigns 
were  lowered,  and  the  band  played  “ Hail  Columbia.” 


ENTERTAINMENT  AT  THE  PALACE. 


217 


On  entering  the  first  gateway,  a second  wall  and  portal  were  seen  above, 
(for  the  edifice  stood  on  a cliff  or  elevation  of  rock,  which  formed,  indeed, 
part  of  its  foundation,)  and  this  second  gateway  formed  the  entrance  to  the 
outer  court  of  the  palace,  which  crowned  the  height.  This  court  was  sur- 
rounded by  houses,  which  seemed  to  be  designed  for  servants  and  others 
belonging  to  the  royal  household.  On  the  eastern  side,  however,  was 
another  gateway,  resembling  the  Chinese  portals  of  honor.  This  consisted 
of  two  arches,  and  the  Commodore  was  conducted,  as  a mark  of  honor  and 
respect  due  to  his  rank,  through  that  on  the  right  hand,  into  what  appeared 
to  be  the  central  court  of  the  palace.  It  was  about  eighty  feet  square,  with 
very  plain  wooden  buildings,  of  one  story  only,  on  its  sides,  and  was  paved 
with  gravel  and  large  tiles,  arranged  in  alternate  I'^zenges.  The  hall  of 
reception  was  on  the  north  side.  All  the  other  buildings,  on  the  other 
sides,  were  protected  by  screens  from  the  view  of  those  in  the  court. 

The  Commodore  was  conducted  into  the  hall  of  audience,  and  placed  in 
a chair  at  the  head  of  the  room,  on  the  right  hand  side;  the  ofiicers  fol- 
lowed, and  were  ranged  in  chairs  on  a single  line,  next  to  the  Commodore, 
aecording  to  rank.  These  chairs  were  of  some  dark  wood,  lacquered,  and 
were  like  our  camp  stools.  There  was  also  a double  line  of  members  of 
the  Commodore’s  retinue  across  the  bottom  of  the  room.  On  the  left  side 
of  the  apartment  sat  the  regent,  with  his  three  principal  councillors,  and  a 
double  rank  of  attendants  stood  behind  them.  The  interpreters  stood  at  the 
head  of  the  room,  near  the  Commodore,  but  between  him  and  the  regent. 
All  having  been  thus  accommodated,  time  was  afforded  for  looking  around. 
On  the  wall  was  a large  red  tablet,  inscribed  with  Chinese  characters,  which 
signify,  in  English,  “ The  elevated  inclosure  of  fragrant  festivities ; ” an 
inscription,  by  the  way,  which  seems  more  appropriate  to  a place  of  feasting 
than  to  a hall  of  diplomacy  or  state  receptions,  where  there  is  ordinarily 
little  fragrance  and  less  festivity. 

The  queen  dowager,  who  had  been  so  pathetically  represented  as  being 
sick,  did  not,  of  course,  make  her  appearance;  nor  did  the  boy  prince,  for 
whom  the  regent  governed.  After  mutual  salutations,  tables  were  brought, 
and  cups  of  very  weak  tea  were  presented  to  the  guests.  Smoking  boxes 
were  also  distributed  around  the  room,  and  twists  of  very  tough  gingerbread 
were  placed  on  the  table.  In  short,  it  was  obvious  that  the  visit  at  the 
palace  was  unexpected ; it  had  been  supposed,  probably,  that  the  stratagem 
of  the  regent  to  prevent  it,  by  taking  the  Commodore  to  his  own  house, 
would  succeed ; and,  consequently,  no  preparations  had  been  made  for  the 
reception  of  the  company  at  the  palace.  Presently  the  Commodore  invited 
the  regent  and  his  three  colleagues  to  visit  him  on  board  the  Susquehanna. 
He  stated  that  he  intended  leaving  Napha  in  a day  or  two,  but  that,  after 
ten  days,  he  should  return  again,  and  would  receive  them  at  any  time  they 
might  choose  to  appoint,  either  before  his  departure  or  after  his  return 


218 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


They  replied,  that  they  would  leave  the  time  of  the  visit  to  be  named 
by  the  Commodore,  and  he  stated  that  he  would  prefer  it  should  be  made 
after  his  return.  To  this  they  assented  with  seeming  satisfaction.  The 
next  step  in  the  ceremonies  consisted  in  the  regent’s  taking  several  large  red 
cards,  similar  to  those  used  on  state  occasions  in  China,  when  he  and  his  three 
companions  rose,  advanced  a few  steps,  and  bowed  profoundly.  The  Com- 
modore and  all  the  officers  rose  and  bowed  in  return,  but  without  precisely 
understanding  what  the  homage  of  the  Lew  Chewans  particularly  meant ; 
they  were  determined,  however,  not  to  be  outdone  in  the  outward  symbols 
of  civility. 

The  Commodore  then  tendered  to  the  regent  such  articles  as  he  might 
need  or  desired  to  possess,  provided  he  had  them  on  board  any  of  the  ships, 
adding  that  it  would  give  him  pleasure  to  supply  them.  Hereupon  the  four 
dignitaries  rose  again,  advanced,  and  bowed  as  before.  The  interview  was 
becoming  rather  uninteresting,  and  it  was  quite  plain  that  the  magnates  of 
Lew  Chew  were,  from  some  cause  or  other,  not  quite  at  their  ease. 

After  about  an  hour  the  regent  rose  and  proposed  that  the  Commodore 
should  visit  him  now,  at  his  own  house.  This  was  alike  intelligible  and 
agreeable,  and  the  process!  on  was  formed  and  marched  to  the  street  where  it 
had  been  invited  to  enter  on  its  way  to  the  palace.  The  house  of  the  regent 
was  spacious,  consisting  of  a central  hall,  with  wings  open  to  the  court-yard, 
from  which  it  was  separated  by  a narrow  verandah  only.  The  floor  was 
covered  with  flne  matting.  It  was  at  once  apparent  that  most  hospitable 
preparations  had  here  been  made  for  the  entertainment  of  the  American 
visitors.  Four  tables  were  set  in  the  central  apartment  and  three  in  each 
of  the  wings,  and  these  were  covered  with  a most  bountiful  collation. 
Immediately  on  entering  the  guests  were  desired  to  seat  themselves,  the 
Commodore,  with  Captains  Buchanan  and  Adams,  occupying  the  highest 
table  on  the  right  hand,  and  the  regent  and  his  associates  the  one  opposite 
on  the  left.  A pair  of  chop-sticks  was  placed  at  each  corner  of  every  table ; 
in  the  centre  was  an  earthen  pot  fllled  with  saki,  (the  intoxicating  drink 
made  by  the  Lew  Chewans,)  surrounded  with  four  acorn  cups,  four  large, 
coarse  China  cups,  with  clumsy  spoons  of  the  same  material,  and  four  tea- 
cups. On  each  table  were  dishes  to  the  number  of  some  twenty,  of  various 
sizes  and  shapes,  and  the  exact  basis  of  some  of  which  no  American  knoweth 
to  this  day;  possibly  it  was  pig.  Of  the  dishes,  however,  which  were 
familiar  to  western  apprehension,  there  were  sliced  boiled  eggs,  which  had 
been  dyed  crimson,  fish  made  into  rolls  and  boiled  in  fat,  pieces  of  cold 
baked  fish,  slices  of  hog’s  liver,  sugar  candy,  cucumbers,  mustard,  salted 
raddish  tops,  and  fragments  of  lean  pork,  fried.  Cups  of  tea  were  first 
handed  round ; these  were  followed  by  very  small  cups  of  saki,  which  had 
the  taste  of  French  liqueur.  Small  bamboo  sticks,  sharpened  at  one  end, 
and  which  some  of  the  guests  mistook  for  toothpicks,  were  furnished,  to  be 


ENTERTAINMENT  AT  THE  REGENT’S. 


219 


used  as  forks  in  taking  kails  of  meat  and  dough  from  the  soup,  which  made 
the  first  course.  Soup  constituted  also  the  next  seven  courses  of  the  twelve, 
whereof  the  repast  consisted.  The  other  four  were  gingerbread,  salad  made 
of  bean  sprouts  and  young  onion  tops,  a basket  of  what  appeared  to  be  some 
dark  red  fruit,  but  proved  to  be  artificial  balls  composed  of  a thin  dough 
rind  covering  a sugary  pulp,  and  a delicious  mixture  compounded  of  beaten 
eggs  and  a slender  white  root  with  an  aromatic  taste. 

Novel  as  was  this  bill  of  fare,  the  gentlemen  of  the  expedition  endeav- 
ored, with  true  courtesy,  to  do  honor  to  the  repast,  and  at  the  end  of  the 
twelfth  course  respectfully  took  leave,  though  they  were  assured  there 
were  twelve  more  to  come.  The  number  of  the  courses  indicated  the 
desire  to  do  our  countrymen  a double  share  of  honor,  inasmuch  as  twelve 
is  the  prescribed  number  for  a royal  entertainment.  The  Lew  Chewans,  far 
removed  as  they  are  from  the  conventionalities  of  western  civilization, 
seemed,  notwithstanding,  to  understand  very  well  the  habit  of  drinking 
toasts  and  giving  sentiments,  and,  indeed,  were  ready  enough  to  drink,  on 
private  account,  without  any  stately  formality,  as  the  saki  circulated  freely 
during  the  eight  courses  of  soup.  When  the  Commodore  supposed  the 
solids  were  about  to  appear,  he  rose,  and  proposed  as  a toast  the  health  of 
the  queen  mother  and  the  young  viceroy,  adding,  “ Prosperity  to  the  Lew 
Chewans,  and  may  they  and  the  Americans  always  be  friends.”  This, 
having  been  translated  to  the  regent,  appeared  greatly  to  gratify  him,  and 
was  drunk  standing,  with  Lew  Chew  honors,  which  consist  of  draining  the 
small  cup  of  saki,  holding  a teaspoon  full,  at  one  gulp,  and  turning  the 
vessel  bottom  upward.  The  Commodore  afterward  proposed  the  health  of 
the  regent  and  his  associates,  which  the  latter  returned  by  proposing  the 
health  of  the  Commodore  and  the  officers  of  the  squadron.  By  this  time 
the  embarrassment  and  anxious  looks  of  the  Japanese  officials  had  entirely 
vanished ; from  what  cause  they  had  proceeded  our  officers  could  not  learn, 
but  most  probably  from  the  consciousness  that  they  were  under  espionage, 
and  that  all  they  said  or  did  would  be  reported  to  those  above  them.  The 
entertainment,  however,  proceeded  and  terminated  with  the  best  possible 
feeling  on  both  sides. 

The  interpreter  of  the  regent  was  a young  native,  named  IchirazicTii, 
who  had  been  educated  at  Pekin,  where  he  remained  three  years.  He  (5ould 
speak  a little  English,  but  the  Chinese  was  the  language  of  communication. 
This  youth  had  some  knowledge  both  of  the  United  States  history  and 
geography.  He  was  not  unacquainted  with  the  character  and  conduct  of 
Washington,  and  called  him  “ a very  great  mandarin.”  Where  is  it  that 
the  honored  name  of  the  Father  of  our  country,  this  man  for  all  time,  this 
man,  whose  peerless  purity  is  the  proud  heritage  of  a common  humanity 
the  world  over,  has  not  reached  ? It  is  heard  in  the  Arab  tent,  and  in  the 
Chinese  village,  under  the  shades  of  Lew  Chew,  and  in  the  cities  of  Japan, 


220 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


in  southern  Asia,  and  on  the  shores  of  the  Arctic ; all  western  Christendom 
knows  it,  all  honors  it. 

At  length  the  feast  was  over,  and  the  American  guests  took  their  depar- 
ture, the  procession  forming  in  the  same  order  as  before.  The  subordinate 
Japanese  officials  escorted  it  to  the  gate,  and  the  old  Pe-ching  again  took 
his  station  in  advance.  On  starting  down  the  hill,  four  little  ponies  which 
had  gone  up  without  finding  riders,  were  now  led  by  the  grooms  to  the  rear 
of  the  procession,  and  some  of  the  younger  officers  determined  to  try  their 
mettle  in  a ride  down.  They  were  very  small  animals,  of  bay  color,  but 
exceedingly  spirited ; and,  kicking  and  plunging  with  untiring  vivacity,  and 
somewhat  of  temper,  treated,  at  first,  with  sublime  contempt  all  efforts  to 
reduce  them  to  a gravity  befitting  the  occasion,  and  indignantly  resisted 
every  attempt  to  induce  them,  with  the  rational  sobriety  of  discreet  brutes, 
to  take  their  places  in  the  rear,  and  march  understandingly,  as  became 
them.  Like  ill-bred  ponies,  as  they  were,  they  kicked  up  their  heels,  and 
endeavored  to  do  much  as  they  pleased.  This,  however,  merely  afforded 
more  fun  to  the  officers  than  if  the  wiry  little  creatures  had  behaved  them- 
selves discreetly  as  part  of  the  American  procession. 

The  descent  of  the  hill  was  rather  warm,  as  it  was  not  far  from  noon, 
and  the  sun  shone  full  in  the  faces  of  the  procession ; but,  on  reaching  the 
wooded  slopes,  it  was  met  by  the  grateful  sea-breeze,  and  the  boats  were 
seen  quietly  resting  on  the  waters  of  the  bay,  while  their  crews  were  scat- 
tered in  groups  under  the  trees,  watching  the  coming  on  of  the  procession, 
and  waiting  to  know  whether  due  honor  had  been  shown  to  the  United  States 
in  the  person  of  their  “ Old  Commodore.”  Each  boat  had  the  American 
colors  fiying,  and  Jack  was  made  happy  by  the  assurance  that  all  possible 
respect  had  been  paid  to  his  flag.  By' half-past  two,  the  whole  procession 
was  again  on  board  the  ships,  without  any  accident  or  untoward  incident 
having  occurred  to  mar  either  the  pleasure  or  success  of  the  trip ; and  thus 
ended  the  grand  official  visit  to  the  palace.  It  was  a judicious  determination 
on  the  part  of  the  Commodore  to  make  it;  and,  having  announced  such  de- 
termination to  the  Lew  Chewans,  it  was  especially  wise  to  carry  it  through  to 
the  letter.  The  moral  influence  produced  by  such  a steadfast  adherence  to 
bis  avowed  purposes  very  soon  exhibited  itself.  It  was  part  of  the  Commo- 
dore’s deliberately  formed  plan,  in  all  his  intercourse  with  these  orientals, 
to  consider  carefully  before  he  announced  his  resolution  to  do  any  act ; but, 
having  announced  it,  he  soon  taught  them  to  know  that  he  would  do  pre- 
cisely what  he  had  said  he  would.  To  tlifs  single  circumstance  much  of  his 
success  is  to  be  attributed.  He  never  deceived  them  by  any  falsehood,  nor 
ever  gave  them  reason  to  suppose  that  his  purposes  could  be  altered  by  their 
lies  and  stratagems.  They,  of  course,  saw  at  once  that  he  was  resolute,  and 
that  it  was  dangerous  to  trifle  with  him.  His  whole  diplomatic  policy  was 
simply  to  stick  to  the  truth  in  everything — to  mean  just  what  he  said,  and 


IMPRESSIONS  PRODUCED  BY  THE  VISIT.  221 


do  just  what  he  promised.  Of  course,  it  triumphed  over  a system  which 
admitted  of  no  truth,  but  for  purposes  of  deception. 

Several  little  circumstances  connected  with  the  excursion  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  Commodore,  and,  as  illustrative  of  manners  and  customs, 
deserve  a passing  notice.  The  first  was  the  exceeding  cleanliness  of  the 
Lew  Chewans,  and  their  striking  contrast  to  the  Chinese  in  this  particular. 
The  Commodore,  speaking  of  Shui,  says  : “ Never  have  I seen  a city  or.  town 
exhibiting  a greater  degree  of  cleanliness ; not  a particle  of  dirt,  or  even 
dust,  could  be  seen,  so  different  is  it  from  the  filthiness  of  all  Chinese 
cities.” 

The  road  over  which  the  procession  passed  was  remarkably  well  con- 
structed. It  was  elaborately  paved  with  coral  rock,  very  neatly  fitted 
together,  and  the  upper  surface  rendered  smooth,  either  by  artificial  means 
or  the  constant  attrition  of  travel. 

The  peasantry  who  hung  upon  the  edges  of  the  procession  seemed  to  be 
of  the  lowest  orders  seen  in  Lew  Chew,  and  exhibited  a squalid  and  rather 
miserable  appearance ; many  of  them  were  naked,  with  the  exception  of  a 
small  piece  of  cloth  about  the  loins;  and  among  the  thousands  of  these 
people  attracted  by  the  novelty  of  the  spectacle,  singular  as  it  may  appear, 
not  a woman  was  to  be  seen.  The  great  population  of  the  island  may^ 
therefore,  fairly  be  inferred  from  the  large  multitudes  assembled,  composed 
of  but  one  half  of  the  common  people.  These  men  who  were  seen  probably 
compose  the  laboring  class,  receiving  for  their  daily  toil  scanty  food  and 
harsh  treatment.  The  idlers  are  the  priests,  and  the  hordes  of  spies  and 
policemen  who  throng  the  highways,  and  who  are  watching  every  thing  by 
day  and  night. 

On  the  whole,  the  Commodore  was  pleased  with  the  suavity  and  polite- 
ness of  the  higher  classes,  and  with  the  seeming  cordiality  of  the  hospitality 
which  had  been  shown  him ; if  the  Lew  Chewans  were  not  sincere,  they 
were,  at  least,  very  good  actors.  As  to  the  culinary  skill  that  had  been 
employed  in  preparing  the  regent’s  feast,  there  were  certainly  dishes  of  the 
composition  of  which  the  guests  were  ignorant,  but  still  they  were,  in  gen- 
eral, savory  and  very  good ; much  more  so  than  those  presented  by  Chinese 
cookery.  Whenever  a fresh  course  was  brought  in  at  the  regent’s  feast,  the 
host  and  his  brother  dignitaries  rose,  and  emptied  their  small  cups  of  saki 
to  the  health  of  the  guests ; and  the  regent  always  gave  a signal  to  the 
Commodore  when  to  commence  on  a new  course. 

At  the  reception  in  the  palace,  though  the  queen  did  not  appear,  yet  the 
Commodore  was  quite  satisfied  that  the  story  he  had  been  told  about  her 
desperate  illness,  by  the  regent,  was  all  fiction ; and,  in  fact,  if  she  were 
not,  as  some  suspected,  a myth,  he  thought  it  not  improbable  that  she  and 
her  attendant  ladies  were  behind  the  screen,  looking  through  some  crevice  at 
the  western  strangers,  possibly  not  a little  amused  at  the  novel  show.  At 


222 


EXPEDITION 


TO  JAPAN. 


any  rate,  lie  was  so  certain  she  would  survive  his  visit,  that  he  caused  tc 
be  sent  to  the  palace  a present  for  her  of  a handsome  mirror,  and  a quantity 
of  French  perfumery ; and  left  there  also  the  gifts  which  he  designed  for 
the  prince,  the  regent,  the  mayor  of  Napha,  and  other  dignitaries. 

The  expected  absence  from  the  island,  to  which  the  Commodore  had 
alluded  on  his  visit  to  the  palace,  was  to  be  occasioned  by  an  intended  ex- 
amination of  the  Bonin  Islands,  a group  lying  to  the  eastward,  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  141°  of  longitude,  and  presenting  some  points  of  interest  for 
investigation.  Before  our  departure  for  these  islands,  however,  the  story  of 
which  will  be  told  in  its  place,  we  must  finish  the  narrative  of  events  on 
this  the  first  visit  to  Lew  Chew.  The  old  Pe-ching,  who  received  the 
Commodore  on  his  landing  to  go  to  Shui,  was,  as  we  have  already  mentioned, 
the  same  that  with  such  exemplary  patience  and  good  nature  accompanied 
(as  chief  spy,  doubtless)  the  exploring  party  in  their  tedious  excursion  of  a 
week  over  the  island.  Mr.  Jones,  the  chaplain,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Taylor 
and  Mr  Heine,  having  procured  presents  for  the  old  man  by  the  Commodore’s 
order,  and  added  thereto  some  pieces  of  Canton  silk  handkerchiefs  of  their 
own,  went  on  shore  and  met  the  Pe-ching  at  Dr.  Bettelheim’s,  when  matters 
were  satisfactorily  adjusted.  But  on  this  visit,  as  on  all  previous  ones,  the 
system  of  incessant  watching  was  kept  up.  Five  individuals,  in  gray 
dresses,  followed  the  American  gentlemen,  and  sent  forward  a scout  to  warn 
the  people  to  keep  out  of  the  way,  and  they  accordingly  fled  in  all  directions 
on  the  approach  of  the  strangers.  There  seemed  to  be  special  apprehension 
of  their  women  being  seen ; but  in  the  few  instances  when  accidentally  they 
became  visible,  they  were  found  to  be  strikingly  unhandsome. 

During  the  period  of  stay  at  Lew  Chew  all  military  and  naval  drills 
and  exercises  were  regularly  performed  daily,  and  the  harbor  of  Napha  was 
made  lively,  on  two  days,  by  a general  boat  inspection.  Seventeen  boats, 
fully  manned  and  equipped,  and  five  of  them  carrying  twelve  and  twenty- 
four  pounders,  drew  up  ofl"  the  Susquehanna,  and  were  reviewed  by  the 
fleet  oflicers.  It  was  a fine  spectacle,  and  was  gazed  on  with  lively  interest 
by  the  Lew  Chewans.  They  had  never  seen  any  thing  of  the  kind  before 
within  their  quiet  harbor. 

The  pursers  were  sent  on  shore,  before  the  squadron’s  departure,  to  settle 
accounts  with  the  treasurers  of  the  island,  and  pay  for  such  supplies  as  had 
been  furnished.  By  the  Commodore’s  order  Lieutenant  Contee  and  Mr. 
Williams,  the  interpreter,  accompanied  them,  carrying  a number  of  presents, 
chiefly  American  cotton  goods.  According  to  their  past  usage,  the  Lew 
Chewans  demurred  to  receiving  any  compensation  for  supplies ; but  they 
were  given  to  understand  that  this  could  not  possibly  be  allowed ; and  that 
American  ships  of  war  always  paid  the  people  of  all  nations  from  whom  they 
received  supplies.  After  some  persuasion  they  induced  the  native  treasurers 
to  take  compensation  for  all  that  had  been  furnished  to  the  ships,  and  also 


PASSAGE  TO  BONIN  ISLANDS. 


223 


to  receive  the  presents.  The  Commodore  thought  it  was  a point  gained  of 
some  importance,  that  they  had  thus,  for  the  first  time,  as  it  is  believed, 
broke  through  their  ancient  custom  of  not  receiving  pay  for  provisions  fur- 
nished to  vessels.  Henceforth  visitors  and  their  hosts  will  stand  on  terms  of 
equality,  and  no  superiority  can  be  claimed,  nor  any  exclusive  policy 
practised  on  the  ground  of  favors  done  to  strangers. 

The  daguerreotypists,  Messrs.  Brown  and  Draper,  were  settled  on  shore 
in  a house  outside  of  the  village  of  Tumai,  and  some  of  the  embellishments 
of  this  volume  are  illustrative  of  the  results  of  their  very  useful  labors. 
Mr.  Scott,  of  the  Saratoga,  (an  invalid,)  occupied  another  house,  and 
enjoyed  an  agreeable  intercourse  with  the  natives,  finding  no  difficulty  in 
procuring  from  them  abundant  supplies.  A tide-staff  was  planted,  and 
Midshipman  Boardman,  with  two  men,  were  encamped  under  a tent  near  it 
to  make  regular  observations.  The  rise  and  fall  of  the  tide  during  the  stay 
of  the  vessels  had  averaged  about  six  feet. 

All  arrangements  having  been  finally  made  for  a temporary  absence,  on 
the  morning  of  the  9th  of  June  the  Susquehanna  got  under  way  for  the 
Bonin  Islands,  having  the  Saratoga  in  tow. 

The  Mississippi  and  Supply  were  left  at  Napha,  and  the  Commodore 
enjoined  on  Commander  Lee,  the  senior  officer,  to  cultivate  the  most  friendly 
relations  with  the  islanders,  exercising  all  possible  forbearance  and  kindness 
in  his  intercourse  with  the  authorities  and  people,  and  to  be  careful  to 
permit  none  but  the  most  orderly  persons  to  go  on  shore,  lest  some  untoward 
event  should  mar  the  harmony  then  happily  subsisting. 

Passing  through  the  southern  channel  the  Susquehanna  rounded  Abbey 
Point,  and  took  a southern  course  around  the  extremity  of  the  island.  This 
end  of  the  island,  though  hilly  and  picturesque,  did  not  appear  to  be  either 
so  fertile  or  so  well  cultivated  as  the  eastern  and  western  shores.  In  the 
course  of  the  afternoon  Lew  Chew  sank  beneath  the  horizon,  and  the  ship 
held  on  her  course,  east  by  north,  at  the  rate  of  eight  knots  an  hour.  At 
first  she  had  a light  wind  from  the  southwest,  which  soon  died  away ; but 
presently  she  came  within  the  influence  of  the  monsoon,  which  filled  her 
sails ; the  drawing  sails  of  both  ships  were  set,  and  though  the  steamer  had 
the  Saratoga  in  tow,  and  used  but  three  of  her  boilers,  she  made  nine  and  a 
half  knots. 

The  southwest  monsoon  still  continuing,  good  progress  was  made,  not- 
withstanding a strong  current  from  the  eastward ; and  nothing  occurred  to 
interrupt  the  uniformity  of  sea  life  on  board,  save  an  event  which  interrupts 
the  current  of  life  itself  alike  on  ship  and  shore.  There  was  a death  on 
board  the  Susquehanna.  When  Mr.  Williams  came  from  China  to  join  the 
squadron,  at  Lew  Chew,  as  interpreter,  he  brought  with  him  an  old  Chinaman 
who  had  been  his  teacher,  and  who,  it  was  supposed,  might  be  useful  in 
future  operations;  but  it  was  very  soon  apparent  that  the  old  man’s  race 


224 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


was  nearly  run.  He  was  a rictlna  to  the  habit  of  opium  smoking,  which  he 
was  attempting  to  abandon.  The  consequences  of  this  effort,  and  the  effects 
of  sea  sickness  on  hoard  the  Saratoga,  prostrated  him  so  completely  that  no 
medicines  had  any  effect,  and  he  sank  into  a state  of  nervelessness  and 
emaciation  painful  to  look  upon.  For  a week  before  his  death  his  condition 
had  been  most  pitiable  : every  joint  in  his  skeleton  frame  seemed  to  be  in 
perpetual  motion ; his  face  was  a ghastly  yellow  ; his  cheeks  sunken  on  the 
hones ; the  eyes  wild  and  glassy  ; and  his  mind  in  a state  of  semi-madness. 
Death,  when  it  came,  was  a relief  to  the  poor  old  man,  as  well  as  to  those 
who  saw  him  die.  On  the  day  after  his  decease  the  ship  presented  that 
striking  picture,  a funeral  at  sea.  The  Commodore  and  other  officers  stood 
around,  with  a large  part  of  the  crew,  while  the  chaplain  committed  his 
body  to  the  deep  until  the  day  come  when  “ the  earth  and  the  sea  shall  give 
up  their  dead.” 

A more  frightful  example  of  the  terrible  effects  of  the  use  of  opium  it 
would  be  difficult  to  find.  It  exceeded  in  horror  all  the  loathsome  and 
repulsive  results  of  the  use  of  intoxicating  drinks.  Delirium  tremens  is 
horrible  enough,  hut  the  last  scene  of  this  old  opium  smoker  was  more 
horrible  still.  There  was  something  revolting  also  in  the  conduct  of  the 
Chinese  on  board  the  ship.  They  manifested  not  the  least  sympathy  with 
their  dying  countryman.  For  a day  or  two  before  he  died,  not  one  of  them, 
with  the  exception  of  one  of  the  Commodore’s  servants,  would  go  near  him ; 
and  on  the  last  night  of  his  life,  when  two  of  the  deck  coolies  had  been 
ordered  by  the  captain  to  remain  in  the  room,  and  were  obliged  to  obey,  they 
squatted  down  in  the  corner  most  remote  from  him,  and  never  once  ap- 
proached him.  Some  of  the  quartermasters  gave  him  what  he  needed,  and 
were  with  him  when  he  died. 

During  the  run  to  the  Bonin  Islands,  the  crews  were  occasionally  heat 
to  quarters  by  way  of  exercise,  and  on  one  occasion  after  dark.  Night 
signals  were  made  to  the  Saratoga  by  means  of  lanterns  and  blue  lights, 
and  to  those  who  were  not  “ old  salts  ” enough  to  have  seen  such  sights 
before,  the  effect  was  alike  novel  and  exciting.  The  blue  lights  illuminat- 
ing the  broad  sails,  at  their  full  tension  under  the  influence  of  the  monsoon, 
the  men  at  their  several  stations,  all  brought  out  in  the  glare  of  an  artificial 
light,  which,  though  bright  as  daylight,  yet  was  of  unearthly  aspect,  gave  to 
the  scene  somewhat  of  a startling  effect,  and  forcibly  impressed  the  imagina- 
tion with  the  peculiar  features  of  a night  engagement.  The  next  morning 
after  this  exhibition  (Sunday)  was  fresh  and  cool,  and  it  was  pleasant,  as  the 
vessels  held  on  their  prosperous  way  over  a smooth  sea,  to  see  the  crews  all 
newly  washed,  elean,  and  dressed  in  their  suits  of  snowy  duck  with  broad 
blue  collars,  while  everything  about  the  vessel  wore  a trim,  holiday  air,  and 
those  not  on  duty  were  waiting  for  five  bells  to  gather  around  the  chaplain’s 
temporary  pulpit — the  capstan — and  join  in  the  services  of  the  day,  so 


AERIVAL  AT  BOKIN  ISLANDS. 


225 


peculiarly  appropriate  for  men  “ who  go  down  to  the  sea  in  ships,  and  whose 
path  is  in  the  great  waters.”  The  favoring  circumstances  all  continuing,  on 
the  14th  of  June,  at  10  a.  m.,  the  ships  found  themselves  off  the  entrance 
of  Port  Lloyd,  on  Peel  Island,  one  of  the  Bonins.  The  Saratoga  had  been 
previously  cast  off,  and  was  now  ordered  to  go  ahead.  Two  vessels,  appar- 
ently whalers,  hove  in  sight,  one  on  either  quarter.  The  one  to  the  north- 
ward showed  American  colors,  and  began  to  beat  down  toward  the  Susque- 
hanna, anxious  probably  to  know  the  meaning  of  such  a strange  event  as  the 
appearance  of  one  of  her  country’s  large  armed  steamers  in  that  remote 
spot.  The  three  islands  called  Peel,  Buckland,  and  Stapleton,  constitute 
the  principal  part  of  that  group,  and  lie  close  together.  They  are  high, 
bold,  and  rocky,  and,  though  not  so  beautiful  and  green  as  Lew  Chew,  are 
yet  exceedingly  picturesque.  Pilots  put  off  from  the  island  to  both  ships, 
and  soon  both  were  safely  anchored  in  the  harbor  of  Port  Lloyd. 


Bamboo  Village,  Lew  Chew. 


15 


Ti 


CHAPTER  X. 


Situation  of  Bonin  Islands.— First  Discovery  of  them. — Europeans  have  no  claim  as  the  Discoverers  — 
Mixed  Character  of  present  Settlers. — External  Appearance  of  Peel  Island. — Geological  Formation. — 
Harbor  of  Port  Lloyd.— Productions  of  the  Island,  Animal  and  Vegetable. — Eesort  of  Vhalers. — 
Condition  of  present  Inhabitants. — Commodore  causes  the  Island  to  be  Explored. — Eeports  of  Explo- 
ring Parties. — Kanakas. — Examination  of  Stapleton  Island,  and  Eeport  thereon. — Survey  of  harbor  of 
Port  Lloyd.— Land  Purchased  for  a Coal  Depot,— Departure  from  Bonin  Islands  on  the  Eeturn  to 
Lew  Chew. — Disappointment  Island. — Its  true  Position, — Borodinos. — Arrival  at  Kapha. 


HE  Bonin  Islands,  lying  in  the  Ja- 
panese Sea,  extend  in  a direction 
nearly  north  and  south,  between  the 
latitudes  of  26°  30'  and  27°  45' 
north,  the  centre  line  of  the  group 
being  in  longitude  about  142°  15' 
east.  The  islands  were  visited  by 
Captain  Beeehey  in  1827,  and,  with 
the  proverbial  modesty  and  justice 
of  English  surveyors,  named  by  him, 
as  if  they  had  been  then  first  ob- 
served. The  northern  cluster  he 
called  Parry’s  Group ; the  middle 
cluster,  consisting  of  three  larger 
islands,  respectively  Peel,  Buckland, 
and  Stapleton ; and  the  southern 
cluster  was  named  by  him  Bailey’s,  utterly  regardless  of  the  fact  thus  stated 
by  himself : “ The  southern  cluster  is  that  on  which  a whale  ship,  com- 
manded by  a Mr.  Coffin,  anchored  in  1823,  who  was  first  to  eommimicate  its 
position  to  this  country,  and  who  bestowed  his  name  upon  the  port.  As  the 
cluster  was,  however,  left  without  any  distinguishing  appellation,  I named  it 
after  Francis  Bailey,  Esq.,  late  President  of  the  Astronomical  Society.’"* 
To  the  principal  port  of  Peel  Island  he  gave  the  name  of  Port  Lloyd. 

This  was  a pretty  liberal  distribution  of  honors  by  an  accidental  visitor 

* Findlay’s  Directory  of  the  Pacific  Ocean. 


in  1827,  to  a group  of  islands  that  had  been  known,  and  of  which  we  have 
authentic  accounts  as  early  as  the  seventeenth  century.  According  to 
Kasmpfer,  these  islands  were  known  to  the  Japanese  at  a period  as  far  hack 
as  1675,  and  were  described  by  them  under  the  name  of  Buna  Sima,  signi- 
fying an  island  without  people.  According  to  the  account  of  this  traveller, 
whose  words  we  quote,  the  Japanese  accidentally,  about  the  yeat  1675,  dis- 
covered a very  large  island,  one  of  their  barques  having  been  forced,  in  a 
storm,  from  the  island  Fatscyo,  from  which  place  they  computed  it  to  be 
three  hundred  Japanese  miles  distant,  toward  the  east.  They  met  with  no 
inhabitants,  but  found  it  to  be  a very  pleasant  and  fruitful  country,  well 
supplied  with  fresh  water,  and  furnished  with  plenty  of  plants  and  trees, 
particularly  the  arrack  tree,  which,  however,  might  give  room  to  the  con- 
jecture that  the  island  lay  rather  to  the  south  of  Japan  than  to  ihe  east,  as 
these  trees  grow  only  in  hot  countries.  The  Japanese  marked  it  as  an  unin- 
habited place,  but  they  found  upon  its  shores  an  incredible  quantity  of  fish 
and  crabs,  “some  of  which  were  from  four  to  six  feet  long.”  The  descrip- 
tion of  Kaempfer,  as  well  as  that  of  an  original  Japanese  writer,  given  in 
the  note  below,  was  found  by  Commodore  Perry  to  correspond  exactly  with 
the  present  appearance  of  the  island.  The  arrack,  or  areca  tree,  alluded  to 
in  the  extract,  is  found  upon  Peel  Island.* 

* Extract from  KlaprotKs  translaticm.  of  San  Kolcp  Tsoir  Ran  To  Sits. 

“ The  original  name  of  these  islands  is  0-gasa-wara-sima,  but  they  are  commonly  called 
Mon-nin-sima,  (in  Chinese,  Wu-jin-ton,)  or  the  islands  without  people,  and  this  is  the 
name  which  I have  adopted  in  my  work.  That  of  0-gasa-wara-sima,  or  the  0-gasa-wara 
islands,  was  given  to  them  after  the  navigator  who  first  visited  them,  and  who  prepared  a 
map  of  them.  In  the  same  manner  has  the  southern  part  of  the  New  World  been  called 
Magalania,  (Magellan,)  who  first  discovered  it  some  two  hundred  years  since. 

“The  Bonin  islands  are  found  270  ri  to  the  southeasterly  of  the  province  of  Idsu.  From 
Simoda,  in  that  principality,  it  is  13  ri  to  the  island  of  Myake  ; from  thence  to  Sin-sima  or 
New  island,  seven  ri;  from  Sin-sima  to  Mikoura,  five  ri;  from  thence  to  P’atsicio  or  Fatiho, 
(P’atsisio,)  41  ri ; and,  lastly,  from  this  to  the  most  northern  of  the  uninhabited  islands,  it 
is  reckoned  to  be  180  ri ; and  to  the  most  southerly  200  ri. 

“This  Archipelago  lies  in  the  27th  degree  of  north  latitude.  The  climate  is  warm,  and 
makes  the  valleys  lying  between  the  high  mountains,  watered  by  rivulets,  to  be  very  fertile, 
so  that  they  produce  beans,  wheat,  millet,  grain  of  aU  kinds,  and  sugar  cane.  The  tree 
called  Nankin,  faze  or  tallow  tree  (Stillingia  sebifera)  grows  there,  and  likewise  the  wax 
tree.  The  fishery  is  good,  and  might  be  made  very  productive. 

“Many  plants  and  trees  grow  in  these  islands,  but  there  are  very  few  quadrupeds. 
There  are  trees  so  large  that  a man  cannot  embrace  them  with  his  arms,  and  which  are 
frequently  thirty  Chinese  fathoms  in  height,  (or  240  feet.)  Their  wood  is  hard  and  beauti- 
ful. There  are  also  some  very  high  trees  resembling  the  siou-ro-tsoung-liu,  or  chamarops 
excelsa,  cocoa  nuts,  areca  palms,  that  tree  whose  nuts  are  called  pe-couan-tsy  in  Chinese 
the  katsirau,  the  red  sandal  wood,  the  tou-mou,  the  camphor,  tub  figs  of  the  mountains,  a 
high  tree  whose  leaves  resemble  those  of  the  ground  ivy,  the  cinnamon  tree,  mulberry,  and 
some  others. 


228 


EXPEDITION  TO 


JAPAN. 


The  green  turtles  which  abound  in  the  island  were  propably  mistaien 
for  crabs,  which  may  account  for  the  gigantic  size  attributed  by  Kaempfer 
to  these  animals.  Other  accounts  give  a much  earlier  date  for  the  discovery 
by  the  Japanese  than  that  of  1675,  stated  by  the  authority  just  quoted. 
At  any  rate,  the  English  have  not  a particle  of  claim  to  priority  of  dis- 
covery. In  illustration  of  the  discovery  of  the  Bonins  by  the  accidental 
visit  of  a Japanese  junk,  it  may  be  stated  that  the  Commodore  was  informed 
by  Mr.  Savory,  an  American  resident,  that  a Japanese  vessel  of  about  forty 
tons  burden  came  into  Port  Lloyd  thirteen  years  before,  having  been  driven 
by  stress  of  weather  from  the  coast  of  Japan.  After  remaining  during  the 
winter  she  sailed  on  her  return  home  in  the  spring,  and,  as  she  had  brought 
with  her  nothing  but  a small  supply  of  dried  fish,  was  provided  gratuitously 
by  the  settlers  with  provisions.  On  another  occasion,  some  eight  years  sub- 

“ Among  the  plants  the  smilax  China,  (or  China  root,)  called  san-ke-rei,  the  to-ke,  a 
medicinal  herh  called  assa-ghion-keva,  and  others  are  to  be  reckoned. 

“Among  birds  there  are  different  species  of  parokeets,  cormorants,  partridges,  and 
some  resembling  white  sea-mews,  hut  more  than  three  feet  long.  All  these  birds  have  so 
little  wildness  that  they  can  be  taken  with  the  hand. 

“The  chief  productions  of  the  mineral  kingdom  in  this  archipelago  are  alum,  green 
vitriol,  stones  of  different  colors,  petrifactions,  &c. 

“ Whales  are  found  in  the  sea,  also  huge  cra-wfish,  enormous  shells,  and  echini,  which 
are  called  ‘ gall  of  the  sea.’  The  ocean  here  is  unusually  rich  in  various  products. 

“In  the  third  year  of  the  reign  Ghen-Fo,  (1675,)  Simaye  Saghemon,  Biso  Saghemon, 
and  Simaye  Dairo  Saghemon,  three  inhabitants  of  Nagasaki,  took  a sea  voyage  to  the 
principality  of  Idsu.  They  were  embarked  in  a large  junk,  built  by  a skilful  Chinese  car- 
penter. These  three  men  were  well  acquainted  ■with  astronomy  and  geography,  and  accom- 
panied by  Fatobe,  the  chief  ship-carpenter  of  the  port  of  Yedo,  who  dwelt  in  the  lane  of 
nets.  The  vessel  was  managed  by  thirty  sailors.  Having  obtained  a passport  from  the  im- 
perial marine,  they  left  the  harbor  of  Simoda,  the  5th  day  of  the  4th  moon,  and  steered  for 
the  island  of  Fatsio;  From  thence  they  sailed  toward  the  southeast  and  discovered  a group 
of  eighty  islands.  They  drew  up  a map  and  an  exact  account  of  them,  in  which  are  some 
curious  details  respecting  the  situation,  climate,  and  productions  of  this  archipelago.  They 
returned  the  20th  day  of  the  6th  moon,  in  the  same  year,  to  Simoda,  where  Simaye  pub- 
lished an  account  of  his  voyage. 

“ It  is  singular  that  this  writer  makes  no  mention  of  the  swift  current,  kuro-se-gaw, 
w'hich  is  experienced  between  the  islands  of  Mikura  and  Fatsio.  Its  breadth  exceeds  twenty 
matze,  (about  half  a ri,)  and  it  flows  udth  great  swiftness  from  east  to  west,  (a)  about  one 
hundred  ri.  This  omission  would  be  inexplicable  if  this  current  was  not  much  less  rapid 
m summer  and  autumn  then  it  is  in  winter  and  spring.  Simaye,  in  his  passage  to  the  Bonin 
islands,  passed  it  in  the  first  part  of  the  intercalary  month,  which  succeeds  the  fourth  moon; 
on  his  return,  the  latter  part  of  the  sixth  moon,  he  should  have  found  the  currents  less  rapid, 
and  thus  his  attention  was  not  called  to  this  dangerous  passage. 

“ The  largest  of  the  eighty  islands  is  fifteen  ri  in  circuit,  and  thus  is  a little  less  than 
Iki  island  in  size.  Another  is  ten  ri  in  circumference,  and  about  the  size  of  Amakusa  island. 
Besides  these  two  there  are  eight  others  which  are  from  two  to  six  and  seven  ri  around. 
These  ten  islands  have  flat  plateaux  which  could  be  made  habitable,  and  where  grain  would 


(a)  The  writer  in  describing  the  direction  of  the  current  is  mistaken. 


BONINS  NOT  DISCOVERED  BY  THE  ENGLISH.  229 


sequently,  a French  ship,  cruizing  off  Stapleton  Island,  discovered  a fire 
ashore,  and  on  sending  a boat  to  the  spot,  found  the  wreck  of  a Japanese 
junk  and  five  of  its  crew,  the  only  survivors,  in  a most  helpless  plight. 
They  were  then  taken  on  board  and  carried  to  Port  Lloyd,  and  thence  sub- 
sequently removed  by  the  humane  Frenchmen  with  the  intention  of  landing 
them  on  one  of  the  Japanese  islands.  In  confirmation  of  this  statement  we 
have  the  fact  that  a party  of  officers  from  the  Susquehanna,  on  a visit  to 
Stapleton  Island,  accidentally  saw  the  wreck  of  this  same  vessel.  The  re- 
mains of  the  junk  were  found  in  a little  bay  where  they  landed,  the  wreck 
being  still  partially  kept  together  by  large  nails  of  copper  and  portions  of 
sheets  of  this  metal.  From  these  materials  and  other  indications,  it  was 
inferred  that  it  was  a Japanese  junk,  and  as  the  edges  of  the  planks  were 
but  little  rubbed  or  decayed,  it  was  concluded  that  the  wreck  could  not  be 
very  old. 

Captain  Coffin,  whose  nationality  is  not  mentioned,  but  who,  from  his 
name,  was  probably  an  American,  and  if  so,  doubtless  from  Nantucket,  vis- 
ited and  gave  his  name  to  that  part  of  the  group  so  singularly  appropriated 
and  modestly  christened  by  Beechey  as  the  Bailey  Islands.  They  are  spoken 
of  by  the  inhabitants  as  the  southern  islands,  and  were  always  regarded  by 
them  as  belonging  to  the  Bonin  group.  They  are  about  twenty  miles  to  the 
south  of  Port  Lloyd.  It  was  not  until  1827  that  Captain  Beechey,  com- 
manding the  English  surveying  vessel,  the  Blossom,  visited  the  islands,  and 
taking  formal  possession  in  the  name  of  the  British  king,  gave  English  titles 
to  them.  The  inhabitants  practically  disown  the  paternity  of  the  English 

grow  very  well.  The  climate  is  warm  and  favorable  to  cultivation,  as  one  might  infer 
from  their  geographical  position.  They  afford  various  valuable  productions.  The  remain- 
ing seventy  islets  are  only  mere  steep  rocks,  and  produce  nothing.” 

“ A colony  of  condemned  criminals  has  been  sent  to  these  islands,  there  to  labor ; they 
have  tilled  the  earth  and  planted  some  patches.  They  are  collected  in  villages,  and  have 
brought  together  the  same  things  found  in  other  provinces  of  the  empire.  One  can  visit 
these  islands,  and  bring  hack  their  products  in  the  same  year.  In  this  way  a trade  would 
easily  spring  up,  and  the  benefit  to  be  drawn  from  it  would  be  considerable.  This  must 
he  plain  to  all.” 

“ In  the  reign  Au-Yei  (from  1771  to  1780)  I was  sent  on  a commission  into  the  province 
of  risen,  where  I became  acquainted  with  a Dutchman  named  Aarend  Werle  Veit,  who 
showed  me  a geography,  in  which  mention  was  made  of  some  islands  lying  200  ri  to  the 
southeast  of  Japan,  called  Woest  eiland  by  the  author.  The  word  Woesl  means  desert^  and 
eiland  or  (yeirand,  as  the  original  reads)  island.  He  remarks,  that  these  islands  are  not 
inhabited,  but  that  many  sorts  of  herbs  and  trees  are  found  there.  The  Japanese  might 
establish  a colony  on  one  of  these  islands  on  which  grain  and  other  productions  would 
thrive.  In  spite  of  the  length  of  the  voyage  thither,  the  establishment  would  he  useful  to 
them  for  these  purposes.  The  Dutch  company  would  derive  very  little  advantage  from  the 
possession  of  these  islands,  they  being  too  small  and  too  remote  for  their  use.” 

“ I have  thought  proper  to  repeat  these  words,  which  deserve  to  be  borne  in  mind,  and 
with  them  I bring  to  a conclusion  all  that  I have  to  say  respecting  the  Bonin  Islands.” 


230 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


sovereign,  and  do  not  recognize  the  names  given  in  his  self-assnmed  sponsor 
ship  by  the  English  captain.  For  example,  the  very  dignified  appellations 
of  Buckland  and  Stapleton,  with  which  Beechey  has  honored  two  islands  of 
the  northern  group,  are  quite  ignored  by  the  inhabitants,  who  speak  of  these 
places  respectively  as  Goat  and  Hog  islands.  When  the  English  visited 
and  took  possession  of  the  Bonins,  the  date  of  the  visit  and  the  act  of  ap- 
propriation were  duly  engraved  upon  a copper  plate  which  was  nailed  to  a 
tree,  hut  the  plate  and  the  tree  are  no  longer  there,  and  the  only  evidence 
of  British  possession  is  the  occasional  hoisting  of  the  English  flag  on  one 
of  the  neighboring  hills,  a duty  that  was  originally  delegated  to  a wandering 
Englishman  who  chanced  to  he  on  the  spot.  It  is  now  considered  merely  a 
signal  to  be  hoisted  on  the  arrival  of  a vessel.  No  government  is  recognized 
by  the  inhabitants,  who  declare  that  they  have  no  need  of  any  foreign  con- 
trol, as  they  can  take  good  care  of  themselves. 

In  the  year  following  the  visit  of  Captain  Beechey,  a Captain  Lutke  of 
the  Russian  navy  arrived,  and  went  through  very  much  the  same  ceremony 
of  taking  possession  and  of  otherwise  appropriating  as  his  English  predecessor. 

It  is  quite  clear  that  the  Japanese  were  the  first  discoverers  of  these 
islands.  They  probably  settled  and  then  subsequently  abandoned  them.  It 
is  possible  that  the  early  Spanish,  Portuguese,  and  Dutch  navigators  may 
have  been  acquainted  with  the  Bonins,  and  in  later  years  they  have  been 
visited  occasionally  by  the  Americans,  English  and  Russians.  The  fact  of 
a Spanish  visit  would  seem  to  be  proved  by  the  name  of  Arzobispo  or  Arch- 
bishop, by  which  the  islands  are  sometimes  distinguished.  One  of  the  in- 
habitants reported  that  he  recollected,  on  his  arrival  on  the  spot,  that  there 
was  a board  on  a tree  which  recorded  the  first  Russian  visit.  Neither  of 
the  European  nations  have  as  yet  made  any  attempt  at  colonization. 

In  1830,  several  Americans  and  Europeans  came  to  the  Bonins  from  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  accompanied  by  various  natives — men  and  women — of 
that  country. 

The  leaders  of  this  adventure  were  five  men,  two  originally  from  the 
United  States — Nathaniel  Savory  and  Aldin  B.  Chapin,  of  Massachusetts — 
one  from  England  of  the  name  of  Richard  Mildtchamp,  one,  Charles  John- 
son, of  Denmark,  and  the  fifth  a Genoese  known  as  Mattheo  Mazara.  The 
only  one  of  these  remaining  on  the  island  during  the  visit  of  Commodore 
Perry  was  Nathaniel  Savory,  an  American.  Mildtchamp  still  survives,  but 
has  taken  up  his  residence  at  Guam,  one  of  the  Ladrone  Islands.  The 
Genoese,  Mazara,  is  dead,  and  Savory  has  married  his  widow,  a pretty  and 
young  native  of  Guam,  by  whom  he  has  offspring.  Savory  occupies  himself 
with  the  culture  of  a little  farm,  which  is  tolerably  productive.  He  also 
carries  on  a trade  in  sweet  potatoes  of  his  own  raising  and  in  a rum  of  his 
own  distillation  from  sugar  cane,  with  the  whaling  ships  which  frequent  the 
place  ; and  he  had  prosecuted  his  business  with  such  success  as  to  accumu- 


GEOLOGY  OF  THE  BONINS. 


231 


late,  at  one  time,  several  thousands  of  dollars.  These  he  deposited  in  the 
ground,  when,  some  three  or  four  years  since,  a schooner  arrived  under  the 
American  flag,  bringing  a few  worthless  scoundrels,  who  ingratiated  them- 
selves, under  the  pretence  of  great  friendship,  with  the  old  man,  who  was 
thus  induced  to  make  them  the  confidants  of  his  success,  and  of  its  proof 
which  he  had  stored  away.  These  villains,  after  living  for  several  months 
on  terms  of  great  intimacy  and  confidence  with  Savory,  left  the  island,  hav- 
ing first  robbed  their  benefactor  of  all  his  money,  despoiled  his  household  of 
a couple  of  young  women,  whom  they  took  away  with  them,  carried  off  his 
journal,  and  wantonly  injured  his  property.  Fortunately  for  justice,  the 
guilty  party  were  afterwards  arrested  at  Honolulu,  but  the  captive  women 
expressed  themselves  quite  contented  with  their  lot,  and  declared  that  they 
had  no  desire  to  return.  As  for  the  money,  it  was  not  learned  whether  that 
was  ever  recovered  or  not. 

The  islands  of  Bonin  are  high,  bold,  and  rocky,  and  are  evidently  of 
volcanic  formation.  They  are  green  with  verdure  and  a full  growth  of  tropi- 
cal vegetation,  which  crowds  up  the  acclivities  of  the  hills,  from  the  very 
borders  of  the  shore,  which  is,  here  and  there,  edged  with  coral  reefs.  The 
headlands  and  detached  rocks  have  been  thrown  by  former  convulsions  of 
nature  into  various  grotesque  forms,  which  assume  to  the  eye  the  shape  of 
castle  and  tower,  and  strange  animals,  of  monstrous  size  and  hideous  form. 
Numerous  canal-like  passages  were  observed  opening  in  the  sides  of  the 
rocky  cliffs,  which  had  almost  the  appearance  of  being  hewn  out  with  the 
chisel,  but  which  were  evidently  formed  in  the  course  of  volcanic  changes, 
when  the  rock  flowed  with  liquid  lava,  and  found  issue  in  these  channels, 
which  the  torrents  that  came  down  the  sides  of  the  mountains  in  the  rainy 
season  toward  the  sea  have  worn  smooth  by  constant  attrition.  Some  of 
these  dykes,  or  canal-like  passages,  less  affected  by  time  and  the  washing  of 
the  water,  still  retain  their  irregular  formation,  which  has  so  much  the  ap- 
pearance of  steps  that  the  observer,  as  he  looks  upon  them,  might  fancy 
they  had  been  cut  by  the  hand  of  man  in  the  solid  rock,  for  the  purpose  of 
climbing  the  mountain.  On  the  Southern  Head,  as  it  is  called,  within  the 
harbor  of  Port  Lloyd,  there  is  a very  curious  natural  cave  or  tunnel,  which 
passes  through  the  basaltic  rock,  from  the  Southern  Head  to  the  beach  on 
the  other  side.  The  entrance  has  a width  of  about  fifteen  feet,  and  a height 
of  thirty,  but  the  roof  within  soon  rises  to  forty  or  fifty  feet,  where  it  has 
so  much  the  appearance  of  artificial  structure,  that  it  may  be  likened  to  a 
builder’s  arch,  in  which  even  the  keystone  is  observable.  There  is  sufficient 
water  for  a boat  to  pass  from  one  end  to  the  other.  There  are  several  other 
caves  or  tunnels,  one  of  which  is  at  least  fifty  yards  in  length,  and  passes 
through  a headland  bounding  the  harbor.  This  is  constantly  traversed  by 
the  canoes  of  the  inhabitants. 

The  geological  formation  of  the  island  is  trappean,  with  its  various  con- 


232 


EXPEDITION  TO 


JAPAN. 


figurations  and  mineralogical  peculiarities ; columnar  basalt  appears,  and 
hornblende  and  chalcedony  are  found.  There  are  all  the  indications  of  past 
volcanic  action,  and  the  oldest  resident  of  Peel  Island  stated  that  two  or 
three  tremblings  of  the  earth,  giving  evidence  of  a liability  to  earthquake, 
are  experienced  annually  even  now. 

The  harbor  of  Port  Lloyd  (as  Beechey  named  it)  is  on  the  western  side^ 
and  nearly  in  the  centre  of  Peel  Island.  It  is  easy  of  ingress  and  egress, 
and  may  be  considered  as  safe  and  commodious,  though  of  deep  anchorage. 
Vessels  usually  anchor  in  from  eighteen  to  twenty-two  fathoms.  The  port 
is  laid  down  on  Beechey’s  chart  as  in  latitude  27°  b'  35^^  north,  and  142° 
11^  30^^  east  longitude.  This  position,  however,  is  believed  to  be  erroneous^ 
for,  according  to  two  sets  of  observations,  made  by  the  master  of  the  Sus- 
quehanna, the  longitude  was  found  to  be  142°  16'  30"  east;  five  miles  more 
to  the  eastward  than  Beechey  makes  it.  The  safest  anchorage  is  to  be 
found  as  high  up  the  harbor  as  a ship  can  conveniently  go,  having  regard  to 
depth  and  room  for  swinging  and  veering  cable  Beechey’s  directions  for 
entering  the  port  are  sufficient  correct. 

Wood  and  water  can  be  procured  in  abundance,  though  the  former  must 
be  cut  by  the  crew,  and  taken  on  board  the  ship  green.  The  water  is  ob- 
tained from  running  streams,  and  is  of  good  quality.  Timber  for  building 
purposes  is  rather  scarce,  and  would  soon  be  exhausted  if  any  increase  of 
population  should  render  the  erection  of  many  houses  necessary.  The  best 
kinds  of  wood  are  the  jamana  and  wild  mulberry,  the  former  of  which  is 
very  like  the  red  wood  of  Brazil  and  Mexico,  and  is  very  enduring. 

The  harbor  of  Port  Lloyd  and  the  neighboring  waters  abound  with 
excellent  fish,  which  may  be  taken  by  the  hook  or  net,  although  the  places 
for  hauling  the  seine- are  few,  owing  to  the  coral  which  in  many  parts  lines 
the  shores.  The  best  place  for  this  purpose  is  upon  the  beach  which  borders 
“ Ten  Fat’nom  Hole,”  a deep  portion  of  the  bay  which  is  close  to  the  coral 
reef  that  extends  out  from,  the  shore.  The  varieties  of  fish  are  not  numer- 
ous ; among  those  taken  in  the  seine  belonging  to  the  Susquehanna,  there  were 
but  five  observed : the  mullet,  which  seemed  to  be  the  most  abundant,  two 
varieties  of  perch,  the  gar,  and  the  common  ray.  Sharks  are  very  numerous, 
and,  when  quite  small,  frequent  the  shallow  places  among  the  coral  rocks, 
and  are  there  pursued  by  the  dogs,  seized  upon  and  dragged  on  shore. 

There  is  an  abundance  of  excellent  green  turtle,  of  which  the  ships  ob- 
tained large  supplies ; there  are  also  plenty  of  cray  fish.  The  varieties  of 
the  testacea  are  numerous,  but  none  that  was  observed  of  any  rarity,  and 
none  edible  except  the  chama  gigas,  which,  however,  is  very  tough  and 
indigestible.  The  family  of  the  Crustacea  is  very  extensive,  of  which  the 
land  crab  forms  the  chief  part,  and  which  exists  in  every  variety  of  size, 
form,  and  color;  one  of  the  most  abounding  is  that  which  is  commonly 
known  as  the  “ pirate.”  This  animal  can  be  seen  in  every  direction  near  the 


NATTJEAL  TUNNEL,  POET  LLOYD,  BONIN  ISLANDS. 


. ■ I ( .>i  f O I r 


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a^4  ,, . ..  j . V, , .j 

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. ...  IJ, 

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'.)}*  mI!'!-’ ;;>• '■^'  i.;‘  7 ■: a' - ■ ‘ :.•  .•- T !y<. 'I. ..i  u '>'>r'i- 

IfitMipOHnO 


.V  /'  f • LM’‘ 

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ji  ■ ••.-  • -157, 

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■'•'  '■  ^ -r -■ ^ ■ .,/ 


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iiA  }’ sfj 'u  ! 


' IN 


PRODUCTS  OF  PEEL  ISLAND. 


23S 


shore,  travelling  about  with  its  odd-looking  domicil  upon  its  back,  which  it 
seems  to  have  got  possession  of  rather  by  chance  than  from  choice.  The 
“ pirate”  has  no  home  of  its  own,  but  appropriates,  whence  its  name,  that 
which  belongs  to  others.  It  has  a decided  preference  for  the  shells  of  the 
buccina,  murex,  and  bulla,  which  have  the  comfortable  proportions  of  an 
inch  and  a half  or  so  in  length  ; but  if  such  desirable  quarters  should,  by 
any  mischance,  happen  to  be  scarce,  the  “ pirate”  readily  turns  into  the  next 
most  suitable  dwelling  of  some  neighbor  at  hand.  It  is  necessary  that  the 
animal  should  have  some  snug  corner  wherein,  if  not  to  lay  its  head,  at  any 
rate  to  put  its  tail,  for  the  latter  is  soft,  and  requires  constant  protection. 
Thus,  when  the  “ pirate  ” moves  about,  his  head  and  claws  are  always  pro- 
truded, but  his  rear  is  covered  with  his  borrowed  shell.  It  is  still  an 
unsettled  question  whether  this  animal  appropriates  the  domicils  of  oth- 
ers by  first  rudely  ejecting  their  living  occupants,  or  more  considerately 
waits  until  a natural  death  or  some  fatality  vacates  the  quarters,  and  then 
takes  possession.  The  “ pirate”  is  a voracious  creature,  and  seizes  with 
great  avidity  upon  anything  eatable  that  comes  in  its  way. 

The  scarcity  of  birds,  both  of  sea  and  land  species,  struck  every  one  as 
singular.  There  were  not  more  than  four  or  five  varieties  of  the  latter,  the 
largest  of  which  were  the  crow  and  the  pigeon,  the  others  being  of  small 
size.  There  were  but  few  gulls  or  other  sea-birds;  on  approaching  the 
islands,  some  petrel  were  observed,  of  unusually  large  size  and  of  singularly 
brilliant  plumage. 

Among  the  quadrupeds  there  were  found  sheep,  deer,  hogs,  and  goats, 
with  an  infinite  number  of  cats  and  dogs.  The  cats  and  hogs,  having  lost 
some  of  their  quiet  domestic  virtues,  had  strayed  into  the  jungle,  and  were 
dignified  by  the  inhabitants  with  the  title  of  wild  animals,  and  were  accord- 
ingly hunted  with  dogs.  On  Stapleton  Island,  the  goats,  which  were  placed 
there  by  some  of  the  early  settlers,  have  increased  prodigiously,  as  have  also 
these  animals,  together  with  the  hogs,  put  upon  the  other  islands.  Commo- 
dore Perry  left  on  shore  on  the  north  side  of  Peel  Island,  with  a view  to 
their  increase,  two  bulls  and  two  cows,  and  on  North  Island  five  Shanghai 
broad-tailed  sheep,  of  which  two  were  rams,  and  six  goats. 

Peel  Island  is  the  only  one  of  the  Bonin  group  inhabited,  and  it  con- 
tained on  the  visit  of  the  Commodore  but  thirty-one  inhabitants,  all  told : of 
these,  three  or  four  were  native  Americans,  about  the  same  number  English- 
men, one  a Portuguese,  and  the  remainder  Sandwich  islanders  and  children 
born  on  the  island.  The  settlers  have  cultivated  patches  of  land  of  some 
extent,  and  raise  a considerable  quantity  of  sweet  potatoes,  Indian  corn, 
pumpkins,  onions,  taro,  and  several  kinds  of  fruit,  the  most  abundant  of 
which  are  water-melons,  bananas,  and  pine-apples.  These  productions,  to- 
gether with  the  few  pigs  and  poultry  that  are  raised,  find  a ready  sale  to  the 
whale  ships  constantly  touching  at  the  port  for  water  and  other  supplies. 


234 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


During  the  few  days  the  Susquehanna  was  at  anchor  in  the  harbor,  three 
whalers,  two  American  and  one  English,  communicated  by  means  of  their 
boats,  with  the  settlement,  and  carried  away  a good  stock  of  provisions. 
These  are  obtained  ordinarily  in  exchange  for  other  articles  from  on  board 
the  ships,  of  which  ardent  spirits  is  to  some  of  the  settlers  the  most  accept- 
able. Were  it  not  for  the  scarcity  of  labor  a much  greater  extent  of  land 
would  be  cultivated.  At  present  there  cannot  be  more  than  a hundred  and 
fifty  acres  throughout  the  whole  island  under  cultivation,  and  this  is  in 
detached  spots,  generally  at  the  seaward  termination  of  the  ravines  through 
which  the  mountain  streams  flow,  and  thus  supply  an  abundance  of  fresh 
water,  or  upon  plateaux  of  land  near  the  harbor.  The  soil  is  of  excellent 
quality,  and  resembles  very  much  that  of  Madeira  and  the  Canary  Islands, 
which  are  in  the  same  parallel  of  latitude.  It  is  admirably  adapted  for  the 
cultivation  of  the  vine,  and  for  the  raising  of  wheat,  tobacco,  sugar-cane, 
and  many  other  valuable  plants.  In  fact,  the  settlers  already  produce  enough 
sugar  and  tobacco  for  their  own  consumption. 

The  few  people  who  live  on  Peel  Island  seem  happy  and  contented. 
Those  of  European  origin  have’  succeeded  in  surrounding  themselves  with 
some  of  the  comforts  and  appliances  of  civilization.  In  one  of  the  cottages 
there  was  observed  several  compartments,  and  what  with  hangings  from  the 
walls  of  Chinese  matting,  a chair  or  two,  a table,  a plentiful  distribution 
of  blue  paint,  and  some  gaudily  colored  lithographs,  there  seemed  not  only 
on  the  part  of  the  proprietor  a desire  for  comfort,  but  even  a taste  for  lux- 
ury. 

The  Sandwich  islandei's,  or  Kanakas,  as  they  are  now  familiarly  known 
to  sailors  and  traders,  live  very  much  as  they  do  in  their  native  islands,  and 
have  grouped  together  their  palm  thatched  huts,  which  have  somewhat  the 
appearance  of  one  of  their  native  villages.  The  inhabitants,  living  a quiet 
and  easy  life  in  a climate  which  is  genial  and  wholesome,  and  upon  a land 
whose  fertility  supplies  them,  in  return  for  but  little  labor,  with  all  they 
want  to  eat  and  drink,  do  not  care  to  change  their  condition.  The  Ameri- 
cans and  Europeans  have  taken  to  themselves  wives  from  among  the  good- 
natured  and  substantial  Kanaka  women. 

Commodore  Perry  being  desirous  of  obtaining  as  full  information  as 
possible  of  Peel  Island  during  his  short  visit,  determined  to  send  parties  of 
exploration  into  the  interior.  He  accordingly  detailed  certain  officers  and 
men  for  the  purpose,  who  were  divided  into  two  companies,  one  of  which 
was  headed  by  Mr.  Bayard  Taylor,  and  the  other  by  Dr.  Fahs,  assistant 
surgeon. 

These  gentlemen,  having  been  duly  armed  and  equipped,  started  early 
on  the  morning  of  the  I5th  of  June,  with  a view  of  devoting  the  day  to  the 
proposed  exploration.  The  party  headed  by  Mr.  Taylor,  whose  steps  we 
shall  first  follow  in  the  narrative,  and  whose  report  as  submitted  to  the 


EXPLOKATION  OF  PEEL  ISLAND. 


235 


Commodore  we  shall  freely  use,  was  composed  of  eight : Mr.  Bayard  Taylor, 
Mr.  Heine,  the  artist,  Mr.  Boardman,  midshipman,  Mr.  Lawrence,  assistant 
engineer,  Mr.  Hampton,  pui’ser’s  steward.  Smith,  a marine,  Dennis  Terry, 
seaman,  and  a Chinese  coolie.  As  Peel  Island  is  only  six  miles  in  length,  it 
was  thought  that  one  day  was  quite  sufficient  time  for  two  parties  properly 
distributed  to  explore  so  small  a space.  The  northern  part  of  the  island, 
which  is  that  which  stretches  immediately  around  the  harbor,  was  the  field 
of  operation  appropriated  to  the  doctor’s  party,  while  the  southern  half  fell 
to  the  duty  of  the  explorers  whose  steps  we  are  now  about  to  follow. 

At  early  sunrise  the  party  left  the  Susquehanna  and  were  rowed  ashore 
to  the  watering  place  at  the  head  of  the  bay.  On  reaching  this  point  the 
rations  and  ammunition  were  distributed  to  each,  so  that  all  might,  as  far  as 
possible,  be  equally  burdened.  A Kanaka,  who  was  met  at  the  landing,  was 
urged  to  accompany  the  party  as  a guide,  but  he  was  not  disposed  to  comply, 
although  he  pointed  out  a small  footpath,  which  he  stated  led  over  the  hills 
to  a Kanaka  settlement  about  three  miles  distant.  This  direction  was  at 
once  followed,  which  led  them  by  a steep  and  slippery  path  through  a wilder- 
ness of  tropical  growth.  Palm  trees,  among  which  was  the  sago  palm,  that 
produces  the  sago  of  commerce,  abounded ; parasitic  plants  hung  in  festoons 
from  branch  to  branch,  and  by  their  close  net-work,  interwoven  with  the 
trees,  hindered  the  progress  at  every  step,  while  the  dew  which  dripped  in 
the  early  morning  from  the  thick  foliage  of  the  overgrown  thicket  wetted 
each  one  to  the  skin.  The  soil  was  observed  to  be  that  which  is  common 
about  Port  Lloyd  and  other  parts  of  the  island,  and  seemed  composed  of  the 
detritus  of  trap  rock  and  the  decomposed  refuse  of  the  plants  and  trees. 
Rock  of  trap  formation  protruded  frequently  in  rough  crags  from  the  steep 
sides  of  the  hills,  and  in  the  crevices  grew  a beautiful  variety  of  the  hibiscus, 
with  its  large  flowers  of  a dull  orange,  whose  petals  were  tipped  with  yellow 
of  a lighter  shade.  A shower  of  white  blossoms,  which  had  fallen  from  a 
large  tree  of  thirty  feet  in  height,  strewed  here  and  there  the  ground. 

The  course  was  up  the  ridge  of  the  hill,  and  as  it  continued  to  the 
summit  the  vegetation  became  more  and  more  profuse,  until  the  expanding 
tops  of  the  palm,  the  crowding  together  of  the  trunks  of  the  trees,  and  the 
dense  net-work  of  the  hanging  vines,  so  shrouded  the  sun  that  the  path  was 
covered  with  a deep  shade,  through  the  darkness  of  which  the  eye  could 
hardly  penetrate  to  a greater  distance,  in  any  direction,  than  twenty  or 
thirty  feet.  It  was  difficult  at  times  to  trace  the  path.  When  the  party 
had  reached  the  water-courses  of  the  streams  which  flowed  down  the  other 
side  of  the  ridge  they  were  ascending,  multitudes  of  land  crabs  pattered 
away  in  every  direction,  frightened  out  of  their  coverts  by  the  approaching 
footsteps. 

The  ridge  at  its  summit  widened  into  an  undulating  surface  of  a mile 
and  a half  or  so  in  breadth,  and  was  furrowed  with  deep  gullies.  The  de- 


236 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


clivity  on  tbe  other  side  of  the  ridge,  below  which  opened  a deep  ravine, 
was  so  steep  that  the  men  were  obliged  to  let  themselves  down  by  swinging 
from  tree  to  tree.  This  ravine  between  the  steep  mountains,  which,  with  the 
exception  of  the  bared  rock  here  and  there,  were  profusely  covered  with 
vegetation,  presented  a wild  aspect,  with  a stream  of  water  flowing  over  a 
rocky  bed  through  thickets  of  undergrowth  and  masses  of  tropical  vegetation 
spreading  over  the  rocky  cliS’s  and  down  the  hills  on  all  sides. 

The  party  now  crossed  the  stream,  and  coming  upon  a field  of  the  taro 
plant,  which  was  of  remarkably  luxuriant  growth,  struck  directly  through 
it  and  reached  the  forest  beyond.  Finding  it  impossible,  however  to  make 
their  way  in  that  direction,  they  turned  back  through  the  taro  and  regained 
the  stream.  The  path  was  now  recovered,  which  was  found  to  lead  through 
a valley  which  bore  signs  of  habitation.  Cultivated  patches  of  ground 
showed  themselves  here  and  there  with  flourishing  crops  of  sweet  potatoes, 
taro,  tobacco,  sugar-cane,  pumpkin,  and  the  sida  or  Indian  gooseberry, 
which  seemed  to  grow  with  wonderful  luxuriance.  In  the  centre  of  the 
valley  two  palm-thatched  huts  were  observed,  but  the  party,  upon  coming  up 
to  them  and  entering,  found  they  were  uninhabited,  although  there  were 
signs  of  their  having  been  occupied  that  morning.  Guns  were  then  fired  to 
attract  the  attention  of  any  inhabitants  who  might  be  within  hearing,  and  a 
good  result  was  soon  apparent  by  the  answering  signal  of  a shout,  whicli 
was  immediately  followed  by  the  appearance  of  a South  Sea  islander,  with 
a face  tattooed  of  a light  blue,  and  clothed  in  coarse  cotton  shirt  and  trow- 
sers.  He  introduced  himself  under  the  dignified  title  of  “ Judge,”  and 
professed  to  be  a native  of  Nukahwa  in  the  Marquesas  Islands.  This  3Iar- 
quesite  seemed  to  be  in  a very  flourishing  condition.  He  had  a hut  to  live 
in,  a plantation  to  cultivate,  and  made  a fair  show  of  live  stock  with  his  dogs 
and  four  pigs.  The  “ Judge  ” was  very  affable,  and  in  a very  friendly  man- 
ner gave  freely  all  the  information  at  his  command.  He  pointed  out  to  his 
visitors  how  the  valley  turned  round  the  spur  of  the  mountain  and  opened 
westward  to  the  sea.  The  stream  was  here  only  a creek  in  appearance,  but 
was  of  sufficient  depth  to  float  canoes,  in  one  of  which  the  “ Judge  ” had 
just  arrived  from  a turtle  hunt,  and  had  brought  with  him  a fine  animal, 
which  he  busied  himself  with  cutting  up  in  the  wistful  company  of  his  four 
dogs,  who  were  licking  their  chops  with  a hopeful  anticipation  of  their  share 
of  the  feast. 

The  “ Judge  ” was  requested  to  guide  the  party  to  the  southern  end  of 
the  island,  which  he  stated  to  be  about  three  or  four  miles  distant,  with- 
out, however,  any  pathway  to  it.  His  companion,  however,  who  knew  the 
way,  was  sent  for,  and  a copper-colored  Otaheitan,  who  hardly  spoke  Eng- 
lish, soon  presented  himself  He  acknowledged  that  he  was  acquainted  with 
the  route,  and  familiar  with  the  wild  boar  haunts,  but  refused  to  go  with 
the  party  unless  joined  by  the  “ Judge,”  who,  after  some  hesitation,  consent- 


EXPLOBATION  OF  PEEL  ISLAND. 


237 


ed,  with  the  understanding  that  he  should  be  allowed  to  stow  away  his  turtle 
flesh  before  starting.  This,  of  course,  was  readily  conceded. 

The  valley  in  which  the  explorers  found  themselves  was  estimated  to  be 
about  a mile  in  length,  and  its  widest  part  was  a quarter  of  a mile  in 
breadth.  The  main  branch  of  the  valley  was  not  that  which  had  been 
entered,  but  took  an  easterly  direction,  through  which  a stream  flowed ; the 
southern  part  seemed  to  be  impassable,  from  being  walled  up  with  rocks 
heaped  one  above  the  other.  From  the  “ Judge’s”  hut  the  sea  was  said  to 
be  about  half  a mile  distant.  The  soil  of  the  valley  is  of  a rich  loam,  and, 
judging  by  the  flourishing  appearance  of  the  vegetables  and  crops  grown  by 
the  settlers,  exceedingly  fertile.  The  tobacco  was  particularly  vigorous  in 
growth,  being  flve  feet  in  height.  The  water  of  the  stream  is  sweet  and 
pure,  and  the  supply  constant.  Some  lemons,  which  the  “Judge”  had 
stored  away  in  his  hat,  he  said  came  from  the  north  of  the  valley. 

The  party,  now  under  the  guidance  of  the  “ Judge”  and  his  companion, 
took  an  E.S.E  course,  following  through  the  ravine  the  stream.  The  bed  of 
the  stream  was  in  various  places  crowded  with  large  boulders  of  trap  rock, 
heaped  confusedly  one  upon  another.  The  vegetation  presented  the  usual 
tropical  profusion  of  trees,  parasite  plants,  and  undergrowth.  From  the 
denseness  of  the  woods  and  the  greasy,  slippery  nature  of  the  soil,  the  pro- 
gress of  every  step  was  toilsome  and  painful.  Two  of  the  party  in  the  rear, 
while  those  in  advance  awaited  upon  a clifi’  their  coming  up,  started  a wild 
boar,  and  fired  at  him  a passing  shot,  but  without  effect.  The  dogs  which 
belonged  to  the  settlers  were  not  of  much  use,  for  they  kept  clinging  to  the 
heels  of  their  masters,  instead  of  ranging  the  forest  and  beating  up  the 
game  from  its  cover. 

On  leaving  the  water-course  the  explorers  climbed  the  southern  side  of 
the  ravine,  which  they  could  only  do  by  clinging  to  the  roots  or  to  the  tough 
vines  which  hung  from  the  trees.  In  the  deep  shadow  and  turnings  of  the 
wood,  through  which  there  was  no  path,  the  members  of  the  party  became 
scattered,  and  the  leaders  were  again  obliged  to  await  at  the  summit  of  the 
ridge  the  coming  of  those  who  lagged  behind.  Among  the  various  palms, 
which  grow  abundantly,  some  specimens  of  the  palma  latina  were  observed 
at  this  spot,  with  immensely  broad  leaves  and  stems  nearly  eight  feet  in 
length,  the  jagged  edges  of  which  wounded  the  travellers’  hands  as  they 
struggled  through  the  forest.  The  pandanus  was  also  seen,  with  its  shoots, 
sometimes  twenty  or  thirty  in  number,  sticking  down  and  outwards  from  the 
lower  part  of  its  straight  trunk,  and  rooting  themselves  in  the  ground,  until 
they  formed  a pyramidal  base,  from  which  the  tree  rose  in  a slender  column, 
covered  with  a graceful  capital  of  foliage. 

While  some  of  the  party  were  resting  upon  the  ridge,  waiting  for  their 
companions  who  had  fallen  behind,  a great  barking  of  dogs  rose  from  a 
neighboring  ravine,  at  which  two  of  the  party  started  OS'  at  once.  Several 


238 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN, 


shots  from  the  company  were  soon  heard,  and  Mr.  Taylor,  the  leader,  fol- 
lowed, making  for  the  direction  of  the  sound,  and,  after  plunging  through 
an  almost  impenetrable  thicket,  in  the  course  of  which  he  came  upon  the  lair 
of  a wild  animal,  arrived  at  the  bed  of  a brook,  where  the  hunters  were 
grouped  about  a young  boar.  He  was  not  over  a year  old,  and,  with  his 
long  snout  and  the  dirty,  dark  grey  color  of  his  bristling  hide,  looked  some- 
what like  the  Chinese  hog.  Mr.  Hampton,  one  of  the  party  who  had  been 
left  behind  upon  the  ridge,  was  now  sent  for;  but  the  “ Judge,”  who  had 
gone  in  search  of  him,  soon  returned,  stating  that  he  was  sick,  and  unable  to 
come  up.  Mr.  Hampton,  however,  in  a short  time  gathered  strength  enough 
to  follow,  and  succeeded  in  reaching  the  party,  although  evidently  much 
overcome  with  fatigue.  As  the  Otaheitan  guide,  however,  said  that  it  was  only 
two  miles  to  the  southern  end  of  the  island,  Mr.  Hampton  resolved  to  con- 
tinue with  his  companions,  instead  of  returning,  as  had  been  proposed,  with 
the  “ Judge”  to  the  valley.  The  explorers  having  taken  with  them  the  liver 
and  the  kidneys  of  the  wild  boar,  hung  up  his  carcase  upon  a tree  to  remain 
until  their  return,  and  then  continued  their  course. 

In  about  a half  hour  afterward  the  ridge  which  divides  the  island  was 
crossed  and  the  top  of  the  slope  of  the  southern  side  reached.  From  this 
point  the  sea  was  seen  and  a view  obtained  of  Bailey’s  Island,  rising  from 
the  surface  in  the  distance,  a little  west  of  south.  It  was  now  found  neces- 
sary to  alter  the  course  of  the  route,  for  the  guide  had  taken  the  party  too 
far  to  the  right,  and  led  them  to  the  brink  of  a steep  precipice  which  it  was 
impracticable  to  descend.  There  was  some  difficulty  now  in  retracing  their 
steps,  for  they  had  got  so  near  to  the  precipice  that  they  were  forced  to 
creep  along  with  great  caution,  clinging  to  the  strong  grass  and  shrubs 
which  grew  upon  the  brink.  By  this  mode  of  procedure,  for  the  extent  of 
two  hnndred  yards  or  so,  they  succeeded  in  reaching  a place  where  the 
precipice  terminated,  but  where  the  descent  was  still  so  steep  that  it  was 
found  necessary  for  each  man,  as  he  descended,  to  place  himself  upon  his 
back  and  thus  slide  down  the  declivity,  taking  care  to  check  his  speed  by 
occasionally  clenching  the  earth  or  some  projecting  bush.  Finally,  the 
ravine  below  was  reached,  but  there  was  considerable  disappointment  on 
finding  that  the  worst  was  not  yet  over;  for,  instead  of  coming  upon  a 
water-course,  as  was  expected,  which  might  lead  gently  to  the  sea  side,  it 
was  discovered  that  there  was  a succession  of  rocky  steps,  varying  from  ten 
to  fifty  feet,  down  which  it  was  necessary  to  clamber.  At  last  the  beach 
was  reached ; and  as  those  in  advance  looked  up  to  their  remaining  compan- 
ions, some  standing  upon  the  edge  of  the  cliffs,  and  others  letting  themselves 
down  their  precipitous  sides,  the  undertaking  just  accomplished  seemed  a 
marvellous  feat  of  labor,  difficulty,  and  danger. 

The  party  now  found  themselves  in  what  the  guide  called  the  South 
East  Bay,  which  was  said  to  be  frequently  visited  by  the  whalers ; some  of 


VALLEY  KEAR  SOUTH  EAST  BAT,  I'EBL  ISLAND,  BONIN  GROUP. 


II 


1CA8T  HAY,  riCIfih  ISI.ANI). 


EXPLORATION  OF  PEEL  ISLAND. 


239 


whom  had  left  evidence  of  their  visits  in  the  stump  of  a tree,  which  showed 
marks  of  having  been  smoothly  cut  with  a large  axe.  There  was  also  a 
neglected  bed  of  tomatoes,  overgrown  with  weeds,  seen  stretched  along  the 
banks  of  the  stream,  which  had  certainly  been  planted  there  by  the  hand  of 
man.  On  the  gathering  of  all  the  company,  who  were  almost  worn  out, 
and  suffered  much  from  the  excessive  heat,  a fire  was  lighted,  and  the  boar’s 
liver  and  kidneys  being  duly  cooked,  a very  excellent  extemporaneous  feast, 
with  the  addition  of  the  pork  and  other  rations  brought  with  them,  was  pre- 
pared and  voraciously  discussed.  The  party  being  refreshed  by  their  ban- 
quet and  the  rest  they  had  enjoyed,  and  it  being  as  late  as  two  o’clock,  deter- 
mined to  return.  When  the  guides  announced  that  it  was  necessary  to  go 
back  the  way  they  came,  the  resumption  of  the  labors,  and  the  exposure  to 
the  dangers  which  had  just  been  undergone,  seemed  quite  appalling.  There 
was,  however,  no  alternative,  and  the  party  was  forced  to  retrace  then.'  steps, 
but  succeeded,  finally,  with  a renewed  experience  of  their  former  troubles, 
and  after  excessive  fatigue,  in  reaching  the  valley  whence  they  had  set  out 
with  the  “ Judge”  and  his  Otaheitan  companion. 

It  was  six  o’clock  in  the  evening  when  they  arrived  at  the  “Judge’s” 
quarters,  so  they  spared  themselves  but  little  time  for  repose,  but  soon  con- 
tinued their  journeying.  One  of  the  party  was  so  wearied  with  fatigue  as 
to  be  obliged  to  proceed  to  the  Kanaka  settlement,  at  the  south  end  of 
Port  Lloyd,  by  the  way  of  the  sea,  in  a canoe,  piloted  by  the  Otaheitan. 
The  rest  went  by  land,  attempting  to  return  by  the  same  route  as  that  they 
had  come.  The  path  was  not  easily  found,  however,  and  the  explorers 
suffered  another  hard  experience  in  the  forest  and  over  the  rough  crags, 
where  they  were  nearly  lost  among  the  entangled  undergrowth,  and  much 
battered  by  the  irregularity  of  the  ground.  Another  member  of  the  party 
gave  out,  but  was  brought  along  by  main  force,  and  having  been  deposited 
in  a safe  place  on  the  summit  of  the  ridge,  under  the  care  of  one  of  the  men, 
the  rest  pushed  on  ; and  having  reached  the  Kanaka  settlement,  at  the  south 
end  of  Port  Lloyd,  took  their  station  on  a cliff  which  overlooked  the  bay, 
and  whence  the  great  hull  of  the  Susquehanna  could  be  barely  discovered  in 
the  surrounding  darkness.  Firing  a volley  with  their  guns,  as  a signal,  they 
were  soon  answered  by  the  arrival  of  the  ship’s  cutter,  and  having  sent  back 
for  the  tired  member  of  the  party,  they  all  pulled  off  for  the  steamer,  where 
they  arrived  at  ten  o’clock  at  night,  sorely  bruised  and  fatigued  by  the  hard 
day’s  work.  The  other  party,  under  the  command  of  the  assistant  surgeon, 
returned  about  the  same  time,  and  the  result  of  the  observations,  as  reported 
by  Dr.  Pahs,  is  now  recorded. 

The  volcanic  origin  of  the  island  was  clearly  manifest  from  the  existence 
of  ancient  craters.  Trap  rock,  intermingled  with  amygdaloid  and  green 
stone,  formed  the  basis  of  the  island,  as  it  did  the  loftiest  peaks  of  the  hills ; 
basaltic  dykes  were  observed  to  pass  through  beds  of  sand,  scoria,  and 


240 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


cinders,  and  strata  of  old  lava  were  traced  along  the  seacoast  and  in  other 
parts  where  deep  sections  of  rock  were  exposed.  A sulphur  spring,  charac- 
terized hy  the  usual  strong  odor  and  taste  of  sulphuretted  hydrogen  gas, 
was  discovered  issuing  from  one  of  the  ravines,  and  iron  pyrites  abounded 
in  many  places.  The  vegetation,  too,  was  such  as  is  generally  found  iu 
volcanic  countries  of  the  same  latitude  as  the  Bonin  Islands.  It  would 
appear  that  Port  Lloyd  was  at  one  time  the  crater  of  an  active  volcano, 
from  which  the  surrounding  hills  had  been  thrown  up,  while  the  present 
entrance  to  the  harbor  was  formed  hy  a deep  fissure  in  the  side  of  the  cone, 
through  which  a torrent  of  lava  had  poured  into  the  sea,  leaving,  after  its 
subsidence,  a space  into  which  the  waters  subsequently  were  emptied, 
bringing  with  them  their  usual  deposits,  which,  together  with  the  coral 
formation,  now  forms  the  bottom  and  sides  of  the  harbor. 

The  surface  of  the  island  is  varied.  Plains  extend  from  the  basis  of 
the  hills  toward  the  sea-shore,  and  are  composed  of  a dark  vegetable  mould, 
sometimes  five  or  six  feet  deep,  intermixed  with  the  shells  of  marine  animals, 
and  the  detritus  of  trap  rock,  and  spread  upon  a foundation  of  coral.  These 
plains  are  highly  fertile,  and  those  now  cultivated  produce  a rich  harvest  of 
sweet  potatoes  of  immense  size,  Indian  corn,  sugar-cane  of  wonderfully 
vigorous  growth  and  excellent  quality,  yams,  taro,  melons,  and  the  ordinary 
products  of  a kitchen  garden.  The  Irish  potato  has  been  tried,  but  not 
sufiiciently  long  to  form  an  estimate  of  its  probable  success.  The  plains  on 
the  hay  only  have  been  cultivated  as  yet,  but  there  is  every  reason  to 
believe  that  the  others  are  equally  fertile,  and  might  be  made  to  yield 
sufficiently  to  support  a large  population. 

The  hills  rise  iu  some  places  by  a gentle  slope  from  the  plains,  and  iu 
others  abruptly  by  steep  ascents,  which  give  them  the  appearance  of  terraces 
rising  one  above  the  other.  At  the  head  of  the  bay  two  prominent  peaks 
rise,  which  are  known  by  the  name  of  the  Paps,  one  of  which  reaches  the 
elevation  of  a thousand  feet,  and  the  other  eleven  hundred.  They  are 
clearly  seen  on  entering  the  harbor,  and  are  important  guides  to  the  naviga- 
tor. The  springs  in  the  northern  half  of  the  island,  which  was  the  field  of 
survey  now  reviewed,  are  few,  two  only  of  which  run  constantly  with  a 
supply  of  pure  drinking  water.  In  the  valleys  there  are  several  others,  but 
they  are  so  brackish  or  so  frequently  dry,  that  they  cannot  be  relied  upon  as 
sources  of  supply.  Through  the  ravines  which  intersect  the  valleys  streams 
pour  down  into  the  sea  during  the  rainy  season,  but  their  beds,  crowded  here 
and  there  with  large  boulders  of  trap  rock,  are  hardly  moist  during  the  dry 
weather. 

The  flora  of  the  island  is  tropical,  and  was  observed  to  be  as  beautiful  as 
can  be  found  in  any  similiar  latitude.  In  the  valleys  and  along  the  sea 
beach  a tree  of  large  size,  called  by  the  people  living  on  the  island  the 
Crumeno,  was  seen  in  abundance.  It  had  a thick  and  short  trunk,  with  a 


PEEL  AND  STAPLETON  ISLANDS. 


241 


gray  bark,  a very  dense  foliage,  with  large  oval  leaves  of  smooth  surface 
and  bright  green  color,  arrayed  in  elusters  around  the  branches,  from  the 
ends  of  which  grew  tufts  of  beautiful  white  flowers. 

Dense  forests  of  palm  crowded  up  the  hill-sides  and  into  the  ravines, 
and  were  of  such  close  growth  that  their  full  development  was  hindered  and 
other  vegetation  prevented.  The  fan-palm  was  the  most  abundant  of  the 
six  species  observed.  Among  the  various  trees  was  noticed  a variety  of  the 
beech  of  considerable  size,  a large  tree  growing  in  abundance  on  the  moun- 
tains, which  somewhat  resembled  the  dog-wood,  and  an  immense  mulberry 
with  an  occasional  girth  of  thirteen  or  fourteen  feet.  Of  smaller  trees 
and  plants,  there  were  the  laurel,  the  juniper,  the  box-wood  tree,  fern, 
banana,  orange,  pine-apple,  and  whortleberry.  Lichens,  mosses,  and  various 
parasitic  plants  were  abundant.  There  were  but  few  kinds  of  grasses,  and 
most  of  them  unfit  for  pasturage.  The  jungle  weed,  in  the  uncultivated 
tracts,  is  so  dense  that  it  crowds  out  almost  everything  else  of  its  kind. 

The  animals  on  the  island  were  mostly  imported,  but  had  become  wild  in 
their  habits  from  straying  in  the  woods.  Pigeons,  finches,  crows,  and 
sandpipers,  were  found  among  the  native  birds,  and  the  tortoise,  the  iguana, 
and  a small  lizard  were  the  principal  indigenous  animals  seen. 

In  addition  to  the  two  surveys  of  Peel  Island,  the  interesting  results  of 
which  have  been  just  recorded,  the  Commodore  dispatched  an  officer  to 
report  on  the  general  aspect  and  character  of  the  island  of  Stapleton,  from 
whose  statement  some  valuable  facts  are  derived.  Stapleton  Island,  like  the 
rest  of  the  Bonin  group,  is  of  volcanic  origin,  and  has  a varied  surface  of 
plain,  hill,  and  valley,  with  large  tracts  of  fertile  land.  A small  bay  was 
found  on  the  western  side  with  apparently  deep  water,  and  surrounded  by 
rocks  and  mountains  varying  from  800  to  1,500  feet  in  height,  which  protect 
it  from  the  S.  E.  typhoons. 

A small  promontory  and  coral  reef  were  observed  to  divide  this  bay,  and 
on  the  land  bordering  the  northern  section  was  a spring  of  cool,  well-tasting 
water,  coming  out  of  a rock,  and  giving  a supply  of  nearly  three  gallons  per 
minute.  The  indigenous  productions  of  Stapleton  were  the  same  as  those 
on  the  other  islands,  but  the  goats  which  had  been  introduced  there  had 
increased  marvellously,  to  the  extent,  it  was  supposed,  of  several  thousands, 
and  had  become  very  wild  in  the  course  of  their  undisturbed  wanderings 
through  the  secluded  ravines  and  over  the  savage  rocks  of  the  island. 

The  Commodore,  having  been  long  satisfied  of  the  importance  of  these 
islands  to  commerce,  was  induced  to  visit  them,  chiefly  by  a desire  of  exam- 
ining them  himself,  and  recommending  Peel  Island  as  a stopping  place  for 
the  line  of  steamers  which,  sooner  or  later,  must  be  established  between 
California  and  China.  To  this  end  he  caused  the  island  to  be  explored,  the 
harbor  to  be  surveyed,  and  a few  animals  to  be  placed  upon  two  of  the 
groups  of  islands,  as  the  commencement  of  a provision  for  future  wants. 

16 


242 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


Garden  seeds  of  every  description  were  also  distributed  among  the  pres- 
ent settlers,  and  hopes  were  held  out  to  them  hy  the  Commodore  of  a 
future  supply  of  implements  of  husbandry  and  a greater  number  of  animals. 
A suitable  spot  too  was  selected  for  the  erection  of  offices,  wharves,  coal- 
sheds,  and  other  buildings  necessary  for  a depot  for  steamers.  A title  was 
obtained  to  a piece  of  land,  which  is  admirably  adapted  to  the  desired 
purpose.  It  is  situated  on  the  northern  side  of  the  bay,  near  its  head,  with 
a front  on  the  water  of  1,000  yards  ; and  a good  depth  near  the  shore  for  the 
length  of  500  yards,  it  might,  by  the  building  of  a pier  extending  out  fifty 
feet,  be  conveniently  approached  by  the  largest  vessel  afloat. 

In  a letter  addressed  to  the  Navy  Department,  Commodore  Perry  has 
given  at  length  his  views  of  the  conveniences  of  Peel  Island  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  a depot  for  steamers.  In  this  communication  he  says  : 

“ As  my  instructions  direct  me  to  seek  out  and  establish  ports  of  refuge 
and  refreshment  for  vessels  traversing  these  distant  seas,  I have,  from  the 
commencement  of  the  cruise,  kept  constantly  in  view  the  port  in  which  we 
are  now  at  anchor,*  and  the  principal  harbor  of  the  Bonin  Islands,  as  well 
for  general  convenience  of  resort,  as  to  furnish  connecting  links,  or  suitable 
stopping  places,  for  a line  of  mail  steamers,  which  I trust  may  soon  be 
established  between  some  one  of  our  Pacific  ports  and  China,  an  event  so 
much  to  be  desired ; and,  if  accomplished,  one  that  will  be  distinguished, 
even  in  the  history  of  these  remarkable  times,  as  of  the  highest  importance 
to  the  commerce  of  the  United  States  and  of  the  world. 

“ The  mails  from  the  United  States  and  Europe,  by  the  way  of  Egypt, 
the  Red  Sea,  and  Indian  Ocean,  arrive  regularly  at  Hong  Kong,  almost  to  a 
day,  twice  a week  in  each  month.  From  Hong  Kong  to  Shanghai,  five  days 
may  be  allowed  for  the  passage.  To  this  point  the  British  government 
would  doubtless  extend  its  mail  if  it  were  taken  up  by-us  and  continued  on 
to  California. 

“ Its  transportation,  by  steam,  from  Shanghai  to  San  Francisco,  via  the 
Bonin  and  Sandwich  Islands,  would  occupy  thirty  days,  allowing  three  days 
for  stopping  for  coal,  etc.  Thus,  the  distance  from  San  Francisco  to 
Honolulu,  in  the  Sandwich  Islands,  is  roughly  estimated  at  2,093  miles; 
from  Honolulu  to  Peel  Island,  3,301  miles ; and  from  Peel  Island  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Yang-tzse-Keang,  or  Shanghai  river,  1,081  miles;  in  all,  6,475 
miles ; and  allowing  240  miles  per  day,  the  time  at  sea  would  be  twenty- 
seven,  and  the  time  in  port  three  days;  from  San  Francisco  to  New  York 
twenty- two  days  would  be  required,  making  from  Shanghai  to  New  York 
fifty-two  days. 

“ The  usual  time  occupied  in  transporting  the  mail  from  England  to 
Hong  Kong,  via  Marseilles,  (the  shortest  route,)  is  from  forty-five  to  forty- 


* The  Commodore  is  writing  from  Napha,  in  Lew  Chew. 


IMPORTANCE  OF  THE  BONIN  ISLANDS. 


243 


eiglit  days ; add  to  that  two  days’  detention  at  Hong  Kong,  and  five  more  to 
Shanghai,  would  make  the  time  required  to  reach  the  latter  place  from  fifty- 
two  to  fifty-five  days. 

“ Shanghai  might  he  considered  the  terminus  of  the  English  and  the 
commencement  of  the  American  mail  5 and  thus  an  original  letter  could  he 
sent  west  by  way  of  Europe,  and  its  duplicate  east  by  way  of  California, 
the  fii’st  arriving  at  Liverpool  about  the  time  its  duplicate  reaches  New 
York. 

“ But  apart  from  the  advantages,  and,  I may  add,  the  glory  of  perfecting 
a scheme  so  magnificent,  this  line  of  steamers  would  contribute  largely  to  the 
benefit  of  commerce.  Already  many  thousands  of  Chinamen  are  annually 
embarking  for  California,  paying  for  their  passages  each  $50,  and  finding 
themselves  in  everything,  excepting  water  and  fuel  for  cooking  their  food. 

“ These  provident  people  are  the  most  patient  and  enduring  laborers,  and 
must,  by  their  orderly  habits,  add  greatly  to  the  agricultural  interests  of 
California. 

“ But  Shanghai  is  now  becoming  the  great  commercial  mart  of  China  ; 
already  does  it  outrival  Canton  in  its  trade  with  the  United  States,  and 
when  it  shall  be  considered  that  the  fine  teas  and  silks,  and  other  rare  and 
valuable  commodities  of  that  part  of  China  can  be  conveyed  by  means  of 
steam  to  California  in  five,  and  to  New  York  in  eight  weeks,  it  is  impossible 
to  estimate  in  anticipation  the  advantages  that  may  grow  out  of  an  inter- 
course so  rapid  and  so  certain.”  * 

* The  importanca  of  the  Bocin  Islands  to  the  advancement  of  commercial  interests  in 
the  east  is  so  great,  that  the  subject  has  more  or  less  occupied  the  mind  of  the  Commodore 
since  his  return  ; and  this  importance  is  best  shown  by  the  following  document  which  has 
been  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  compiler  by  Commodore  Perry  since  this  chapter  was 
written : 

JVb/es  vAth  respect  to  the  Benin  Islands. 

My  visit  to  the  Bonin  Islands  forcibly  impressed  me  with  the  idea  of  their  importance 
as  a point  of  rendezvous  for  vessels  navigating  that  part  of  the  Pacific  ocean  in  which  they 
lie,  and  especially  as  ofiering  a port  of  refuge  and  supply  for  whaling  ships  resorting  to  those 
regions,  as  well  as  a depot  for  coal  for  a line  of  steamers  which,  ere  long,  must  unquestion- 
ably be  established  between  California  and  China,  via  Japan. 

Whales  of  several  varieties  abound  in  those  parts  of  the  ocean  lying  between  the  Bonins 
and  the  coast  of  Asia,  and  are  in  greater  numbers  in  the  neighborhood  of  Japan.  Until  the 
establishment  of  a treaty  with  that  singular  empire,  the  masters  of  whaling  vessels  were  cau- 
tious not  to  approach  near  to  its  shores,  under  a well-founded  apprehension  of  falling  into 
the  hands  of  the  Japanese,  and  suffering,  as  a consequence,  imprisonment  and  cruel  treat- 
ment. These  fears  should  no  longer  exist,  as  the  stipulations  of  the  treaty  make  provision 
and  offer  guaranties  not  only  for  kind  treatment  to  those  Americans  who  may  approach 
the  coast,  or  be  thrown  by  accident  upon  its  hitherto  inhospitable  shores,  but  allow  all  Ameri- 
can vesssls  under  press  of  weather  to  enter  any  of  its  ports  for  temporary  refitment ; and 
the  ports  of  Hakodadi  and  Simoda  are  open  for  aU  purposes  of  repair  or  supplies. 


244 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


After  a stay  of  four  days  at  the  Bonin  Islands,  the  Susquehanna 
weighed  anchor,  and  taking  the  Saratoga  in  tow  sailed  on  the  morning  of 
Saturday  the  18th  of  June,  on  the  return  voyage  to  Lew  Chew.  After 
clearing  the  harbor  of  Port  Lloyd,  the  course  was  steered  toward  Disap- 
pointment Island.  On  the  passage  from  Lew  Chew  to  the  Bonin  Islands 
the  Commodore  had  desired  to  sight  and  determine  the  position  of  this 
island,  hut  although  it  had  been  made  by  the  Susquehanna,  which  stood 
directly  for  it  on  the  day  previous  to  her  arrival  at  Port  Lloyd,  there  was 
no  opportunity,  in  consequence  of  the  approaching  darkness,  to  make  any 
observation  but  an  approximation  by  means  of  computation.  The  Commo- 
dore, therefore,  on  his  return  voyage,  was  particularly  desirous  of  seeing  the 
island  of  Disappointment  and  determining  with  precision  its  position,  about 
which  so  much  has  been  said  and  written.  Accordingly,  as  the  island  was 
made  directly  ahead  a short  period  after  noon,  and  passed  at  a distance  of 
only  three  or  four  miles,  its  exact  position  was  accurately  determined  by 
data  derived  from  the  noon-day  observation. 

As,  therefore,  the  obstacles  to  a free  navigation  of  the  Japan  seas  no  longer  present 
themselves,  our  whaling  ships  may  cruise  in  safety  and  without  interruption  as  near  to  the 
shores  as  may  he  convenient,  or  in  the  seas  lying  more  to  the  eastward.  But  to  render 
this  part  of  the  ocean  in  all  respects  convenient  to  oxir  whaling  ships,  something  more  is 
wanted,  and  that  is  a port  of  resort,  which  shall  he  in  all  respects  free  for  them  to  enter  and 
depart,  without  the  restraints  of  exclusive  laws  and  national  prejudices ; for  though,  as  be- 
fore remarked,  the  ports  of  Hakodadi  and  Simoda,  in  Japan,  to  which  we  may  add  Napha, 
in  great  Lew  Chew,  are  by  treaty  open  to  American  vessels,  a long  time  may  elapse  before 
the  people  of  those  ports  will  probably  divest  themselves  of  the  jealousies  which  they  have 
hitherto  entertained  against  strangers ; and  it  is  well  known  that  the  crews  of  whaling  ves- 
sels visiting  the  ports  of  the  Pacific,  are  not  remarkable  for  their  orderly  behavior  or  concil- 
atory  deportment,  hence  my  argument  in  favor  of  an  establishment  at  the  Bonin  Islands  is 
strengthened.  My  plan  is  to  establish  a colony  at  Port  Lloyd,  Peel  Island,  the  principal  of 
the  Bonin  group,  leaving  the  question  of  sovereignty  to  he  discussed  hereafter.  I have 
already  in  the  narrative  described  those  islands,  and  shall  now  proceed  to  set  forth  my  plan 
for  building  up  a thrifty  settlement  which  shall  extend  over  the  entire  group  of  islands. 

First,  then,  a company  of  merchants,  in  connexion  with  a few  artisans,  should  form  a 
joint  stock  company  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a colony  on  Peel  Island.  The  experi- 
ment need  not  involve  any  very  great  outlay.  Two  vessels,  each  of  three  or  four  hundred 
tons,  suitably  equipped  for  whaling,  should  be  employed  first  in  transporting  to  the  island 
materials  for  the  construction  of  a storehouse  and  a few  small  dwellings,  and  the  necessary 
supplies  for  furnishing  a store  with  chandlery,  naval  stores,  groceries,  and  all  such  articles 
as  are  usually  needed  by  whaling  and  other  ships.  After  landing  the  passengers  and  cargo, 
these  vessels  might  proceed  to  cruise  in  the  neighborhood  and  in  the  Japan  seas  in  pursuit 
of  whales — returning  occasionally  to  the  settlement  for  refreshment,  &c. ; when  these  two 
vessels  shall  have  jointly  secured  enough  of  oH  to  load  one  of  them,  that  one  should  be  sent 
home  to  be  again  refitted,  and  freighted  with  additional  colonists  and  fresh  supplies  for  the 
storehouse  and  for  the  settlers ; and  so  the  two  vessels  might  alternate  in  their  voyages  to  the 
L^nited  States.  Thus  in  a short  time  a colony  would  be  built  up,  and  the  result  prove  pro- 
fitable to  aU  parties  concerned.  'Whaling  vessels,  American,  English,  and  French,  would 
resort  in  greater  numbers  to  the  port  for  refreshment  and  supphes,  becoming  customers  in 


DISAPPOINTMENT  ISLAND. 


245 


It  is  a low  island,  with  two  detached  rocks  extending  a cable  or  two  in 
length  from  its  extreme  point,  and  lies  in  latitude  27°  15'  north,  and  in 
longitude  140°  56'  30"  east  from  Greenwich. 

It  is  presumed  that  Disappointment  and  Kosario  are  one  and  the  same 
island. 

From  Disappointment  Island  the  course  of  the  ship  was  steered  directly 
for  the  Borodinos  as  laid  down  in  the  ordinary  charts.  They  were  made  on 
the  22d  of  June  directly  ahead,  and  were  found  to  be  two  in  number, 
situated  five  miles  apart,  and  lying  in  a N.N.B.  and  S.S.W.  direction. 
They  appeared  to  be  of  coral  formation  but  of  great  antiquity,  as  trees  of 
considerable  size  crowned  the  uplands,  the  most  elevated  part  of  which  may 
have  been  forty  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  navigation  in  the 
immediate  neighborhood  seemed  free  of  danger,  but  no  indentations  were 
seen  in  the  surrounding  shore  which  might  afford  safe  anchoring  places. 
No  signs  of  people  were  discovered,  and  it  is  presumed  that  the  islands  are 
uninhabited.  The  position  of  the  extremity  at  the  south  of  the  southern 
island  was  estimated  to  be  in  latitude  25°  47',  and  in  longitude  131°  19' 
east. 

As  during  the  return  voyage  moderate  breezes  from  S.S.W.  to  S.W. 
prevailed  with  warm  weather,  and  as,  in  fact,  the  wind  ever  since  the  first 
departure  from  Napha  had  continued  from  the  southward  and  westward,  it 
may  be  inferred  that  the  southwest  monsoon  extends  as  far  north  as  the 
parallels  of  latitude  in  which  the  course  of  the  ships  laid.  The  Susque- 
hanna and  Saratoga  reached,  in  the  evening  of  June  23d,  their  anchorage 
in  the  bay  of  Napha,  where  they  found  the  Mississippi,  the  Plymouth,  and 
the  Supply. 

the  purchase  of  needful  articles  for  their  vessels,  and  giving  employment  to  the  artisans  and 
farmers  of  the  colony.  If  money  should  be  wanted  by  the  whalemen  visiting  the  port,  to 
make  payment  for  labor  or  supplies,  oil  at  just  prices  would  be  taken  in  lieu  thereof.  There 
should  be  sent  out  by  the  company  none  but  young  married  people,  quarters  for  whom  could 
be  obtained  in  the  houses  of  the  present  settlers  till  dwellings  could  be  erected  for  their  ex- 
clusive occupation.  Thus  the  settlement  would,  in  all  probability,  form  the  nucleus  of  a re- 
ligious and  happy  community ; and  here  a missionary  station  might  be  formed  without 
obstacle,  from  whence  missionaries  at  a proper  season  might  be  sent  to  Japan,  Formosa,  and 
other  benighted  countries  in  that  quarter  of  the  globe.  At  the  present  time  whaling  ves- 
sels cruising  in  the  seas  lying  between  the  Sandwich  Islands  and  Japan,  are  frequently 
obliged  to  resort  either  to  those  islands  or  to  Hong  Kong  for  refitment  and  supplies,  a dis- 
tance from  some  of  their  whaling  grounds  of  several  thousands  of  miles ; in  such  a voy- 
age, and  in  the  unavoidable  delay  in  port,  much  time  is  occupied ; and  apart  from  the 
enormous  charges  made  at  those  ports,  which  make  it  necessary  to  draw  heavily  upon  the 
owners  at  home,  the  crews  become  sickly  and  demoralized  by  their  indulgence  in  dissipation. 
Now,  a depot  established  at  Peel  Island  would  be  central,  and  would  probably  be  want- 
ing, for  a length  of  years,  at  least,  in  the  means  for  improper  indulgence,  for  which  the 
ports  before  mentioned  are  notorious.  The  right  of  sovereigny  undoubtedly  belongs  to 
Japan,  as  the  earliest  known  occupant  of  the  islands;  beyond  this  claim  the  present  settlers 
have  unquestionably  priority  of  right  of  jurisdiction. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


Changes  at  Napha. — New  Eegent — Banquet  on  hoard  of  the  Susquehanna. — ^Excessive  dignity  of  the  new 
Eegent. — Stateliness  of  Lew  Chawans  thawed  out  hy  the  Dinner. — Guests  sent  Home. — Bamboo  Vil- 
lage.— Interior  of  Lew  Chew  Houses. — Mon  Indolent — Gossipping  at  Lew  Chew. — Lew  Chew  Loom. 
— Different  classes  of  the  People. — Their  fear  of  Spies. — Slavery  of  Peasanta — Causes  of  Degradation. 
— Excellence  of  Agricultural  Cultivation. — Origin  of  Population  of  Lew  Chew. — Former  Kingdoms 
on  the  Island. — Eelation  of  Lew  Chew  to  China  and  Japan,  respectively. — Education  in  Lew  Chew. — 
Eeligion  of  the  Inhabitants. — Christian  Mission  in  Lew  Chew. — Distinction  of  Dress. — People  sell 
themselves  as  Slaves. — Clanship. — Coin  in  Lew  Chew. — Sugar  Making. — Natural  Products  of  the 
Island. 

HEN  the  squadron  returned  to  Napha, 
on  the  23d  of  June,  it  was  found  that 
a new  regent  had  been  installed.  The 
old  occupant,  who  had  so  pertinaciously 
striven  to  prevent  the  Commodore’s 
visit  to  Shui,  and  who  had  also  so  boun- 
tifully entertained  our  countrymen  at 
his  own  habitation,  had,  it  was  said, 
been  deposed.  It  was  difficult  to  ascer- 
tain with  certainty  the  causes  of  this 
degradation ; but  it  was  not  to  be 
doubted  that,  if  true,  it  was  in  some 
mode  connected  with  the  presence  of 
our  ships  at  Napha,  and  probably  resulted  from  the  admission  of  the  Com- 
modore and  his  suite  into  the  royal  residence  at  Shui.  It  was  not  a pleasant 
reflection  to  the  officers  that  they  should  have  been,  however  innocently,  the 
cause  of  the  poor  old  man’s  degradation ; and  it  seemed  hard  to  understand 
why  their  visit  should  have  led  to  more  serious  consequences  than  those 
produced  hy  that  of  the  officers  of  H.  B.  M.  ship  Sphynx  to  the  same  place. 
At  first,  it  was  rumored  that  the  old  regent  had  been  obliged  to  perform  the 
hara-hiri,  or  disembowelling  operation ; hut  the  painful  feelings  produced 
by  this  intelligence  were  happily  relieved  hy  the  sight  of  the  old  man  in  his 
house  at  Shui,  hy  two  of  the  officers  of  the  Susquehanna.  Dr.  Bettelheim 
(who  did  not  seem  to  feel  any  pity  for  the  degraded  dignitary)  stated  that 


ENTERTAINMENT  OF  REGENT  OF  EOO  OHOO,  BY  COMMODORE  PERRY. 


-ay.,*?' 


A'W  a M 'Q-  i;  ? Q-t  T>r«j/  *•  » . > ,i 

»ij>  ^ flflu  ^ i„.  ^ ,f>?{3--/i»/».f  >.1  ,,;  . 


• '11  • V' 

M.-i  .Jtf  -,,j,  tlll«:^^^  - -^.Ir! 

’fii'aSiV;  . >■  , ; .,i;j 

^iay ' .-i;  , ■ :' 

V;.  '■  Af?** 


fni;Aii»0rmi^iin&/b^  }■  .-^c.i^,:  :,?■  JJ^  «,,c 

'*.4  . ,“  « . ■_  ± . ' • . 


. . j — ^ * ; ‘n  •’»'  <*  . • • t * .-'<:  I 

wil  j , j^i)&-r'.y  .;.f  (.<•:  *'t>fi4jjj;»!  ; f ) '•'«;: Vf  <;•>'»• 

. ■.  ..-  ./,.■  .,.t.  .,  ..-  1.  ' ’ 


iW' .'>ft:i  vy;;  f-K'v.;:,!: 

' ? *i't  ■ ■r>-i  T?  iijf-  ■ ',' 

' \:H 

^ ' i 

yi  J 'f  •■.  '■ 

fA-  ..•• 

i6> 

>■■  ’ ‘ •,1.':  'C  -',  ,'j  1 

-..  r ■'  V-jr^- 

fi;'/  jjat-fr ■ ii.  . 1 ( /. 

) n-ii;  ,.i.|iA  • I/tfcjfv 

4.  ilisw  I..:!  , Bf*. 

■ ilrillVS.itn  ^,,;n  ; 

■*  , i-'.i'-isfs, 

. v.^(.<  vl  •,  --I  , !■  rij;  ^ , V .*-^  ' ■’.lu.-:^ 


''  .f  Jr  ',ffi‘  '.  ;-•  rr'. 


<'  ■ .\,L>.-lil  4’.  i\ 


,h 


' T 

tH'' 


;v  ;f;i^*  ' . -KH'Hr'.X  j’<|f,f 

, ■■  '<.r«.  idUKtiiwWi' , , ' 

J '''"  ^ .''Xv'l  .J'jpi  i oil  Mm  „•■  ' - 

i.-f . ; . I .1 


’.  i- 

. .. 


^f'  ^yV  (syi  • ;'  (>»;«■"*  ^v..w  c 


«*  f . .'^  • 'Mi  /, 


.'^,j  ;i 


tl_-yv  i : I-  ■>.: 

. r.r,  . ■#  ..'.  > c , 

■';'  rT'  "'  ' 

if  ■■..,,0!’ 

■«.*  ■<•■ 

,'  . : • 

-■'  m;  > ^1^ 

JOI  > 

'•■X'..’  ‘ • y'/  / 


>t  '-wl  ■ , 

Ijlft  \ ' 

iX  ,,' 
iiZ-i'T 


■ «<>!*  r |HS»  i 

'.a  ■ 

4 


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' A’  • J f 


ENTEBTAINMENT  TO  THE  LEW 


C H E W A N S . 247 


he  would  probably  be  banished,  with  his  family,  to  one  of  the  smaller 
islands. 

The  Commodore,  who  was  quite  satisfied  with  the  conciliatory  measures 
that  had  been  pursued  during  his  absence,  now  renewed  his  invitation  to  the 
regent  and  treasurer  to  dine  on  board  the  Susquehanna,  on  Tuesday,  the  28th 
of  June,  offering  to  send  boats  for  them.  This  invitation  was  accepted ; 
and  the  Commodore  had  reason  to  doubt  the  whole  story  of  the  old  regent’s 
degradation,  from  the  fact  that  the  new  regent,  Shang  Hung  Hiun,  a mem- 
ber of  the  family  of  his  predecessor,  and  a much  younger  man,  did  not 
hesitate  to  accept  an  invitation  to  the  dinner,  but  went  even  further  in  his 
courtesies  and  attentions  than  the  old  regent  had  ever  done.  As  far  as  he 
could  ascertain  the  facts,  the  Commodore  believed  that  the  old  man  had 
voluntarily  resigned  in  favor  of  the  young  one. 

On  the  appointed  day  of  the  feast,  three  of  the  ship’s  boats  were  sent 
off  to  the  creek  at  Tumai  to  bring  on  board  the  invited  guests.  On  their 
arrival,  and  after  the  usual  presentation  of  crimson  cards,  they  came  on 
board  in  robes  of  the  finest  and  cleanest  grass-cloth,  and  with  hatchee 
matchees  of  showy  color  on  their  heads.  Captain  Buchanan  received  them 
at  the  gangway,  and  conducted  them  through  the  various  parts  of  the  ship. 
The  day  was  oppressively  warm,  and  the  visitors  found  it  so  sultry  between 
decks,  and  especially  in  the  engine  room,  that  they  were  glad  once  more  to 
stand  upon  the  upper  deck.  The  marines  were  under  arms,  and  the  band 
played  to  give  honor  to  their  reception.  When  dinner  was  announced  they 
were  ushered  into  the  Commodore’s  cabin,  and  immediately  sat  down  to  the 
table.  The  entertainment  was,  of  course,  entirely  in  accordance  with  the 
European  and  American  customs.  The  Commodore  took  the  centre  of  the 
table,  with  the  regent  on  his  right  hand  and  the  chief  treasurer  on  his  left, 
while  the  mayor  of  Napha  and  one  of  the  other  treasurers  were  seated  near 
the  ends  of  the  table,  where  they  were  taken  in  charge  by  the  commanders 
of  the  different  vessels  of  the  squadron.  Mr.  Williams  and  Dr.  Bettelheim 
were  present  as  guests  and  interpreters;  while  at  a smaller  table  were 
Messrs.  0.  H.  Perry,  Portman,  Taylor,  and  Heine.  None  of  the  regent’s 
suite  were  allowed  to  sit  at  table  with  him,  but  remained  in  attendance. 
His  interpreter,  Ichirazichi,  the  same  whom  we  have  already  presented  to 
our  readers,  stood  behind  him. 

The  new  regent  was  a small  man,  apparently  about  forty-five  years  old, 
of  more  swarthy  complexion  than  any  of  his  suite,  and  with  a slight  cast  in 
his  left  eye.  He  was  remarkably  grave  and  taciturn,  seemed  to  be  perpet. 
ually  awake  to  the  novelty  of  his  position,  having  at  times  a restless  and 
uneasy  expression  of  countenance,  and  never  spoke  except  when  he  was 
particularly  addressed.  It  was  very  evident  that  he  was  less  at  his  ease  than 
any  person  present.  This,  perhaps,  arose  from  his  newly  acquired  rank,  to 
which  he  had  not  yet  become  accustomed,  and  possibly  some  embarrassment 


248 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


may  have  been  caused  by  the  apprehension  that  he  might  be  wanting  in 
some  of  the  proprieties  of  etiquette  at  an  American  dinner  table.  Perhaps, 
too,  he  was  not  without  his  fears  that,  surrounded  a§  he  knew  himself  to  be 
by  spies,  his  visit  might  bring  in  its  train  some  unpleasant  political  conse- 
quences. His  dress  consisted  of  a dark  purple  or  violet-colored  robe  and  a 
cap  of  crimson.  The  treasurers,  both  old  men,  with  wrinkled  faces  and 
scanty  grey  beards,  wore  similar  caps,  while  their  robes  were  yellow.  The 
mayor  was  attired  in  a robe  of  pearl-white  grass  cloth,  and  had  on  his  head 
a crimson  cap.  The  hair  of  all  was  put  up  with  massive  gold  pins,  and 
their  girdles  were  of  rich  Chinese  silk.  These  various  dresses  were  pre- 
sumed to  be  official,  and  in  their  diversity  of  color  indicative  of  difference 
of  rank.  The  inferior  attendants  who  stood  behind  these  dignitaries  were 
dressed  in  blue  and  yellow  with  scarlet  caps. 

Knives  and  forks  were  placed,  in  our  usual  fashion,  for  each  guest.  The 
first  seemed  to  be  very  much  in  the  way  of  the  Lew  Chewans ; with  the  last 
they  did  better,  and  showed  some  dexterity  in  making  them  answer  the 
purpose  of  chop  sticks.  This,  however,  was  a matter  of  but  little  moment, 
as,  be  the  implements  used  what  they  may,  hungry  men  will  contrive  in  some 
mode  to  convey  food  to  their  mouths,  and  the  Lew  Chewans,  like  sensible 
men,  manifested  no  intention  of  avoiding  awkwardness  at  such  a heavy 
price  as  the  loss  of  a good  dinner;  and  the  dinner  was  very  good.  Turtle 
soup,  goose,  kid  curi-y,  and  various  other  delicacies  formed  part  of  the  feast, 
which  was  spread  with  bountiful  profusion.  To  the  soup  the  mayor  and 
treasurer  did  ample  justice,  and  in  their  appreciation  of  its  excellence 
were  not  unworthy  rivals  of  a London  Alderman.  The  cabin  was  sultry, 
and  as  the  feast  proceeded  the  guests  grew  warmer,  (for  they  were  very 
much  in  earnest,)  until  finally  they  asked  permission  to  remove  their  caps, 
and  this  having  been  done,  the  attendant  of  each,  standing  behind,  vigor- 
ously fanned  the  uncovered  head  of  his  master.  Punch  followed  the  soup, 
and  furnished  them  with  a new  gustatory  enjoyment.  They  had  given  the 
Commodore  some  of  their  saki,  and  he  was  now  resolved  to  give  them  a 
taste  of  the  saki  made  in  all  other  parts  of  the  world.  So  there  were 
French  and  German  wines,  Scotch  and  American  whiskey,  madeira  and 
sherry,  and  the  gin  of  Holland,  winding  up  with  the  sweet,  smooth,  strong 
maraschino,  which  decidedly,  in  their  estimation,  bore  away  the  palm.  They 
smacked  their  lips  and  shut  their  eyes  at  each  sip  of  the  limpid  delicacy, 
and,  in  short,  showed  but  a very  sorry  appreciation  of  the  virtue  of  temper- 
ance. And  while  they  were  thus  almost  equalling  Christendom  in  genteel 
dissipation,  Mr.  Heine,  at  the  small  table,  was  making  a sketch  of  the 
group,  and  Mr.  Portman  was  taking  a portrait  of  the  regent. 

After  feeding  heartily  on  the  substantials,  they  asked  leave  to  smoke 
their  pipes ; it  was  of  course  accorded,  and  the  chief  treasurer,  after  a few 
whiffs,  presented  his,  with  the  embroidered  tobacco  pouch  attached,  to  the 


FEAST  ON  BOAED  THE  SUSQUEHANNA.  249 


Commodore.  The  mayor  and  other  treasurers  followed  his  example  by 
handing  theirs  to  Captains  Buchanan  and  Adams.  There  seemed  to  be  no 
end  to  the  capacity  of  stomach  in  some  of  these  officials.  Preserved 
oysters  and  other  articles  of  food  sealed  up  in  America,  excited  an  admira- 
tion as  boundless  as  their  appetites.  Part  of  the  dessert  consisted  of  melons 
and  bananas  brought  from  the  Bonin  Islands.  These  took  them  completely 
captive,  and  they  begged  that  they  might  carry  some  home  to  their  wives. 
They  were,  of  course,  told  to  do  so ; and  forthwith  the  loose  folds  of  each 
one’s  robe  above  his  girdle  were  converted  into  a pocket,  and  loaded  with 
what  it  would  hold. 

When  things  had  reached  this  stage,  there  was  but  too  much  reason  to 
fear  that  “ the  tide  of  wine  and  wassail  was  fast  gaining  on  the  dry  land  of 
sober  judgment.”  All  reserve  was  now  fully  thawed  out.  The  quiet  repose 
of  a calm  contentment  sat  enthroned  on  the  shining  face  of  the  jolly  old 
mayor  of  Napha.  The  wrinkled  visages  of  the  two  withered  old  treasurers 
flushed  and  expanded  into  rubicund  fullness.  The  regent  alone  preserved 
his  silent,  anxious  demeanor,  and  all  he  drank  was  neutralized  in  its  effects 
by  his  excessive  dignity.  He  appeared  cordial  and  friendly  but  once,  and 
that  was  when  the  Commodore  offered  him  an  assortment  of  American 
garden  seeds  and  vegetables.  These  he  promised  to  plant  and  carefully 
cultivate.  The  Commodore  had  previously  landed,  as  a present,  cattle  and 
buffaloes ; these  he  also  promised  should  be  carefully  looked  to  and  their 
offspring  preserved. 

The  band  had  been  playing  on  the  deck  while  the  guests  were  feasting, 
and  when  the  weightier  part  of  the  festival  was  over  the  Commodore  ordered 
down  some  of  the  more  expert  performers,  to  play  solos  on  the  flageolet, 
hautboy,  clarionet,  and  cornet-a-piston.  The  regent  listened  attentively^ 
but  the  mayor  and  treasurers  were  too  busy  in  stowing  away  the  epular 
fragments  to  be  moved  by  any  “ concord  of  sweet  sounds.”  Coffee  was 
offered  them,  under  the  name  of  “ American  tea.”  They  did  not  relish  it, 
and  resorted  once  more  to  their  pipes.  The  attendants  had  not  been  for- 
gotten. They  had  enjoyed  an  abundance  of  meat  and  drink  in  the  steward’s 
pantry,  and  relished  it  quite  as  much  as  their  masters.  But  all  earthly 
enjoyment  must  have  an  end,  and  the  feast  at  last  was  over.  The  guests 
were  put  on  shore  at  Tumai,  leaving  the  ship  under  a salute  of  three  guns ; 
and  so  ended  the  dinner  given  to  the  regent  on  board  the  Susquehanna. 

The  return  to  Lew  Chew  afforded  to  some  of  the  officers  an  opportunity 
of  making  further  examinations  as  to  the  external  aspect  of  the  island,  and 
of  catching  further  glimpses  of  the  habits  and  pursuits  of  the  inhabitants. 
One  of  the  gentlemen  attached  to  the  Saratoga  thus  describes  the  result  of 
one  of  his  explorations: 

“ Rambled  over  the  hill  this  afternoon  to  a most  remarkable  village. 
Approaching  toward  the  spot,  it  appeared  to  be  a thick  swamp  of  green 


250 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


brushwood.  Not  a house,  nor  anything  of  the  kind,  was  to  be  seen.  It 
looked  like  one  of  those  long,  low,  marshy  thickets,  in  which  I hunted  for 
blackbirds’  eggs,  in  my  boyhood.  But  on  reaching  it,  after  crossing  a wide 
clear  field  of  grass,  we  passed  into  and  through  one  of  the  sweetest  little 
villages  I ever  entered,  completely  embowered  with  thickly  matted  tops  of  the 
tall  and  swaying  bamboo,  artistically  laid  off  in  squares,  with  level  streets 
of  red  sandy  soil,  overarched  with  the  branches  of  the  bamboo,  that  formed 
hedges  on  either  side,  through  which,  at  regular  distances,  were  openings  into 
the  gardens  surrounding  the  dwellings  of  the  inhabitants,  highly  cultivated 
with  a variety  of  vegetables.  I had  neither  read  of  nor  seen  a town  like 
this.” 

In  the  course  of  his  ramble,  the  officer  from  whose  journal  this  extract 
is  made,  entered  several  of  the  dwellings,  for  the  purpose  of  gratifying  his 
curiosity  concerning  the  domestic  arrangements.  He  found  the  floors  inva- 
riably covered  with  thick  mats,  of  regular  width  and  length,  laid  side  by 
, I side,  as  a carpet.  These  he  found  constituted  the  sleeping  place  at  night, 
and  to  preserve  them  from  dirt,  the  inhabitants  always  step  on  them  with 
the  feet  bare,  or  covered  with  stockings  only ; when  they  enter  from  with- 
out, they  slip  off  their  loose  straw  sandals  at  the  door.  In  every  instance 
where  he  entered,  our  informant  found  that  the  men  were  the  drones  of  the 
hive,  and  the  women  the  workers.  From  three  to  half  a dozen  of  the 
former  were  invariably  to  be  seen,  seated  upon  their  crossed  ankles,  in  a 
circle,  with  a cup  of  live  coals,  a little  box  of  fine  cut  tobacco,  and  a spit- 
toon, in  the  centre.  Thus  seated,  in  dreamy  indolence,  they  would  draw 
forth  their  little  pipes  from  their  belts,  unsheath  them,  take  a mere  pinch 
of  the  tobacco  from  the  box,  and  place  it  in  the  little  metallic  bowl  of  the 
pipe,  which  was  not  more  than  half  the  size  of  a young  girl’s  thimble,  light 
it,  and  after  two  or  three  long  whifiFs,  they  would  retain  the  smoke  for  a minute 
or  more,  and  then,  with  a strong  impulse,  send  it  through  the  nostrils,  as 
the  opium  smoker  does.  This  ended  the  enjoyment  for  that  occasion.  The 
pipes  were  then  returned  to  their  sheaths,  when  a little  tea-pot,  holding  less 
than  half  a pint,  with  half  a dozen  cups,  each  of  about  the  capacity  of 
three  teaspoons,  was  brought  by  a servant,  and  a general  sipping  took  the 
place  of  smoking.  The  tea  disposed  of,  the  pipes  were  again  resorted  to, 
and  thus  did  they  alternate  between  tobacco  and  tea.  Before  rising  to  sep- 
arate, the  saki  was  introduced  and  circulated,  sometimes  . beyond  the  limits 
j of  prudence  and  discretion.  These  were  the  occupations  of  the  “ lords  of 
I creation ; ” the  poor  women,  meanwhile,  might  be  seen,  half  naked,  delving 
* with  the  hoe  or  the  spade,  in  the  adjacent  gardens,  under  a scorching  sun. 
Sometimes  this  idle  gossipping  over  tea  and  the  pipe  is  carried  on  in  the 
open  air,  under  the  shade  of  some  spreading  tree. 

When  the  poor  females  are  not  thus  employed  in  the  cultivation  of  the 
earth,  there  is  still  found  work  enough  for  them  of  some  other  kind,  for 


LOWER  CLASSES  OP  LEW  CHEW. 


251 


their  destipy-is-laher.  In  every  house  may  he  seen  the  loom  for  weaving 
grass  cloth,  and  it  is  quite  a curiosity  in  its  way.  It  is  small,  not  more  than 
two  feet  high,  and  generally  is  placed  in  the  corner  of  the  room.  The  shut- 
tle is  two  or  three  feet  long,  so  that  before  it  leaves  one  hand  of  the  weaver 
it  may  be  grasped  by  the  other.  It  is  but  a rude  implement,  and  yet  the 
fine,  glossy  fabric  wrought  by  its  agency  is  exceedingly  beautiful. 

What  has  here  been  said  must  be  understood  as  applying  to  the  men  who 
are  not  of  the  very  lowest  class.  According  to  the  best  observations  the 
Commodore  could  make,  he  classified  the  inhabitants  into  four  grades  : these 
were,  first,  the  high  officers  of  state ; secondly,  the  priesthood  and  literary 
men ; thirdly,  the  under  officers  and  spies ; and  lastly  the  laboring  class, 
(including  particularly  the  fishermen,)  by  the  toil  of  which  last  all  the  rest 
live ; for  it  was  never  seen  that  any  of  the  classes  above  named,  except  the 
last,  ever  appeared  to  have  any  thing  to  do,  save  the  spies,  and  they  might 
be  met  at  every  step.  These  infest  every  corner  and  every  threshold.  If  the 
officers  walked  the  streets,  these  fellows  might  be  seen  preceding  or  follow- 
ing them,  directing  all  doors  to  be  closed,  and  the  women  to  keep  out  of 
sight.  The  people,  indeed,  whenever  they  were  sure  of  not  being  seen  by 
some  of  these  vermin,  manifested  no  indisposition  to  communication  and 
intercourse,  and  gladly  received  from  the  strangers  little  gratuities  and  pres- 
ents, which  were  taken  with  a trembling  hand  and  instantly  concealed,  while 
their  eyes  g'lanced  rapidly  and  furtively  fr®m  side  t®  side,  te-  see  that  they 
were  unobserved.  The  Commodore  was  deeply  moved,  as  indeed  were  all 
the  gentlemen  of  the  expedition,  by  the  tyranny  exercised  toward  the  mass 
of  the  people.  “ Grod  pity  these  poor  creatures  ! ” says  the  former  in  his 
journal : “ I have  seen  much  of  the  world,  have  observed  savage  life  in 
many  of  its  conditions ; but  never ^ unless  I may  except  the  miserable  peons 
in  Mexico,  have  I looked  upon  such  an  amount  of  apparent  wretchedness  as 
these  squalid  slaves  would  seem  to  suffer.”  “ The  poor  naked  creatures,  who 
toil  from  morning  till  night,  know  not  the  relaxation  of  a Sabbath,  nor  the 
rest  of  an  occasional  holiday,  generally  granted  by  even  the  most  cruel 
taskmasters.  The  wages  of  a field  laborer  is  from  three  to  eight  cents  per 
diem;  the  mechanic  may  receive  ten.  Out  of  this,  he  has  to  provide  food, 
clothing,  and  shelter  for  a family,  with  which  most  of  the  common  people  are 
burdened,  and  it  is  surprising  to  see  how  soon  the  boys,  for  we  see  but  little  of 
the  girls,  are  made  to  labor.  In  looking  into  a blacksmith’s  shop  at  Napha, 
I observed  a father  and  two  sons  making  nails ; the  elder  son,  probably  ten 
years  old,  was  using  the  hammer,  while  the  younger,  not  more  than  five, 
was  blowing  the  bellows,  or  rather  moving  the  piston  of  a sort  of  air  pump, 
which  required  some  amount  of  physical  exertion.  When  we  entered  the 
shop,  neither  of  the  three  took  the  slightest  notice  of  us,  but  went  on  with 
their  labor ; even  the  little  boy  scarcely  lifted  his  eyes ; and  this  seeming 
indifference,  it  may  be  remarked,  was  the  case  with  laborers  and  all  others 


252 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


whom  we  met,  when  they  supposed  that  the  eye  of  a spy  was  upon  them.” 
“ Whatever  progress  we  may  make  in  conciliating  the  higher  classes,  and  we 
have  made  considerable,  the  lower  orders  of  the  people  dare  not,  even  hy  a 
look,  evince  the  slightest  emotion ; their  stolid  and  impassive  features 
express  nothing  but  toil  and  care,  and  are  a sufficient  index  of  their  abject 
condition.”  “ I can  conceive  of  no  greater  act  of  humanity  than  it  would 
be  to  rescue,  if  possible,  these  miserable  beings  from  the  oppression  of  their 
tyrannical  rulers.”  “ These  poor  creatmes  are  the  people  who  have  been 
represented  by  Captain  Basil  Hall  as  so  innocent  and  so  happy!”  Well 
disposed,  peaceful,  and  naturally  amiable,  our  gentlemen  generally  believed 
them  to  be ; but  they  were  ignorant,  and  had  been  long  obliged  to  resort  to 
the  weapons  of  the  weak ; they  were,  therefore,  cimning  and  insincere. 
Under  proper  treatment,  something  might  be  made  of  them,  but  at  present 
they  want  the  essential  element  of  self-respect.  Another  obstacle  in  the 
way  of  their  improvement  is  the  impossibility  of  their  ever  procuring  a 
vested  right  of  ownership  in  the  land.  As  far  as  the  Commodore  could 
gather  information  on  the  subject,  it  would  appear  that  the  soil  is  held  by 
the  government,  and  its  agents  are  employed  to  collect  and  consume  its 
produce.  According  to  the  best  accounts  that  could  be  obtained,  the  actual 
cultivator  receives  not  more  than  two-tenths  of  the  produce.  Of  the 
remainder,  six-tenths  go  to  the  lord  of  the  soil,  or  ruler,  and  two-tenths  for  the 
expense  of  supervision  of  the  land,  costs  of  collection,  &c.  The  peasant 
has  thus  no  stimulus  to  exertion.  Wretched,  however,  as  this  system  is, 
and  degraded  as  is  the  condition  of  the  operative,  it  is  astonishing  to  see  the 
large  retuims  from  agricultural  labor.  Nowhere  do  the  people  better  under- 
stand the  art  of  producing  the  largest  crops  of  which  the  land  cultivated 
is  capable ; no  matter  what  may  be  the  character  and  condition  of  the  soil, 
or  the  relative  position  of  the  field  cultivated.  The  same  is  said  to  be  true 
of  all  the  cultivated  portions  of  the  neighboring  groups  of  islands.  Every 
advantage  is  taken  of  circumstances,  and  irrigation  is  both  understood  and 
practised  with  skill  and  success.  With  such  a soil  and  climate  as  Lew  Chew 
possesses,  if  all  parts  of  it  that  might  be  cultivated  were  made  fields  of 
agricultural  labor,  it  would  support  a very  large  population. 

One  of  the  subjects  to  which  the  attention  of  the  Commodore  was 
drawn,  was  the  origin  of  the  population  of  Lew  Chew.  Want  of  sufficient 
material  has  not  enabled  ethnology  as  yet  conclusively  to  settle  this  question ; 
and,  of  course,  the  gentlemen  of  the  expedition  who  attended  to  this 
particular  had  to  find  their  way  as  best  they  might.  Many  speculations 
have  been  hazarded  on  the  subject,  founded  on  the  very  limited  observations 
of  the  few  Europeans  who  have  visited  the  islands.  Of  Captain  Hall  we 
have  already  spoken.  “ The  description  of  Captain  Basil  HaU,”  says  the 
Commodore,  “ is  a mere  romance ; the  production  of  the  inventive  brain  of 
a writer  not  very  scrupulous  of  historical  truth ; and  the  account  of  Doctor 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  LEW  CHEWANS. 


253 


McLeod,  of  the  Alceste,  is  not  much  nearer  to  accuracy.  Captains  Beechey 
and  Belcher,  surveying  officers  of  the  British  navy,  have  visited  Great  Lew 
Chew  since  those  just  named,  and  their  statements  may  be  considered  as 
much  more  worthy  of  confidence ; but,  after  all,  such  are  the  difficulties  in 
the  way,  that  they  had  not  much,  if  any,  better  means  of  acquiring  a knowl- 
edge of  the  history,  laws,  and  civil  institutions  of  this  singular  people,  than 
had  those  who  preceded  them.  Difficulties  have  also  beset  us  in  our  inves- 
tigations, and  all  the  facts  we  may  learn  are  but  contributions  on  a subject 
yet  open  to,  and  demanding  more  thorough  investigation.  We  throw  what 
we  can  gather  into  the  common  heap.” 

As  far  as  the  Lew  Chewans  themselves  bear  testimony  to  their  origin, 
they  claim,  like  the  Chinese,  to  have  their  descent  from  a divine  source. 
According  to  Chow-Hwang,  a Chinese  writer,  who  was  sent  to  Lew  Chew  in 
1757,  as  an  envoy  from  China,  and  who  on  his  return  published  an  account 
of  the  island,  “ the  islanders  declare  that  the  original  progenitors  of  the 
Lew  Chewans  were  two,  a man  and  a woman.  They  had  five  children;  the 
oldest  was  a son,  named  Teen-Sun,  (Offspring  of  Heaven,)  who  was  the  first 
master  or  ruler  of  the  nation ; the  second  son  acted  the  part  of  his  minister, 
and  the  third  constituted  the  people.  The  older  daughter,  for  the  protection 
of  the  country,  took  the  place  of  the  God  of  Heaven,  and  the  younger  per- 
sonified the  God  of  the  Sea.  Te6n-Sun  and  his  descendants,  having  maintained 
the  government  for  17,802  years,  were  at  length  succeeded  by  Shunteen,  a 
branch  of  the  then  ruling  family  of  Japan.  This  occurred  about  A.  D. 
1200,  when  the  Ming  dynasty  arose  in  China.  Three  kings  ruled  in  Lew 
Chew;  one  was  styled  ‘ King  of  the  Central  Hills;  ’ the  second  ‘King  of 
the  Southern  Hills;  ’ and  the  third  ‘ King  of  the  Northern  Hills.’  All  were 
tributary,  and  reigned  by  permission  of  ‘ the  Son  of  Heaven.’  At  length 
the  first  became  master  of  the  whole  country,  which  has  ever  since  remained 
under  one  king,  always  acknowledging  himself  a tributary  of  the  Chinese 
empire.”  * 

Klaproth,  professing  to  follow  Chinese  and  Japanese  annals,  gives  an 
account  agreeing  pretty  well  with  the  foregoing  by  Chow-Hwang,  and  says 
further,  that  the  race  of  kings  reigning  in  Lew  Chew  is  related  to  the  impe. 
rial  family  of  Japan ; that  both  China  and  Japan  claim  the  sovereignty,  and 
that  the  Lew  Chewans  pay  tribute  to  both. 

As  to  the  three  kings  of  the  “ central,”  “ northern,”  and  “ southern  ” 
hills,  respectively,  there  is  something  in  the  discoveries  of  our  exploring 
parties  that  may  seem  to  give  countenance  to  the  truth  of  that  portion  of 
the  story.  It  will  be  remembered  by  the  reader  that  the  explorers  reported 
the  discovery  of  the  ruins  of  a castle  or  palace  at  Nagagusko ; the  ruins  of 
another  were  afterwards  found,  of  which  an  account  will  be  given  on  a future 


Chinese  repository  for  July,  1837,  vol.  VI. 


254 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


page,  and  these  were  no  doubt  the  residences  of  the  northern  and  southern  kings, 
while  the  third  at  Shui,  perfect,  and  still  used  as  the  royal  residence,  was  the 
palace  of  the  “ King  of  the  Central  Hills.”  The  traditions  of  Lew  Chew 
even  to  this  day  (as  our  officers  found)  preserve  the  memory  of  the  former 
existence  of  distinct  sovereignties  on  the  island. 

Chow-Hwang  claims,  as  we  have  seen,  sovereignty  over  the  island  at  this 
day  for  the  Chinese  Emperor  ; and  one  of  the  points  which  appeared  difficult 
to  determine,  was  the  precise  relation  which  Lew  Chew  bore  to  China 
and  Japan  respectively.  That  a tribute  is  sent  in  Chinese  junks  to  China 
annually  from  Lew  Chew  seems  to  be  an  established  fact,  yet  xhe  officials  of 
Lew  Chew  do  not  appear  to  be  Chinese,  and  the  common  language  af  the 
country  is  not  that  of  the  celestial  empire,  though  Chinese  is  understood 
and  spoken  by  some  of  the  Lew  Chewans  who  are  educated.  As  to  any 
rights  Japan  may  have,  all  we  can  say  is,  that  the  Japanese  commissioners 
informed  Commodore  Perry  at  a subsequent  period,  when  he  met  them  in 
conference  on  the  proposed  points  of  a treaty,  “ that  Lew  Chew  was  a 
distant  dependency,  over  which  the  crown  [of  Japan]  had  limited  control.” 
It  is  also  certain  that  most  of  the  trade  to  Lew  Chew  is  carried  on  by 
Japanese  junks.  The  testimony  of  the  Lew  Chewans  themselves  is  con- 
tained in  the  following  extract  of  a letter  addressed  to  Commodore  Perry 
by  the  officials  of  Napha : “ Since  the  days  of  the  Ming  dynasty  it  has  been 
our  great  pride  to  be  ranked  as  one  of  the  outer  dependencies  of  China,  and 
she  has  for  ages  given  our  king  his  investiture,  and  we  have  returned  what- 
ever we  could  prepare  for  tribute;  nothing  of  great  importance  to  our 
nation  has  transpired  but  it  has  been  made  known  to  the  Emperor.  "Wben- 
ever  the  time  came  for  us  to  send  up  the  tribute,  we  there  [in  China] 
purchased  silk  and  pongee  to  make  suitable  official  robes  and  caps  for  our- 
selves, and  selected  medicines  and  other  things  for  the  use  of  the  state ; and 
if  they  were  not  enough  for  our  own  use,  then  through  the  island  of  Tuchara 
we  have  intercourse  with  a friendly  and  near  nation,  and  exchange  for  our 
productions,  as  black  sugar,  saki,  grass-cloth,  and  other  articles,  things  which 
we  send  to  China  as  tribute.”  The  friendly  and  near  nation  alluded  to  is 
Japan. 

Dr.  Bettelheim,  who  lived  some  years  in  Lew  Chew,  believed,  for  several 
good  reasons,  that  “ the  country,  though  independent  to  a certain  extent,  (its 
ruler  being  permitted,  for  a good  contribution  to  Pekin,  to  assume  the  high- 
sounding  title  of  king,)  yet  is,  to  all  ends  and  purposes,  an  integral  part  of 
Japan.”  His  reasons  were  briefly  these : 

1.  “ There  is  a Japanese  garrison  quartered  in  Napha.”  It  must  not, 
however,  be  understood  that  they  show  themselves  openly,  for  the  Lew 
Chewans  pretend  that  they  are  an  unwarlike  people,  without  military  arms 
or  accoutrements ; but  Dr.  Bettelheim  accidentally  came  upon  a part  of  the 
garrison  employed  in  cleaning  their  arms. 


LEW  CHEW  SUBJECT  TO  JAPAN, 


255 


2.  The  trade  of  Lew  Chew  is  entirely  with  Japan.  If  the  island  were 
a Chinese  dependency,  this  would  not  he  so.  Japan  sends  annually  thirty 
or  forty  junks  to  Lew  Chew,  of  about  four  hundred  and  fifty  tons  each ; only 
one  Lew  Chewan  junk  goes  annually  to  China,  and  every  alternate  year  one 
more,  said  to  carry  tribute,  but  not  a single  Chinese  junk  is  ever  allowed  to 
enter  Napha. 

3.  The  Japanese  are  to  be  found  in  numbers  in  Lew  Chew,  and  stroll 
about  as  uninterruptedly  as  the  natives ; they  intermarry  with  the  Lew 
Chewans,  cultivate  lands,  build  houses  in  Napha,  and,  in  short,  seem  to  be 
perfectly  at  home.  But  a Chinaman  is  as  much  hunted  and  spied  after,  and 
pelted  and  insulted,  as  any  other  foreigner.  This  is  strikingly  confirmed 
by  the  journal  of  one  of  our  officers,  who  remarks,  from  facts  that  he  was 
witness  to  : “ They  [the  Lew  Chewans]  are  evidently  quite  as  much  opposed 
to  intercourse  with  China  as  with  all  other  nations,  notwithstanding  the 
similarity,  if  not  the  identity,  of  their  religion,  literature,  and  many  of 
their  manners  and  customs.  Indeed,  they  are  de  facto  and  de  jure  a part 
of  Japan,  and  their  motto  is,  ‘uncompromising  non-intercourse  with  all  the 
world.’  ” 

4.  In  all  Dr.  Bettelheim’s  intercourse  with  the  Lew  Chewan  authorities, 
there  were  always  present,  at  least,  two  individuals,  who,  it  was  obvious,  had 
the  management  of  the  meeting  and  controlled  the  Lew  Chew  officials. 
These  he  conjectured  to  be  Japanese  inspectors. 

5.  The  language,  dress,  customs,  virtues,  and  vices  of  Lew  Chew  corre- 
spond to  those  of  J apan,  thus  establishing  a prima  facie  relationship.  Of 
these  the  language  is  to  the  ethnologist  the  most  satisfactory  proof,  and  of 
the  researches. of  some  of  our  gentlemen,  on  this  point,  we  shall  speak  more 
particularly  in  its  appropriate  place,  on  a future  page. 

The  English  Bishop  of  Victoria,  who,  in  the  discharge  of  his  official 
duties,  visited  Lew  Chew  in  1850,  thus  speaks  on  this  subject : “ On  the 
whole,  it  seems  far  the  most  probable  opinion  that  Lew  Chew  was  peopled 
by  a colony  from  J apan,  to  which  people  their  physiognomy,  language,  and 
customs  have  a close  affinity  ; and  that  to  China  they  owe  the  far  more  im- 
portant debt  of  their  partial  civilization  and  literature.  The  government 
of  the  country  appears  to  consist  in  a grievous  oligarchy  of  literati  immedi- 
ately dependent  upon  Japan.  They  stand  in  great  fear  of  the  latter  country, 
and  look  to  it,  and  not  to  China,  for  protection  in  time  of  need.  They 
have  an  historical  tradition  that  a few  hundred  years  ago,  during  the  Ming 
dynasty,  a war  broke  out  between  China  and  Japan,  during  which  the 
former,  wanting  to  detach  Lew  Chew  from  the  latter,  raised  it  to  the  dignity 
of  a separate  kingdom.  In  token  of  vassalage,  every  new  king  receives  a 
formal  investiture  from  a Chinese  officer,  specially  deputed  and  sent  for  that 
purpose  from  Foo  Chow  ; to  which  city,  also,  a biennial  tribute-junk  is  sent 
from  Lew  Chew.  At  the  Tartar  invasion  of  China,  and  the  commencement 


256 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


of  the  present  foreign  dynasty,  above  two  hundred  years  ago,  about  thirty- 
six  Chinese  families,  unwilling  to  conform  to  the  Tartar  changes  of  costume 
and-  rule,  emigrated  to  Lew  Chew,  the  descendants  of  whom  have  become, 
generally,  the  schoolmasters  of  the  country,  and  amalgamated  with  the 
people.”  The  Commodore,  from  such  observations  as  he  could  make, 
thought  that  the  Lew  Chewans  were  a mixture,  made  up  possibly  of  Japan- 
ese, (who  preponderated,)  Chinese,  Formosans,  and,  perhaps,  Malays;  and 
that  the  island,  commencing  its  population  at  a very  early  period,  from  some 
accident,  such  as  shipwreck,  had,  from  time  to  time,  added  to  its  inhabitants 
from  the  adjacent  regions,  until  the  whole  was  fused  into  the  present  stock. 
In  personal  appearance  the  Lew  Chewans  did  not  seem  to  him  to  be  une- 
quivocally either  Chinese  or  Japanese  in  aspect.  They  are  not  a handsome 
people,  nor  yet  can  they  be  called  decidedly  ugly.  Their  complexion  is 
rather  Chinese,  and  they  have  black  eyes  and  hair ; the  latter  of  which,  by 
the  way,  they  do  not  dress  after  the  Chinese  fashion ; for,  instead  of  long 
plaited  tails  hanging  down  behind,  it  is  gathered,  with  great  care  and  neat- 
ness, into  a knot  on  the  top  of  the  head,  and  there  fastened  with  a pin  of 
silver  or  other  metal — the  nature  of  the  metal  used  indicating  the  rank  of 
the  wearer. 

As  to  education,  the  opportunity  afforded  of  acquiring  information  was 
necessarily  limited,  and  the  hest  account  the  Commodore  could  obtain  on 
that  subject  was  from  Dr.  Bettelheim,  who  had  been  for  some  years  resident 
on  the  island.  “ In  Shui,”  says  he,  “ I have  seen  a building  with  an  inscrip- 
' tion,  perhaps  well  rendered,  ‘ University'  on  the  door.  In  Napha  is  a school 
I for  proficients  in  Confucian  lore.  But  in  general,  learning — as  far  as  it 
I goes,  i.  e.  a mere  knowledge  of  Chinese  characters  and  of  some  of  their 
classical  books — is  diffused  by  the  elder  instructing  the  younger ; a kind  of 
Lancasterian  system,  carried  on  in  the  whole  country,  in  almost  every  house. 
Still,  there  are  schools  beside,  and  likewise  the  Kung-Kwas,  government 
houses  in  Napha,  as  well  as  Tumai,  serve  as  schools.  In  the' Eiung^Kw^, 
however,  no  teacher  is  appointed ; but  in  the  out-buildings  usually  added  to 
every  Confucian  temple,  I found  often  children  assembled  under  the  superin- 
tendence of  a master,  who  seems  to  have  the  benefit  of  free  residence  and 
the  adjoining  grounds  for  salary.”  “ Aping  China  in  everything.  Lew  Chew 
has  also  its  three  yearly  examinations,  which,  for  the  time  being,  make  quite 
a stir  in  the  learned  world,  but  hold  out  no  prospect  for  high  station,  as  in 
China.  At  most,  the  fortunate  candidate  gets,  beside  a good  fill  of  honor,  a 
rice  pension  or  a schoolmastership.  The  Samuns  are  also  delegated,  by 
turns,  to  teach  in  the  country  schools.  By  all  these  means  the  knowledge 
[ of  the  Chinese  character  is  pretty  widely  diffused  among  the  people,  the 
women,  only,  being  entirely  without  any  literary  culture.” 

As  to  what  is  taught,  all  the  books,  as  well  as  learning,  in  Lew  Chew, 
comes  from  China,  whither,  yearly,  some  of  the  native  youths  of  the  higher 


EDUCATION  IN  LEW  CHEW. 


257 


class  are  sent  for  education.  The  Chinese  character  is  in  general  use  in 
Lew  Chew ; but  the  inhabitants  have  also  (says  Dr.  Bettelheim)  a running 
hand  of  their  own,  which,  he  thinks,  is  the  real  ancient  Chinese  hieroglyphic, 

“ awfully  crippled.”  In  some  manuscripts  which  he  saw  in  this  writing,  ; 
every  Lew  Chew  character  had  opposite  to  it  the  modern  legible  Chinese  | 
sign ; and  many  Lew  Chewans  do  not  understand  the  character  at  all.  ■ 
They  are,  however,  very  proud  of  it,  and  say  it  is  a “ language”  of  their  own ; 
though,  as  far  as  could  be  ascertained,  the  signs  used  do  not  at  all  express 
the  sounds  of  the  spoken  Lew  Chew  language,  which  is,  undoubtedly,  a dialect 
of  Japanese.  Neither  is  this  writing,  as  has  been  said,  identical  with  the 
Japanese  hirakana.  Most  of  the  books  seen  in  Lew  Chew  were  in  the  t' 
ordinary  Chinese  character.  The  Japanese  character,  however,  is  under-  ! 
stood ; for  writings  were  seen,  made  by  Lew  Chewans,  in  the  Katakana. 
With  such  apparatus  for  learning,  it  may  well  be  supposed  that  the  attain- 
ments of  the  masses,  except  in  those  matters  which  are  communicated  orally, 
must  be  limited.  The  Lew  Chewans  have  no  literature  of  their  own,  nor 
has  any  author,  so  far  as  we  know,  ever  appeared  among  them.  The  Con- 
fucian  classics  of  China  are  the  text  books,  and  these,  says  the  Bishop  of 
Victoria,  “ consist  more  in  an  apparently  mechanical  repetition  of  sounds 
than  in  any  mental  recreation  from  the  sentiments  contained  in  those  literary 
monuments  of  a venerable  antiquity.” 

The  reader  will  probably  be  somewhat  interested  to  know  something  of 
the  religious  opinions  of  these  distant  islanders,  and  of  the  circumstances  I 
under  which  Dr.  Bettelheim  became  a resident  among  them.  As  to  the  first,  it  l 
may  be  said,  in  general  terms,  that  the  religion  of  the  natives  seems  to  be  a [ 
mixture  of  Confucianism  and  Buddhism.  But  it  is  best  to  let  them  on  this  i 
head  speak  for  themselves.  When  the  Bishop  of  Victoria  was  at  the  island, 
in  1850,  the  captain  of  H.  B.  M.  steamer,  the  Keynard,  received  two  com- 
munications from  the  native  authorities,  written  in  Chinese,  in  the  latter  of 
which  they  thus  speak  : “ Now,  as  to  the  religion  of  the  Lord  of  Heaven,” 
[this  is  the  phrase  by  which  they  designate  Christianity,]  “ we  have,  from 
ancient  times,  attended  to  the  doctrines  of  Confucius,  and  found  therein 
principles  wherewith  to  cultivate  personal  morality,  and  to  regulate  our 
families,  each  according  to  our  circumstances  and  condition  in  life.  We 
endeavor,  also,  to  carry  out  the  government  of  the  country  according  to  the 
rules  and  maxims  which  have  been  handed  down  to  us  by  the  sages,  and  are 
calculated  to  secure  lasting  peace  and  tranquillity.  Besides,  our  gentry,  as 
well  as  the  common  people,  are  without  natural  capacity ; and,  although  they 
have  attended  exclusively  to  Confucianism,  they  have  as  yet  been  unable  to 
arrive  at  perfection  in  it.  If  they  should  now,  also,  have  to  study,  in 
addition,  the  religion  of  the  Lord  of  Heaven,  such  an  attempt  would  surpass 
our  ability,  and  the  heart  does  not  incline  to  it.” 

On  the  compound  of  Confucianism  and  Buddhism  many  superstitions 
17 


258 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


have  been  grafted.  Filial  reverence  here,  as  in  China,  is  the  chief  of  virtues, 
and,  theoretically,  at  least,  underlies  as  a basis  the  system  of  government, 
which  is  professedly  patriarchal.  This,  as  the  Bishop  of  Victoria  has  well 
remarked,  is  the  great  source  of  slavery,  and  opens  a wide  door  for  the 
grossest  tyranny  on  the  part  of  the  so-called  paternal  rulers.  How  far 
these  poor  and  oppressed  beings  are  in  a condition  to  he  impressed  by  the 
truths  of  Christianity  it  would  be  difficult  to  say ; hut,  from  the  early  expe- 
rience of  Dr.  Bettelheim,  there  is  reason  to  think  that  the  common  people, 
if  left  to  themselves,  would  be  willing  listeners  to  the  Christian  teacher ; 
and  the  benevolence  of  gospel  principles  would  probably  contrast  so  strongly 
and  advantageously  with  the  cruelty  and  oppression  under  which  they  groan, 
that  we  cannot  but  believe  there  are  few  spots  of  paganism  where,  under 
God’s  blessing,  efforts  to  Christianize  would  probably  be  more  successful 
than  in  Lew  Chew,  were  the  people  left  to  freedom  of  thought  and  action. 

As  to  the  establishment  of  Dr.  Bettelheim  as  a missionary  in  the  island, 
its  history,  as  we  gather  from  the  Bishop  of  Victoria,  is  briefly  this : Not 
many  years  ago,  certain  pious  officers  of  the  British  navy,  (among  whom 
was  prominent  Lieutenant  Clifford,  who,  we  believe,  visited  the  island  with 
Captain  Basil  Hall,)  formed  an  association  among  themselves,  under  the 
name  of  the  “ Lew  Chew  Naval  Mission,”  for  the  purpose  of  sending  Chris- 
tian missionaries  to  the  island.  The  missionary  whom  they  flrst  sent  was 
Dr.  Bettelheim,  a converted  Jew,  and  by  birth  a Hungarian,  not,  however, 
in  holy  orders,  but  a Christian  layman.  He  had  become  a British  subject 
by  naturalization,  and  the  husband  of  an  English  woman.  He  possessed 
many  qualiflcations  for  his  work.  He  was  a physician,  a good  linguist,  with 
great  energy  of  mind  and  activity  of  body,  and  most  indefatigable  perse- 
verance. He  possessed,  also,  a boldness  of  nature,  which  caused  him  fear- 
lessly to  assert  his  rights  as  a British  subject,  and,  perhaps,  not  always  with 
discretion.  Two  missionaries  of  the  Roman  church  were,  at  first,  in  Lew 
Chew  with  him,  one  of  whom  was  made  titular  bishop  of  Samos  and  vicar 
general  of  Japan ; but  these,  in  utter  despair  of  success,  abandoned  their 
mission,  and  left  the  island,  while  Dr.  Bettelheim  still  abode  at  his  post,  and 
never  relaxed  his  labors.  Commodore  Perry  found  him  at  Napha,  as  we 
have  already  related,  and  he  had  been  there  since  May,  1846.  The  opposi- 
tion to  Dr.  Bettelheim’s  labors  did  not  come  from  the  common  people.  At 
first  his  communications  with  them  were  freely  allowed,  and  they  seemed 
well  disposed  to  be  taught.  But  the  authorities  soon  took  the  alarm,  and, 
as  there  is  reason  to  think,  on  political  grounds  merely.  They  were  afraid 
of  their  Japanese  masters,  who,  as  they  well  knew,  would  tolerate  no  show 
of  Christianity  in  the  kingdom,  and  would  look  upon  its  introduction  into 
Lew  Chew  as  the  first  step  toward  breaking  down  the  exclusive  system  of 
Japan.  At  first,  therefore,  the  authorities  at  Napha  used  mild  persuasion 
with  Dr.  Bettelheim  to  prevail  upon  him  to  leave  the  island ; then  followed 


CUSTOMS  OF  LEW  CHEW, 


259 


less  equivocal  marks  of  opposition — the  people  were  forbidden  to  go  near 
him  or  to  remain  with  him  if  he  came  among  them ; and,  finally,  a system 
of  insult,  annoyance,  ceaseless  espionage,  and  intimidation,  was  adopted,  in 
the  hope  of  driving  him  away.  But  all  these  means  were  in  vain.  The 
missionary  stayed  in  Lew  Chew,  and  at  the  time  of  the  Commodore’s  arri- 
val, he  and  the  inhabitants  were  living  in  a condition  of  undisguised  hostil- 
ity toward  each  other.  It  was  soon  but  too  apparent  that  the  presence  of 
the  missionary,  however  meritorious  he  might  be,  seemed  to  promise  but  lit- 
tle for  the  extension  of  Christianity  in  the  island  at  that  period. 

A renewed  opportunity  of  observation  on  this  second  visit  enabled  the 
gentlemen  of  the  expedition  to  catch  some  additional  features  of  social  life, 
as  well  as  to  obtain  further  insight  into  manners  and  customs.  There  is  a 
gradation  in  the  rank  of  ofiScers  analogous  to  that  existing  in  China,  and 
here,  as  there,  manifested  by  some  peculiarity  of  dress.  The  great  distinc- 
tive mark,  however,  between  the  higher  classes  and  the  general  population 
consists  ip  the  hair-pin.  The  crown  of  the  head,  to  the  extent  of  two  or 
three  inches,  is  shaved,  and  into  the  vacant  space  the  residue  of  the  hair  is 
all  drawn,  and  plaited  somewhat  into  the  form  of  a circular  comb.  A free 
use  is  made  of  oil  and  lamp-black  in  arranging  it.  Two  large  hair-pins  are 
then  passed  through  the  mass,  to  keep  it  in  place,  and  the  front  end  of  the 
lower  pin  is  finished  with  a head  in  the  form  of  a star.  The  different  met- 
als of  which  the  pins  are  madejndicate  the  rank  of  the  wearer.  They  are 
of  gold,  silver,  brass,  lead,  and  pewter.  The  lower  class  generally  wear 
brass,  though  the  very  poorest  use  sometimes  the  metals  last  nani£.d.  The 
literati  or  dignitaries  use  gold  and  silver.  The  pin,  therefore,  tells  the  rank 
at  once.  The  lowest  order  of  the  people  consists  of  the  public^ slaves,  (oo- 
hang,)  who  have  no  civil  rights  nor  personal  freedom,  an(L  must  obey  the 
slightest  beck  of  the  literati.  Their  condition  is  one  of  utter  degradation. 
The  intermediate  class  next  above  these  is  composed  of  the  peasants  or  field 
laborers,  (Ha-hoo-shoo.)  These  farm  the  country,  paying  to  the  government 
one-half  of  the  products  in  lieu  of  taxes,  and  paying  also  an  exorbitant  rent. 
We  have  already  stated  that  two-tenths  is  all  the  laborer  gets  of  the  results 
of  his  toil.  By  this  toil  the  literary  class,  which  never  works  at  all,  is  sup- 
ported. The  highest  grade  in  the  lower  class  is  made  up  of  the  messengers, 
spies,  menial  officers,  &c.,  in  the  service  of  government,  and  includes  also 
the  small  traders  and  mechanics.  This  caste  is  known  by  the  name  of  We\ 
dae-o-gang.  When  doing  duty  for  the  government  these  receive  no  wages,  ! 
nothing  but  their  food,  and  the  distant  hope  of  promotion  to  the  honor  of  \ 
substituting  for  the  brass  pin  one  of  silver.  The  rich  sometimes  purchase  / 
from  a poor  man  his  services  for  life,  (a  system  of  slavery,)  but  more  gen- 
erally for  a term  of  years.  The  price  of  a common  slave  of  this  kind  is  ' 
from  two  to  ten  dollars. 

Grreat  respect  is  shown  for  the  dead,  and  tombs  elaborate  and  costly  at-  \ 


260 


EXPEDI’tION  to  JAPAN. 

test  this  feeling.  They  are  constructed  of  stone,  and  often  form  a conspic- 
uous feature  in  the  landscape.  Indeed,  upon  the  first  approach  of  the  squad- 
ron, their  size,  color,  and  position  on  the  hill-sides  caused  them,  at  a dis- 
tance, to  be  mistaken  for  dwellings. 

A sort  of  clanship  seems  to  obtain  in  each  district,  and  the  people  of  one 
village  seldom  marry  with  the  inhabitants  of  another.  The  agriculturists, 
and  indeed  the  common  people  generally,  appear  to  Imow  but  few  physical 
wants.  They  have  sweet  potatoes  in  abundance,  and  these,  with  a misera- 
ble hut  to  sleep  in,  seem  to  bound  their  very  limited  desires.  Many  of  the 
poor  are  fishermen,  but  the  larger  number  is  composed  of  mechanics,  em- 
ployed chiefly  in  turning  wooden  implements  and  covering  them  with  lac- 
quer. The  women  commonly  perform  this  latter  branch,  except  as  to  the 
painting  ; this  is  done  by  men.  The  shops  are  few,  and  the  articles  sold  are 
chiefly  paper,  rice,  tea,  sweetmeats,  and  clothing.  The  Lew  Chewans  al- 
ways insisted  that  they  had  no  current  coin,  and  that  their  trade  was  always 
in  a barter  of  specific  objects.  This  may  be  in  the  main  correct,  as  they 
appear  to  have  but  little  metallic  currency,  and  the  Commodore  endeavored 
in  vain  to  procure  from  the  authorities  some  of  their  coin  in  exchange  for 
ours.  They  solemnly  assured  him  they  had  no  national  currency ; and, 
though  they  are  very  much  in  the  habit,  from  motives  of  supposed  policy, 
of  exaggerating  their  poverty,  this  statement  is  probably  true.  They  know, 
however,  very  well  the  value  of  the  Chinese  coin,  and  received  it  from  our 
pursers  in  the  settlement  of  accounts. 

The  vegetable  and  animal  productions  of  Lew  Chew  are  abundant 
enough.  The  sugar-cane  thrives,  and  they  have  a rude  mode  of  making 
sugar. 

They  export  of  this,  as  well  as  of  saki,  an  intoxicating  liquor  distilled 
from  rice,  and  very  strong ; they  make  also  tobacco  in  considerable  quanti- 
ties, and  smoking  is  a universal  habit.  Some  cotton  is  also  grown,  and  in- 
digo is  raised  in  the  island.  They  also  make  salt  by  evaporation ; and, 
were  the  island  in  other  hands,  its  agricultural  productions  would  support  a 
large  population,  and  furnish  a surplus  for  exportation.  Fowls,  ducks, 
geese,  pigs,  goats,  and  a small  species  of  black  ox,  are  all  very  abundant. 
There  is  a small  but  active  and  tough  breed  of  horses,  and  the  wild  boar  is 
found  in  the  forests.  The  general  impression  left  on  the  minds  of  the  gen- 
tlemen of  the  expedition  was,  that  Lew  Chew  was  a beautiful  island,  abun- 
dantly supplied,  and  needed  but  a good  government  to  form,  so  far  as  bodily 
comfort  is  concerned,  as  pleasant  a residence  as  could  be  desired. 


I SLA  X I)  S 

frtim  vnii  Sipliolds  willixliglit  Rdililiimx  K-eoirtTtiijns. 
V Ihe  I'.  S .Tapftu  Ex|i<‘'iilian  and  niluf  anijiiirilips. 

I •impilail  by  cirdrr  uf 

COMMODOUK  M (•  PKURT.  T.  S..\. 


Li.'uta 


W'  Ij  Maury  and  Silas  Beni 

1«5 


CHAPTER  XII 


Departure  from  Napba  for  Japan. — Course  of  the  Sliips, — Oho-sima. — Island  seen  by  Commander  Glynn, 
probably  Oho-sima. — Cleopatra  Islands. — Currents, — Fourth  of  July  on  Board. — Approach  to  Cape 
Idzu — Squadron,  led  by  the  Susquehanna,  enters  the  Bay  of  Yedo.— Rock  Island. — Hazy  Atmosphere 
of  Japan. — Surprise  of  the  Japanese  at  sight  of  the  Steamers  moving  against  Wind  and  Tide.— Bay  of 
Sagami. — Appearance  of  the  Coast  and  Country  Inland.— Fusi- Jama. — Ships  made  ready  for  Action. — 
Fleet  of  Japanese  Boats  put  off  from  the  Shore. — ^Left  behind  by  Squadron. — Bay  of  Uraga. — Opposite 
Coast  of  Awa. — Japanese  Forts. — Squadron  comes  to  Anchor  in  the  Bay  of  Uraga. — Soundings  on  ap- 
proaching the  Anchorage. — Japanese  Guard-Boats  put  off. — No  one  permitted  to  como  on  board  the 
Ships. — Appearance  of  Guard-Boats  and  Crews. — Skill  of  the  Japanese  in  managing  their  Boats. — 
Guard-Boat  comes  alongside  of  the  Mississippi,  and  Japanese  Functionary  demands  to  come  on  board. 
— Not  permitted. — Notice  in  the  French  Language,  ordering  the  Ships  away,  held  up  to  be  reatl. — 
Interpreter  directed  to  inform  the  Japanese  that  the  Commodore  would  confer  with  no  one  but  the 
highest  Official  in  Uraga. — Japanese  replied  that  they  had  the  Vice  Governor  on  board. — This  Officer 
and  his  Interpreter  allowed  to  come  on  board  the  Susquehanna. — Not  permitted  to  see  the  Commo- 
dore.—Conference  with  Lieutenant  Contee,  who  explains  that  the  Americans  have  come  on  a friendly 
Mission,  and  that  the  Commodore  belts  a Letter  from  the  President  of  the  United  States  to  the  Em- 
peror.— Desires  the  appointment  of  an  Officer  of  suitable  rank  to  receive  it  from  the  Commodore.— 
Commodore  refuses  to  go  to  Nagasaki— Informs  the  Japanese  Officials  that  if  the  Guard-Boats  are  not 
immediately  removed  he  will  disperse  them  by  Force. — The  Boats  are  withdrawn. — Vice  Governor 
returns  to  the  sliore,  promising  further  communication  on  the  morrow. — Policy  resolved  on  by  the 
Commodore. — Meteorological  Phenomenon. — Visit  on  the  next  day  from  the  Governor  of  Uraga. — 
Conference  between  him  and  Commanders  Buchanan  and  Adams.— Second  refusal  of  the  Commodore 
to  go  to  Nagasaki. — Determination  expressed  to  deliver  the  Letter  there,  and,  if  necessary,  in  the  City 
of  Yedo  itself. — Governor  proposes  to  refer  the  matter  to  Yedo. — Commodore  assents,  and  allows 
three  days  for  an  answer, — Survey  by  the  Squadron's  Boats  of  the  Bay  of  Uraga,  and  ultimately  of 
the  Bay  of  Yedo. 


Caprice  dispatched  to  Shanghai.  This  was  but  a poor 


ARLT  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  2d  of  J uly, 
1853,  after  many  un- 
foreseen delays,  the 
Commodore  departed 
from  Napha  with  four 
vessels  only,  the  two 
steamers,  the  Susque- 
hanna, his  flag-ship, 
and  the  Mississippi, 
the  Saratoga,  and  the 
Plymouth  sloops-of- 
war.  The  Supply  was 
left  behind,  and  the 
show  of  ships,  in  com- 


262 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


p:irison  with  the  more  imposing  squadron  of  twelve  vessels  which  had  been 
so  repeatedly  promised.  But  as  none  of  these  additional  vessels  had  ar- 
rived, and  as  no  calculation  could  be  made  as  to  when  they  might  he  looked 
for,  the  Commodore  resolved  to  sail  with  the  inferior  force,  which  he  trusted 
would  so  far  answer  his  necessities  as  not  to  interfere  seriously  with  the 
great  object  of  the  expedition,  now  fairly  set  out  for  Japan.  The  advan- 
tages of  steam  were  fully  appreciated  in  the  opportunity  it  gave  of  making 
a uniformly  steady  and  direct  course  of  ascertained  speed — advantages  in 
which  the  sailing  vessels  were  made  to  participate ; for  the  Saratoga  was 
taken  in  tow  by  the  Susquehanna,  as  the  Plymouth  was  by  the  Mississippi. 
The  Commodore’s  ship  led  the  van  out  of  Napha  and  awaited,  some  five 
miles  away,  between  the  group  of  islands  situated  off  the  harbor  and  the 
southwestern  extremity  of  the  island,  the  coming  up  of  her  consort,  as  did 
the  Mississippi  for  hers.  Hawsers  then  having  been  passed  from  the  steam- 
ers to  the  two  sloops-of-war,  they  were  respectively  taken  in  tow,  and  the 
squadron  fairly  started  and  began  the  voyage  to  Yedo. 

All  seemed  very  well  satisfied  to  get  away  from  Lew  Chew.  The  pic- 
turesque interests  of  the  island  were,  for  the  time  being,  thoroughly  ex- 
hausted, and  the  dull  realities  of  life  began  to  weigh  rather  heavily  upon  the 
visitors.  Beside,  the  great  object  of  the  expedition  was  still  before  them, 
and  anticipation  naturally  begat  impatience.  The  weather,  too,  had  become 
sultry  and  excessively  oppressive,  for  the  heat  had  reached  the  high  degree 
of  8S°  Fahrenheit  in  the  coolest  part  of  the  Susquehanna  while  she  lay  at 
anchor  in  the  harbor.  The  people  of  Lew  Chew,  moreover,  had  not  appa- 
rently been  very  much  won  over  by  the  blandishments  of  their  courteous 
visitors.  The  supplies  with  which  they  at  first  furnished  the  squadron  had 
been  gradually  falling  off,  and  their  consent  to  receive  payment  for  them 
seemed  to  be  the  principal  change  in  their  policy  effected  by  the  long  so- 
journ of  six  weeks.  Still  some  progress  had  been  made.  Their  system  of 
espionage  had  become  less  public  and  intrusive,  although  some  suspected 
that  it  was  as  alert  as  ever  though  more  concealed. 

On  getting  clear  of  the  harbor  and  stretching  beyond  the  shelter  of  the 
southeastern  extremity  of  the  island,  a strong  wind  was  encountered  from 
the  east,  and  as  the  steamers  were  deep,  it  was  thought  advisable  to  stand 
off  on  the  port  tack  in  order  to  get  well  clear  of  the  land,  for  the  vessels  in 
tow  were  dragging  them  to  leeward  notwithstanding  the  power  of  the  en- 
gines. In  the  course  of  the  day,  as  there  was  every  prospect  of  weathering 
the  eastern  part  of  the  island,  the  ships  were  put  on  the  other  tack,  and 
their  course  directed  for  Japan. 

The  track  taken  by  the  squadron  east  of  the  chain  of  islands  which 
stretch  from  Formosa  to  Lew  Chew,  and  thence  to  Japan,  (very  properly 
called  by  Blunt  the  “ Southern,”  “ Middle,”  and  “ Northern  ” groups,)  has 
been  very  rarely  traversed  by  the  ships  of  modern  nations ; while  the  isl- 


ISLAND  OF  OHO-SIMA. 


263 


ands  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  chain  are  unknown  to  our  present  naviga- 
tors. 

The  French  admiral,  Cecille,  in  1846,  employed  one  or  more  of  his 
squadron  in  the  exploration  of  the  islands  about  Lew  Chew,  and  along  the 
western  side  of  the  northern  group ; but  according  to  the  best  authorities, 
to  which  Von  Siebold,  among  others,  adds  his  testimony,  the  eastern  side  of 
the  latter  islands  has  never  been  visited  by  any  modern  navigator.  The 
principal  island  of  the  northern  group  is  called  by  the  Japanese  Oho-sima, 
and  by  the  Chinese  Tatao ; these  words  meaning  in  their  respective  lan- 
guages, “ great  island.”  It  is  about  the  size,  including  one  or  two  adjoining 
islands  in  the  estimate,  of  Great  Lew  Chew,  and  is  probably  governed  by 
similar  laws.  It  has  one  chief  city  and  several  towns,  and  the  country  is 
supposed  to  be  highly  cultivated.  Yon  Siebold  states  that  the  island  con- 
tains several  good  harbors,  and  it  is  undoubtedly,  in  every  respect,  of  suffi- 
cient interest  to  claim  an  investigation.  The  Commodore  resolved,  at  some 
subsequent  period,  to  send  some  vessel  of  the  squadron  to  make  a proper 
survey. 

The  Susquehanna  and  the  accompanying  ships  were  probably  the  first 
either  of  European  or  American  vessels  that  ever  passed  along  the  entire 
extent  of  the  northern  group.  Von  Siebold  asserts  that  Broughton  saw  the 
northeast  point,  and  that  Captain  Guerin,  of  the  French  corvette  Sabine, 
traced  the  western  shore  in  1848.  It  was  probably  Oho-sima,  the  principal 
island  of  the  group,  that  was  seen  by  Commander  Glynn  in  1848,  and  which 
he  supposed  to  be  a new  discovery.  The  islets  which  he  speaks  of  having 
seen,  bearing  N.  N.  W.,  were  the  Cleopatra  islands,  examined  two  years  be- 
fore by  one  of  the  vessels  of  Admiral  Cecille’s  squadron. 

Yon  Siebold’s  charts,  appended  to  his  great  work  on  Japan,  and  com- 
piled by  him,  show  these  islands  pretty  accurately  laid  down,  and  it  was 
found  that  the  observations  made  on  board  the  Susquehanna  gave  such  bear- 
ings of  the  principal  headlands  of  Oho-sima  as  correspond  tolerably  well 
with  the  position  as  given  by  Y on  Siebold.  A current  is  said  to  be  contin- 
ually setting  from  these  islands  to  the  northward  and  eastward ; or,  as  the 
islanders  say,  it  always  goes  to  Japan  and  never  comes  back.  This  was, 
however,  found  to  be  of  no  great  strength  during  the  passage  of  the  Sus- 
quehanna, although  it  must  be  acknowledged  to  be  a matter  of  difficulty  to 
estimate  in  a steamer  the  rapidity  and  direction  of  currents,  as  they  are 
generally  over-logged,  or  in  other  words,  surpassed  in  speed  by  the  rate  of 
going  of  the  vessel.  There  is,  moreover,  another  difficulty  in  consequence 
of  the  backward  movement  given  to  the  water  by  the  evolution  of  the  pad- 
dle-wheels of  a steamship. 

The  third  day  of  the  voyage,  being  the  fourth  day  of  July,  1853, 
brought  with  it  a lively  remembrance  of  home,  as  it  was  the  seventy-seventh 
anniversary  of  our  national  holiday.  The  day  opened  fresh  and  pleasant. 


264 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


and  the  men  were  prepared  to  get  up  some  amateur  theatricals,  and  other- 
wise to  celebrate  the  occasion  ; but  the  weather  becoming  unfavorable,  and 
other  circumstances  interfering,  it  was  deemed  advisable,  much  to  the  disap- 
pointment of  the  sailors,  to  dispense  with  the  show  by  which  they  had  in- 
tended to  give  exhibition  to  their  patriotism.  The  occasion,  however,  was 
duly  honored  by  the  firing  of  a salute  of  seventeen  guns  from  each  vessel  of 
the  squadron,  and  by  the  serving  of  an  additional  ration  of  grog  to  Jack, 
while  the  officers  brought  to  bear  also  the  resources  of  their  various  messes, 
to  give  due  enjoyment  and  impressiveness  to  the  day.  All  on  board  were 
allowed  to  feel  that  it  was  a holiday,  in  a respite  from  the  usual  muster  at 
general  quarters  and  exercises  at  the  great  guns  and  small  arms,  which  had 
been  kept  up  during  the  passage  with  great  strictness  and  regularity,  in  order 
that  the  squadron  might  be  prepared  for  any  event  on  its  arrival  at  Japan. 

The  weather,  although  generally  warm,  varied,  and  thus,  while  some 
days  were  excessively  hot  and  oppressive,  others  were  tolerably  cool  and 
pleasant.  The  winds  occasionally  blew  with  considerable  freshness,  and 
mostly  from  the  east,  but  frequently  there  was  hardly  a breath  of  air  to  be 
felt,  and,  consequently,  with  a temperature  which  reached  88°  in  the  coolest 
place  on  deck,  all  on  board  suffered  greatly  from  the  intense  heat.  And, 
indeed,  the  still  heat  and  clear  atmosphere  which  were  experienced,  even  on 
a close  approach  to  the  shores  of  Japan,  did  not  seem  to  confirm  what  has 
been  said,  and  what  was  expected,  of  the  cool  and  foggy  climate  of  that 
country. 

At  sunset  on  Thursday,  the  7th  of  July,  the  squadron  was,  according  to 
observation,  about  forty  miles  from  Cape  Negatsuo,  or  Idzu,  as  it  is  other- 
wise called.  In  consequence  of  this  proximity,  the  heads  of  the  ships  were 
put  off  shore  from  midnight  until  four  o’clock  next  morning,  when,  not  only 
the  cape  was  seen  from  the  masthead,  but  several  of  the  islands  to  the  east- 
ward, called  by  Von  Siebold  Goebrohen  Eilander,  (the  Broken  islands.)  as 
well  as  the  larger  two  of  the  group,  bearing  the  Japanese  names  of  Tosi- 
sima  and  Likine-sima.  The  morning  was  fine,  though  the  atmosphere  was 
so  hazy  that  there  was  but  an  indistinct  view  of  the  outline  of  the  precip- 
itous coast.  Through  the  mist,  however,  the  bold  promontory  of  Idzu  could 
be  seen  rising  loftily  out  of  the  sea,  and  stretching  back  to  the  interior  of 
Nippon  in  a crowd  of  mountainous  elevations.  The  Susquehanna’s  course, 
as  the  leading  ship,  was  laid  directly  for  the  entrance  to  the  bay  of  Yedo, 
and  as  she  passed  the  precipitous  land  of  Cape  Idzu  she  came  up  with  a 
low,  barren,  and  apparently  uninhabited  islet  of  about  three-fourths  of  a 
mile  in  length,  known  as  Bock  island.  There  is  a passage  between  this  and 
the  promontory  which  bounds  the  main  land,  and,  although  broken  with  sev- 
eral rocky  islets,  it  is  navigable.  The  United  States  ship-of-the-line  Colum- 
bus took  that  course,  although  the  other,  on  the  outer  side  of  Bock  island, 
the  one  pursued  by  the  Morrison,  was  preferred,  and  was  accordingly  taken 


ENTRANCE  OF  THE  BAY  OF  TEDO. 


2G5 


by  the  Commodore,  who  passed  within  a mile  and  a half  of  the  island.  As 
the  squadron  sailed  up  the  coast  some  eight  or  ten  junks  hove  in  sight,  anjd 
two  or  three  of  them  were  observed  soon  to  change  their  course  and  to 
turn  back  toward  the  shore,  as  if  to  announce  the  arrival  of  strangers. 

The  morning  seemed  to  confirm  the  reputed  character  of  the  Japanese 
climate,  for  the  atmosphere  was  so  thick  and  hazy  that  the  extent  of  view 
was  unfortunately  very  much  restricted,  and  it  was  not  possible  to  get  a dis- 
tinct outline  of  the  shore  until  the  squadron  came  to  anchor  ofi"  the  city  of 
Uraga.  The  steamer,  in  spite  of  a wind,  moved  on  with  all  sails  furled,  at 
the  rate  of  eight  or  nine  knots,  much  to  the  astonishment  of  the  crews  of 
the  Japanese  fishing  junks  gathered  along  the  shore  or  scattered  over  the 
surface  of  the  mouth  of  the  bay,  who  stood  up  in  their  boats,  and  were  evi- 
dently expressing  the  liveliest  surprise  at  the  sight  of  the  first  steamer  ever 
beheld  in  Japanese  waters. 

As  the  day  advanced  the  sun  came  out  with  a brighter  lustre,  glistening 
upon  the  broad  sails  of  the  junks  within  view,  and  dispelling  the  mist, 
through  the  openings  of  which  the  lofty  summits  and  steep  lava-scarred  sides 
of  the  promontory  of  Idzu  and  its  mountain  chains,  now  left  rapidly  be- 
hind, could  occasionally  be  discovered.  Crossing  the  mouth  of  the  bay  of 
Sagami,  with  Vries’  island,  or  Oo-sima,  as  it  is  called,  on  the  starboard,  the 
ships  moved  in  toward  Cape  Sagami.  The  Great  Fusi,  now,  as  the  fog  oc- 
casionally lifted,  rose  to  view  behind  the  head  of  the  bay  of  Sagami,  and  its 
cone-like  summit  was  disclosed,  rising  to  an  enormous  height,  far  inland,  and 
covered  with  a white  cap,  but  whether  of  snow  or  of  fleecy  clouds  it  was 
impossible  to  distinguish.  The  boats  showed  themselves  more  cautiously  as 
the  vessels  entered  the  bay ; but  one  was  overtaken  by  the  steamers,  and 
those  on  board  seemed  in  a terrible  state  of  exeitement,  letting  drop  its 
broad  sails,  and  taking  to  their  oars,  which  they  used  with  all  their  might, 
as  they  were  evidently  anxious  to  give  a wide  berth  to  the  squadron. 

As  the  ships  neared  the  bay,  signals  were  made  from  the  Commodore, 
and  instantly  the  decks  were  cleared  for  action,  the  guns  placed  in  position 
and  shotted,  the  ammunition  arranged,  the  small  arms  made  ready,  sentinels  V 
and  men  at  their  posts,  and,  in  short,  all  the  preparations  made,  usual  be- 
fore meeting  an  enemy.  About  noon  Cape  Sagami  was  reached,  when  the 
squadron  came  to,  for  about  ten  minutes,  and  a signal  was  made  for  all  cap- 
tains to  go  on  board  the  flag-ship  and  receive  their  orders  from  the  Commo- 
dore. This  done,  the  vessels  now  continued  their  course,  and  soon  came  up 
with  the  peninsula  of  Sagami,  at  the  south  end  of  which  a town  was  ob- 
served. When  the  squadron  had  approached  within  two  miles  of  the  land 
a fleet  of  large  boats,  amounting  to  more  than  a dozen,  pushed  off  in  the  di- 
rection of  the  ships,  with  the  seeming  intention  of  visiting  them.  They 
were,  however,  not  waited  for,  and  were  soon  left  behind,  much  puzzled, 
doubtless,  by  the  rapid  progress  of  the  steamers  against  the  wind.  The 


266 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


boats  appeared  to  be  fully  manned,  but  did  not  seem  to  be  armed,  although 
each  of  them  bore  a large  banner  with  certain  characters  inscribed  on  it, 
which  led  to  the  conjecture  that  they  were  government  vessels  of  some  kind. 
The  coasting  vessels  increased  in  numbers  within  the  bay,  and  were  some- 
times so  near  that  their  construction  and  rig  could  be  plainly  made  out. 
Their  hulls  rose  forward  in  a high  beaked  prow,  and,  aft,  in  a lofty  poop, 
while  a single  mast,  secured  by  fore  and  back  stays,  rose  from  the  centre  of 
the  vessel  and  was  rigged  with  a large  square  sail  made  of  canvas ; there 
were  three  other  smaller  sails,  two  at  the  bow  and  one  at  the  stern. 

On  passing  Cape  Sagami,  at  the  entrance  of  the  bay,  the  shores  were 
observed  to  rise  in  precipitous  clitfs,  which  connected  landward  with  undula- 
ting hills.  Deep  ravines,  green  with  rich  verdure,  divided  the  steep  slopes 
and  opened  into  small  expanses  of  alluvial  land,  washed  by  the  waters  of  the 
bay  into  the  form  of  inlets,  about  the  borders  of  which  were  grouped  va- 
rious Japanese  villages.  The  uplands  were  beautifully  varied  with  cultivated 
fields  and  tufted  woods,  while  far  behind  rose  the  mountains,  height  upon 
height,  in  the  inland  distance.  The  entrance  to  the  bay  seemed  well  forti- 
fied, and  the  hills  and  projecting  headlands  of  Sagami  were  formidable  with 
forts,  the  guns  of  which,  however,  were  silent,  notwithstanding  the  threat- 
ening entrance  of  the  strange  ships.  The  distant  shores  of  the  province  of 
Awa,  on  the  east,  rising  opposite  to  Sagami  in  a lofty  peak,  and  stretching 
beyond  in  picturesque  summits,  was  still  more  mountainous,  and  bore  fewer 
marks  of  cultivation  and  a less  formidable  appearance,  being  apparently 
destitute  of  fortifications.  As  the  squadron  passed  through  the  straits  into 
the  inner  bay  of  Uraga  the  numerous  fishing  boats  hurried  out  of  the  way, 
and  their  crews,  when  they  fancied  themselves  at  a sufficiently  safe  distance, 
rested  upon  their  oars  and  gazed  with  an  anxious  look  at  the  strangers. 

At  about  five  o’clock  in  the  afternoon  the  squadron  came  to  anchor  off 
the  city  of  Uraga,  on  the  western  side  of  the  bay  of  Yedo,  the  sloops-of-war 
(the  wind  being  favorable)  having  been  cast  loose  a little  while  previous, 
and  the  four  vessels  took  up  their  positions,  as  had  been  directed,  opposite 
the  shore.  Just  before  letting  go  the  anchors  the  weather  cleared  up,  and 
the  lofty  cone  of  Fusi  was  more  distinctly  visible,  showing  high  above  the 
accompanying  range  of  mountains  which  extend  inland.  It  was  estimated 
to  be  eight  or  ten  thousand  feet  in  height,  and  its  position  W.  | N.  from 
Uraga,  at  a distance  of  fifty  or  sixty  miles.  As  the  ships  proceeded  to  their 
anchorage  the  lead  was  kept  going  every  moment,  and  as  a constant  depth 
of  twenty-five  fathoms  was  found  the  vessels  kept  on  their  headway,  round- 
ing, at  moderate  speed,  the  elevation  or  cliff,  within  which  is  situated  the 
bight  of  Uraga.  They  continued  sounding  and  moving  on  slowly  and  cau- 
tiously until  the  squadron  had  nearly  reached  within  a mile  and  a half  of 
the  promontory  guarding  the  inner  entrance  of  the  bay  of  Yedo,  at  a dis- 
tance of  a mile  further  than  any  foreign  vessel  had  ever  advanced,  when  two 


iDAf  »r  f £i>» 


AEEIVAL  IN  THE  BAT  OF  YEDO. 


267 


guns  were  fired  from  a neighboring  fort,  and  a ball  of  smoke  in  the  air 
showed  that  a rocket  had  been  discharged.  The  order  was  at  once  given  to 
let  go  the  anchor ; but  as  the  depth  of  twenty-five  fathoms  was  still  found, 
the  steamers  first  closed  in  a little  more  with  the  shore  and  then  anchored. 

Previous  to  anchoring,  a number  of  Japanese  guard-boats  had  been  ob- 
served coming  off  from  the  land  in  pursuit,  but  the  Commodore  had  given 
express  orders,  both  by  word  and  signal,  forbidding  the  admission  of  any 
one  on  board  either  of  the  ships  but  his  own  ; and  even  as  to  the  flag-ship, 
he  had  commanded  that  not  more  than  three  persons,  at  one  time,  and  those 
having  business,  should  be  allowed  to  come  on  board.  It  had  heretofore 
been  the  practice  of  ships-of-war  to  admit  these  people  indiscriminately  to 
their  decks.  When  the  Columbus  was  in  the  bay  of  Yedo,  there  were  many 
hundred  Japanese  on  board  of  her  at  one  time,  who  partook  of  the  hospi- 
talities of  the  ofiicers  without  hesitation,  and  made  themselves  quite  at 
home ; but  when  they  were  spoken  to  about  going  on  shore,  answered  by 
signs  that  it  was  impossible.  The  Commodore  had,  therefore,  pre-deter- 
mined  to  exercise  an  equal  degree  of  exclusiveness  with  themselves,  and  to 
permit  the  Japanese  functionaries  to  communicate  only  and  directly  with 
the  Susquehanna.  Several  of  the  commanders  in  the  Japanese  boats  signi- 
fied by  signs  some  dissatisfaction  at  not  being  permitted  to  come  on  board 
the  ships ; but  the  Commodore’s  orders  were  strictly  obeyed. 

On  dropping  the  anchor,  another  gun  was  heard  from  one  of  the  forts 
on  shore,  and  when  the  squadron  had  assumed  its  line  of  anchorage,  com- 
manding with  its  guns  the  entire  ranges  of  batteries  and  two  considerable 
towns,  a large  number  of  the  guard-boats  came  from  all  directions,  evidently 
prepared  to  take  their  stations  around  the  ships,  as  the  Japanese  crews  had 
a supply  of  provisions,  water,  clothing,  sleeping  mats,  and  other  requisites 
for  a long  stay.  The  Commodore,  however,  had  fully  determined  before- 
hand that  they  should  not  thus  surround  the  ships.  They  made  several  at- 
tempts to  get  alongside  and  on  board  of  the  Saratoga ; their  tow-lines,  with 
which  they  made  fast  to  any  part  of  the  ship,  were  unceremoniously  cast  off. 
They  attempted  to  climb  up  by  the  chains,  but  the  crew  was  ordered  to 
prevent  them,  and  the  sight  of  pikes,  cutlasses,  and  pistols,  checked  them, 
and  when  they  found  that  our  officers  and  men  were  very  much  in  earnest, 
they  desisted  from  their  attempts  to  board. 

These  guard-boats  struck  every  one  with  admiration  of  the  beauty  of 
their  models,  which,  by  the  way,  resembled  in  a remarkable  degree  that  of 
the  yacht  America.  They  were  constructed  of  unpainted  wood,  with  very 
sharp  bows,  a broad  beam,  a slightly  tapering  stern,  and  a clean  run.  They 
were  propelled  with  great  swiftness  through,  or  rather  over,  the  water,  for 
they  seemed  to  skim  upon  its  surface  rather  than  to  divide  it.  The  crews, 
numbering  in  some  of  the  larger  boats  thirty  or  more,  were  tall  and  muscu- 
lar men,  whose  tawny  frames  were  naked,  with  the  exception  of  a cloth 


268 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


about  their  waists.  Toward  night,  however,  the  men  clothed  themselves 
with  loose  gowns,  some  of  red  and  others  of  blue,  with  hanging  sleeves, 
upon  which  were  white  stripes  meeting  in  an  angle  at  the  shoulders.  On 
their  backs  were  emblazoned  coats  of  arms,  or  some  insignia,  in  black  and 
other  colors.  Most  of  them  were  bareheaded  and  showed  the  hair  to  have 
been  shaved  on  the  crown,  while  that  on  the  sides  had  been  allowed  to  grow 
long  and  was  worn  plastered  with  some  species  of  ointment  and  fastened  up 
into  a knot  on  the  bald  spot  upon  the  top  of  the  head.  A few,  however, 
wore  caps  of  bamboo,  in  shape  like  a shallow  basin  inverted,  and  reminding 
one  of  Mambrino’s  helmet.  In  some  of  the  boats  the  men  bore  tall  poles, 
surmounted  by  a cruciform  ornament,  which  seemed  to  indicate  some  mili- 
tary office.  The  men  in  authority,  wore  light  lacquered  hats,  with  a coat 
of  arms  in  front,  probably  signifying  their  official  rank  and  position.  The 
rowers  stood  to  their  oars,  which  worked  on  pivots  upon  the  sides  of  the 
boat  near  the  stern,  and  they  handled  them  with  such  skill  and  effect  that 
they  approached  the  ships  very  rapidly,  shouting  loudly  as  they  came.  At 
the  stern  of  each  boat  was  a small  flag,  with  three  horizontal  stripes  in  it,  a 
white  one  on  either  side,  and  a black  one  in  the  middle,  while  in  many  of 
the  boats  there  was,  beside,  an  additional  flag,  with  symbols  upon  it.  One 
or  two  persons,  armed  each  with  two  swords  at  their  sides,  stood  in  the 
boats,  and  were  evidently  men  of  rank  and  authority. 

One  of  the  boats  came  alongside  of  the  flag-ship,  and  it  was  observed 
that  a person  on  board  had  a scroll  of  paper  in  his  hand,  which  the  officer 
of  the  Susquehanna  refused  to  receive,  but  which  was  held  up  to  be  read 
alongside  of  the  Mississippi,  when  it  was  found  to  be  a document  in  the 
French  language,  which  conveyed  an  order  to  the  effect  that  the  ships  should 
go  away,  and  not  anchor  at  their  peril.  The  chief  functionary,  as  his  boat 
reached  the  side  of  the  Susquehanna,  made  signs  for  the  gangway  ladder  to 
be  let  down.  This  was  refused,  but  Mr.  Williams,  the  Chinese  interpreter, 
and  Mr.  Portman,  the  Dutch,  were  directed  to  state  to  him  that  the  Com- 
modore would  not  receive  any  one  but  a functionary  of  the  highest  rank, 
and  that  he  might  return  on  shore.  As  there  seemed  to  be  some  difficulty 
in  making  progress  in  the  Japanese  language,  one  on  board  the  boat  along- 
side said,  in  very  good  English,  “ I can  speak  Dutch.”  Mr.  Portman  then 
commenced  a conversation  with  him  in  that  language,  as  his  English  seemed 
to  have  been  exhausted  in  the  first  sentence.  He  appeared  to  be  perfectly 
familiar  with  the  Dutch,  however,  and  commenced  a very  brisk  volley  of 
questions,  many  of  which  were  not  responded  to.  He  asked  if  the  ships 
came  from  America,  and  seemed  to  have  expected  them.  He  was  very  per- 
tinacious in  urging  to  be  allowed  to  come  on  board,  but  was  constantly  re- 
fused permission,  and  was  told  that  the  commander  of  the  squadron  was  of 
the  highest  rank,  in  the  service  to  which  he  belonged,  in  the  United  States, 
and  could  confer  only  with  the  highest  in  rank  at  Uraga.  He  then  stated  that 


INTEEVIEW  WITH  JAPANESE  OFFICIALS.  269 


the  vice-governor  of  Uraga  was  in  the  boat,  and  pointed  to  one  of  those  in 
authority  at  his  side,  who,  he  said,  held  the  highest  position  in  the  city,  and 
was  the  proper  person  to  be  received.  He  was  now  asked  why  the  gover- 
nor himself  did  not  come  off,  to  which  he  replied  that  he  was  prevented  by 
the  laws  from  going  on  board  ships  in  the  roads ; and  proposed  that  the 
Commodore  should  appoint  an  officer  of  corresponding  rank  with  the  vice- 
governor  to  confer  with  him,  as  he  was  desirous  of  communicating  to  the 
government  the  object  of  the  squadron’s  visit.  The  Commodore,  after  some 
intentional  delay,  consented  to  this  request,  and  appointed  his  aid,  Lieuten- 
ant Contee,  to  receive  him.  The  gangway-ladder  was  accordingly  lowered, 
and  the  vice-governor,  Nagazima  SaborosJce,  accompanied  by  his  interpre- 
ter, Hori  Tatsnoshe,  who  spoke  Dutch,  came  on  board,  and  was  received 
in  the  captain’s  cabin,  where  a conference  was  held,  in  fact,  with  the  Com- 
modore, who,  however,  studiously  kept  himself  secluded  in  his  own  cabin, 
and  communicated  with  the  Japanese  through  his  aid  only. 

It  was  directed  that  the  dignitary  should  be  informed  that  the  Commo- 
dore, who  had  been  sent  by  his  country  on  a friendly  mission  to  Japan,  had 
brought  a letter  from  the  President  of  the  United  States,  addressed  to  the 
Emperor,  and  that  he  wished  a suitable  officer  might  be  sent  on  board  his 
ship  to  receive  a copy  of  the  same,  in  order  that  a day  might  be  appointed 
for  the  Commodore  formally  to  deliver  the  original.  To  this  he  replied 
that  Nagasaki  was  the  only  place,  according  to  the  laws  of  Japan,  for  nego- 
tiating foreign  business,  and  it  would  be  necessary  for  the  squadron  to  go 
there.  In  answer  to  this  he  was  told  that  the  Commodore  had  come  pur- 
posely to  Uraga  because  it  was  near  to  Yedo,  and  that  he  should  not  go  to 
Nagasaki  ; that  he  expected  the  letter  to  be  duly  and  properly  received 
where  he  then  was ; that  his  intentions  were  perfectly  friendly,  but  that  he 
would  allow  of  no  indignity ; and  would  not  permit  the  guard-boats  which 
were  collecting  around  the  ships  to  remain  where  they  were,  and  if  they 
were  not  immediately  removed,  the  Commodore  declared  that  he  would  dis- 
perse them  by  force.  When  this  was  interpreted  to  him,  the  functionary 
suddenly  left  his  seat,  went  to  the  gangway,  and  gave  an  order  which  caused 
most  of  the  boats  to  return  to  the  shore ; but  a few  of  them  still  remaining 
in  clusters,  an  armed  boat  was  sent  from  the  ship  to  warn  them  away  by 
gestures,  and  at  the  same  time  to  show  their  arms ; this  had  the  desired  ef-  \/ 
feet,  as  all  of  them  disappeared,  and  nothing  more  was  seen  of  them  near 
the  ships  during  the  stay  of  the  squadron.  This,  as  says  the  Commodore, 
was  the  first  important  point  gained.  The  vice-governor  shortly  afterward 
took  his  leave,  saying,  as  he  departed,  that  he  had  no  authority  to  promise 
any  thing  respecting  the  reception  of  the  President’s  letter,  but  in  the 
morning  an  officer  of  higher  rank  would  come  from  the  city,  who  might 
probably  furnish  some  further  information. 

The  policy  of  the  Commodore,  it  will  be  seen,  was  to  assume  a resolute 


270 


EXPEDITION  TO 


JAPAN. 


attitude  toward  the  Japanese  government.  He  had  determined,  before 
reaching  the  coast,  to  carry  out  strictly  this  course  in  all  his  official  relations, 
as  he  believed  it  the  best  to  ensure  a successful  issue  to  the  delicate  mission 
with  which  he  had  been  charged.  He  was  resolved  to  adopt  a course  en- 
tirely contrary  to  that  of  all  others  who  had  hitherto  visited  Japan  on  a 
similar  errand — to  demand  as  a right,  and  not  to  solicit  as  a favor,  those 
acts  of  courtesy  which  are  due  from  one  civilized  nation  to  another ; to  al- 
low of  none  of  those  petty  annoyances  which  had  been  unsparingly  visited 
upon  those  who  had  preceded  him,  and  to  disregard  the  acts  as  well  as  the 
threats  of  the  authorities,  if  they  in  the  least  conflicted  with  his  own  sense 
of  what  was  due  to  the  dignity  of  the  American  flag. 

The  question  of  landing  by  force  was  left  to  be  decided  by  the  develop- 
ment of  succeeding  events  ,•  it  was,  of  course,  the  very  last  measure  to  be 
resorted  to,  and  the  last  that  was  desired  ; but  in  order  to  be  prepared  for 
the  worst,  the  Commodore  caused  the  ships  constantly  to  be  kept  in  perfect 
readiness,  and  the  crews  to  be  drilled  as  thoroughly  as  they  are  in  time  of 
active  war.  He  was  prepared,  also,  to  meet  the  Japanese  on  their  own 
ground,  and  exhibit  toward  them  a little  of  their  own  exclusive  policy ; if 
they  stood  on  their  dignity  and  assumed  superiority,  that  was  a game  at 
which  he  could  play  as  well  as  they.  It  was  well  to  let  them  know  that 
other  people  had  dignity  also,  which  they  knew  how  to  protect,  and  that 
they  did  not  acknowledge  the  Japanese  to  be  their  superiors.  Hence  he 
forbade  the  admission  of  a single  Japanese  on  board  any  of  the  ships,  ex- 
cept those  officers  who  might  have  business  with  him ; and  the  visits  even 
of  such  were  to  be  confined  to  the  flag-ship,  to  which  they  were  admitted 
only  on  the  declaration  of  their  rank  and  business.  The  Commodore,  also, 
was  well  aware  that  the  more  exclusive  he  should  make  himself,  and  the 
more  unyielding  he  might  be  in  adhering  to  his  declared  intentions,  the  more 
respect  these  people  of  forms  and  ceremonies  would  be  disposed  to  award 
him  ; therefore  it  was  that  he  deliberately  resolved  to  confer  personally  with 
no  one  but  a functionary  of  the  highest  rank  in  the  empire.  He  would 
have  been  ashamed,  in  the  indulgence  of  a contemptible  pride  founded  on 
mere  official  rank,  to  assume  a superiority,  and  affect  a dignity,  too  lofty  to 
stoop  to  the  level  of  men  below  him  in  station.  As  a man,  he  did  not  deem 
himself  too  elevated  to  hold  communication  with  any  of  his  brethren  in  the 
common  heritage  of  humanity ; but  in  Japan,  as  the  representative  of  his 
country,  and  the  accredited  guardian  of  the  honor  of  that  flag  which  floated 
over  him,  he  felt  that  it  was  well  to  teach  the  Japanese,  in  the  mode  most 
intelligible  to  them,  by  stately  and  dignified  reserve,  joined  to  perfect  equity 
in  all  he  asked  or  did,  to  respect  the  country  from  which  he  came,  and  to 
suspend  for  a time  their  accustomed  arrogance  and  incivility  toward  stran- 
gers. The  Japanese  so  well  understood  him  that  they  learned  the  lesson 
at  once.  It  was  this  feeling,  and  this  only,  which  prompted  him  to  refuse 


r 


FIRST  NIGHT  IN  THE  BAT  OF  YEDO.  27l 

to  see  the  vice-governor  of  Uraga,  and  to  refer  him  to  his  aid  for  conference. 

He  saw  him  often  enough  afterward,  when  matters  had  been  arranged  be- 
tween the  governments,  on  terms  of  friendship  and  equality.  And  we  have 
been  thus  particular,  not  for  the  information  of  our  countrymen,  who  know 
Commodore  Perry,  but  for  strangers  who  may  read  our  story,  and,  without 
this  word  of  explanation,  misapprehend  the  character  of  the  man.  No  man 
is  more  easily  approached  by  his  fellow-men,  or  assumes  less  on  account  of 
the  honorable  position  he  fills  in  the  service  of  his  country. 

The  best  proof  that  he  judged  wisely  in  determining  on  his  course  is  in 
the  results.  The  squadron  was  left  free  of  all  annoyance  or  interference  on 
the  part  of  the  authorities  during  the  whole  period  of  its  stay ; an  event 
unprecedented  in  the  intercourse  of  Japan  with  foreign  ships  for  more  than 
two  centuries.  We  have  said  there  was  no  annoyance  to  the  ships,  but  the 
Japanese  were  as  yet  too  suspicious  of  foreigners  not  to  resort  to  their  fa- 
vorite system  of  espionage  : and,  therefore,  though  the  guard-vessels  were 
withdrawn,  as  we  have  seen,  there  might  still  be  observed  fioating  here  and 
there  a boat  in  the  distance,  seemingly  with  the  object  of  quietly  watching 
the  movements  of  the  strangers  ; but  they  never  came  near  the  squadron, 
and  were  not  by  any  act  of  the  authorities  forced  upon  the  recognition  of 
them,  by  the  Americans,  as  guard-boats.  That  a watchful  eye  was  kept 
upon  the  squadron  was  probable.  Three  or  four  rockets  were  shot  up  from 
the  opposite  land  during  the  afternoon,  which  were  supposed  to  be  signals 
for  some  purpose  or  other.  When  night  came  on,  the  presence  of  the  ships 
in  their  waters  was  evidently  keeping  up  a very  lively  apprehension  on  the 
part  of  the  Japanese  on  shore.  Beacon  fires  were  lighted  upon  every  hill- 
top, and  along  the  shores  on  either  side  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  and 
during  the  whole  night  the  watchers  on  deck  could  hear  the  tolling  of  a 
great  bell  which  was  at  first  supposed  to  be  that  of  a temple,  but  was  pi'ob- 
ably  an  alarum  or  signal  of  some  kind.  The  bay  was  otherwise  as  quiet  as 
an  inland  lake,  and  nothing  occurred  to  disturb  the  tranquillity  of  the  night 
When,  however,  the  nine  o’clock  gun  of  the  flag-ship,  a sixty-four  pounder, 
was  fired,  the  report  reverberated  loudly  through  the  hills  on  the  western 
side  of  the  bay,  and  apparently  created  something  of  a commotion  on  shore, 
for  here  and  there  the  fires  were  observed  to  be  immediately  extinguished. 
There  seemed,  however,  no  reason  to  expect  any  interference,  although  every 
precaution  had  been  taken  ; the  ships  had  quite  a warlike  aspect,  with  sen- 
tinels stationed  fore  and  aft  and  upon  the  gangways  at  the  sides,  with  a pile  ^ 
of  round  shot  and  four  stands  of  grape  at  each  gun,  muskets  stacked  on  the 
quarter-deck,  and  boats  provided  with  carbines,  pistols,  cutlasses,  and  other 
necessaries  for  service. 

An  interesting  meteorological  phenomenon  was  observed  in  the  course  of 
the  night  by  Lieutenant  Duer,  in  command  of  the  watch,  who  describes  it 
as  a remarkable  meteor  seen  from  midnight  until  four  o’clock  in  the  morn 


272 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN, 


ing.  It  made  its  appearance  in  the  southward  and  westward  and  illuminated 
the  whole  atmosphere.  The  spars,  sails,  and  hulls  of  the  ships  reflected  its 
glare  as  distinctly  as  though  a blue  light  were  burning  from  each  vessel  at 
the  same  time.  From  the  southward  and  westward,  and  about  fifteen  de- 
grees above  the  horizon,  it  pursued  a northeastwardly  course  in  a direct  line 
for  a long  distance,  when  it  fell  gradually  toward  the  sea  and  disappeared. 
Its  form  was  that  of  a large  blue  sphere  with  a red,  wedge-shaped  tail, 
which  it  could  easily  be  observed  was  formed  of  ignited  particles  which  re- 
sembled the  sparks  of  a rocket  as  they  appear  upon  its  explosion.  “ The 
ancients,”  remarks  the  Commodore,  “ would  have  construed  this  remarkable 
appearance  of  the  heavens  as  a favorable  omen  for  any  enterprise  they  had 
undertaken,”  and  adds  “ it  may  be  so  construed  by  us,  as  we  pray  God  that 
our  present  attempt  to  bring  a singular  and  isolated  people  into  the  family 
of  civilized  nations  may  succeed  without  resort  to  bloodshed.” 

As  the  sun  rose  next  morning,  gradually  lifting  the  mist  which  had  been 
spread  during  the  night  upon  the  surface  of  the  bay,  and  still  curtained,  here 
and  there,  the  land  with  its  fleecy  festoons,  a beautiful  view  was  disclosed. 
A bold  shore,  occasionally  broken  by  steep  escarpments  of  bare  gray  rock, 
extended  along  the  western  or  Sagami  side  of  the  bay,  with  an  undulating 
surface  brightly  green  with  verdure,  tufts  of  undergrowth,  and  scattered 
groups  of  trees.  Further  inland  the  earth  rose  in  a range  of  gently  swelling 
hills,  the  sides  of  which  were  covered  with  vegetation.  Two  miles  below 
the  anchorage,  the  shore  was  less  abrupt,  and  seemed  more  cultivated. 
From  Uraga  to  the  entrance  of  the  inner  bay  of  Yedo,  marked  by  a prom- 
ontory a mile  and  a half  distant,  innumerable  towns  and  villages  were 
grouped  along  the  shores  on  either  side.  Uraga  embraces  two  of  these 
towns,  separated  from  each  other  by  a cliff ; through  the  larger  one  of  which 
a river  passes  and  empties  into  the  harbor,  where  floated  a great  number  of 
small  boats  and  several  junks.  As  most  of  the  vessels  bound  up  the  bay 
were  seen  to  stop  in  their  course  at  Uraga,  that  place  was  supposed  to  be  an 
entrepot  where  certain  custom  dues  had  to  be  paid.  Forts  could  be  seen  on 
the  headlands  here  and  there  commanding  the  harbor,  and  as  they  were  ex- 
amined through  the  glass,  some  of  them  were  found  to  be  in  an  imfinished 
state,  and  in  progress  of  construction  or  alteration.  Some  were  mounted 
with  cannon,  though  apparently  of  no  great  calibre,  while  others  were  with- 
out a gun.  A length  of  screens  had  been  stretched  for  a distance  of  several 
rods  upon  posts  in  front  of  the  breastworks,  as  well  as  inside  the  forts 
behind  the  embrasures,  and  along  parts  of  the  shore.  In  the  distance  these 
screens  seemed  to  be  composed  of  cloth,  and  were  marked  with  white  and 
black  stripes.  Their  purpose  was  not  very  obvious,  although  it  was  sur- 
mised that  they  were  got  up  with  the  intention  of  making  a false  show  of 
concealed  force.  The  Japanese  probably  had  not  calculated  upon  the  exact- 
ness of  view  afforded  by  a Dolland’s  telescope  or  a French  opera  glass. 


SECOND  VISIT  OF  JAPANESE  OFFICIALS.  273 


Companies  of  soldiers,  in  glaring  scarlet  uniforms,  were  seen  to  pass  from 
garrison  to  garrison,  some  bearing  flags  with  various  insignia,  and  others 
large  lanterns  upon  tall  poles.  The  shore  was  lined  with  a formidable  show 
of  the  same  sort  of  government  boats  as  had  surrounded  the  ships  on  their 
arrival.  They  seemed  to  be  picketed  off  from  the  town  by  two  red  flags 
which  had  been  planted  on  the  shore  between  them  and  the  houses  on  the 
land. 

The  flrst  approach  to  the  Susquehanna  from  the  shore  was  that  of  a boat 
at  early  sunrise  next  morning  (July  9th),  apparently  containing  a corps  of 
artists,  who  came  close  to  the  ship’s  side,  but  making  no  attempt  to  come 
on  board,  busied  themselves  in  taking  sketches  of  the  strange  vessels.  The 
important  visit  of  the  day,  however,  came  off  at  seven  o’clock,  when  two 
large  boats  rowed  alongside,  one  of  which  contained  a half  dozen  ofiicials, 
whose  presence  was  indicated  by  the  three-striped  flag  at  the  stern.  The 
interpreter  who  spoke  Dutch  was  with  them,  and  announced  that  the  person- 
age of  highest  authority  in  the  city  was  present,  and  desired  to  come  on 
board.  Tt^arriyal^f  Keyamon  Yezaimen  (for  such  was  his  name),  who 
presented  himself  as  the  governor  and  greatest  functionary  of  Uraga,  thus 
plainl^contradicting  the  declaration  of  the  vice-governor  of  the  day  before, 
was  then  duly  announced  to  the  Commodore,  who  ordered  that  his  highness 
should  be^  received  by  Commanders  Buchanan  and  Adams  and  Lieutenant 
Contee,  the  Commodore  himself  still  refusing,  in  accordance  with  his  policy, 
to  receive  any  one  but  a counsellor  of  the  Empire.  The  governor  was 
attired,  in  character  with  his  high  position,  as  a noble  of  the  third  rank.  He 
wore  a rich  silk  robe  of  an  embroidered  pattern  resembling  the  feathers  of  a 
peacock,  with  borders  of  gold  and  silver.  He  was  duly  received  by  the  oflicers 
we  have  named,  and  immediately  commenced  with  them  a conference,  which, 
however,  was  in  reality  with  the  Commodore,  though  he  still  preserved  his 
seclusion.  The  governor,  after  a long  discussion,  in  which  he  more  than 
once  declared  that  the  J apanese  laws  made  it  impossible  that  the  President’s 
letter  should  be  received  at  Uraga,  and  that,  even  if  it  were,  the  answer 
would  be  sent  to  Nagasaki,  added  also  that  the  squadron  must  proceed 
thither.  In  answer  to  this  he  was  most  distinctly  told  that  the  Commodore 
would  never  consent  to  such  an  arrangement,  and  would  persist  in  delivering 
the  letter  where  he  was ; and,  moreover,  that  if  the  Japanese  government 
did  not  see  fit  to  appoint  a suitable  person  to  receive  the  documents  in  his 
possession  addressed  to  the  Emperor  that  he,  the  Commodore,  whose  duty  it 
was  to  deliver  them,  would  go  on  shore  with  a sufiicient  force  and  deliver 
them  in  person,  be  the  consequences  what  they  might. 

In  answer  to  this,  the  governor  said  that  he  would  return  to  the  city 
and  send  a communication  to  Yedo,  asking  for  further  instructions,  and  he 
added  that  it  would  take  four  days  to  obtain  a reply.  One  hour’s  steaming 
would  have  taken  the  ships  in  sight  of  Yedo,  and  so  the  governor  was 
18 


274 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


informed  that  the  Commodore  would  wait  ihree  days  only  (until  Tuesday, 
the  12th),  when  a definite  answer  would  he  expected. 

A boat  had  been  sent  at  daylight  from  each  ship  of  the  squadron  to  sur- 
vey the  bay  and  harbor  of  Uraga.  The  governor,  on  observing  these  boats, 
inquired  what  they  were  doing,  and  when  he  was  told  that  they  were  sur\'ey- 
ing  the  harbor,  he  said  that  it  was  against  the  Japanese  laws  to  allow  of 
such  examinations ; to  which  he  received  for  reply,  that  the  American  laws 
command  them,  and  that  Americans  were  as  much  bound  to  obey  the  Amer- 
ican as  he  was  the  Japanese  laws.  “ This,”  remarks  the  Commodore,  “was 
a second  and  most  important  point  gained.”  During  all  the  questions  and 
answers  the  interpreter  had  out  his  tablets,  and  was  busy  taking  notes,  and 
if  all  the  importunate  inquiries  of  the  governor  had  been  responded  to,  his 
reportel-  would  have  enjoyed  no  sinecure. 

At  the  interview,  the  original  letter  of  the  President,  together  with  the 
Commodore’s  letter  of  credence,  encased  in  the  magnificent  boxes  which  had 
been  prepared  in  Washington,  were  shown  to  his  excellency,  who  was 
evidently  greatly  impressed  with  their  exquisite  workmanship  and  costli- 
ness ; and  he  made  an  offer  for  the  first  time  of  water  and  refreshments,  but 
was  told  that  the  squadron  was  in  no  need  of  anything.  The  governor  was 
made  to  understand  perfectly  that  there  would  be  no  necessity  for  any  fur- 
ther discussion  until  the  time  appointed  for  the  delivery  of  the  answer  from 
the  Japanese  government  should  arrive;  and  he  left  the  ship  fully  impressed 
with  this  understanding. 

During  the  conference,  the  governor  and  his  interpreter  were  requested 
to  use  the  same  designation  in  speaking  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States  as  that  by  which  they  distinguished  the  Emperor.  They  complied 
with  this  request,  although,  previous  to  it,  they  had  used  difi’erent  terms  for 
the  two  dignitaries.  In  a country  like  Japan,  so  governed  by  ceremonials 
of  all  kinds,  it  was  necessary  to  guard  with  the  strictest  etiquette  even  the 
forms  of  speech ; and  it  was  found  that  by  a diligent  attention  to  the  minu- 
test and  apparently  most  insignificant  details  of  word  and  action,  the  desired 
impression  was  made  upon  Japanese  diplomacy;  which,  as  a smooth  sur- 
face requires  one  equally  smooth  to  touch  it  at  every  point,  can  only  be 
fully  reached  and  met  by  the  nicest  adjustment  of  the  most  polished  for- 
mality. 

The  surveying  boats,  which  seemed  to  give  so  much  uneasiness  to  the 
governor,  had  been  well  manned  and  armed,  and  Lieutenant  Bent,  of  the 
Mississippi,  who  was  in  command,  was  instructed  not  to  go  beyond  the  range 
of  the  ship’s  guns,  while  a good  look-out  was  kept  upon  the  suiweying  party, 
in  order  that  assistance  might  be  sent  to  them  should  they  be  attacked.  In 
addition  to  the  usual  boat  ensigns  at  the  stern,  white  flags,  indicative  of 
their  peaceful  intentions,  were  borne  on  the  bows.  They  spread  themselves 
out  toward  the  opposite  shore  as  they  pulled  away,  sounding  at  every  boat’s 


SURVEY  OF  BAT  OF  TEDO. 


275 


length,  and  had  reached  about  two  miles  further  up  the  bay  than  the  anchor- 
age of  the  squadron,  when  they  were  recalled  by  a signal  gun.  On  their 
return  they  were  sent  out  again,  with  orders  to  keep  nearer  to  the  western 
shore.  In  the  afternoon  all  the  boats  returned,  coming  alongside  at  about 
three  o’clock  p.  m. 

The  hydrographic  reports  were  of  the  most  favorable  character,  as  deep 
water  was  found  as  far  up  as  four  miles  toward  the  head  of  the  bay,  which 
was  the  extent  of  the  first  survey.  The  soundings  varied  from  twenty-nine 
to  forty-three  fathoms,  and  at  the  height  of  the  ebb  tide  a current  was  observed 
running  at  the  rate  of  two  or  three  knots.  The  examination  of  the  harbor 
of  Uraga,  which  was  carried  to  within  a few  feet  of  the  shore,  gave  five 
fathoms  at  about  a cable’s  length  distance,  while  within  that  space  from  the 
land  several  reefs  were  found  to  extend  out.  As  the  boats  approached  the 
shores  there  was  a good  view  of  the  fortifications,  which  did  not  seem  to  be 
of  a very  formidable  character.  Their  construction  did  not  exhibit  much 
strength  or  art.  Their  position  and  armament  were  such  as  to  expose  them 
to  an  easy  assault;  their  parapets  were  in  earthwork,  while  many  of  the 
buildings,  the  barracks  and  magazines,  appeared  to  be  of  wood.  They 
mounted  but  few  guns,  and  those  of  small  calibre,  while  their  embrasures 
were  so  wide  that  the  cannon  were  greatly  exposed. 

On  the  first  approach  of  the  survey  boats  the  soldiers  showed  themselves 
in  considerable  force,  and  were  observed  to  be  fully  armed.  They  presented 
quite  a bristling  front  with  their  spears  and  match-locks,  while  their  lac- 
quered caps  and  shields  flashed  brightly  in  the  sun.  They  did  not  seem 
disposed,  however,  to  make  any  very  decided  stand,  for  they  retreated  within 
the  walls  of  the  fortification  as  soon  as  the  boats  made  in  closer  with  the 
land.  One  of  the  ofiicers  in  command  of  a ship’s  boat  approached  to  within 
a hundred  yards  of  the  shore,  and  observing  three  persons,  seemingly  of 
authority,  standing  out  upon  an  embankment,  levelled  his  glass  at  them, 
whereat  they  disappeared  on  the  instant,  evidently  much  discomposed  at 
being  sighted  with  an  instrument  which  they  (though  not  unfamiliar  with 
the  telescope)  might  have  supposed  to  be  a weapon  unknown  to  them,  and 
capable  of  pi  ijecting  something  more  deadly  than  the  glance  of  an  eye. 
The  Japanese  soldiers  in  the  boats  along  shore  beckoned  to  our  ofiicer  to 
keep  off,  while  he,  in  response,  made  a sign  to  show  the  direction  in  which 
he  was  going.  The  Japanese  then  put  off  and  approached  so  rapidly  that 
it  appeared  as  if  their  intention  was  to  intercept  the  ship’s  boat,  and  the  ofiicer 
in  command  accordingly  gave  orders  to  his  men  to  rest  upon  their  oars  and 
adjust  the  caps  to  their  carbines.  There  was,  however,  no  attempt  directly 
to  interfere  with  this  or  any  other  of  the  ship’s  cutters,  although  they  were 
followed  by  numbers  of  Japanese  boats,  which,  however,  on  seeing  our  men 
well  armed,  did  not  venture  to  molest  them.  The  artist  who  accompanied 
the  surveying  party  had  an  excellent  opportunity,  which  was  well  improved. 


276 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


of  making  sketckes  of  the  land,  the  forts,  and  varions  other  objects  on 
shore. 

Everything  seemed  propitious,  as  the  action  of  the  Commodore  had 
so  far  been  crowned  with  success.  He  had  gained  his  purpose  in  clearing 
the  squadron  of  the  presence  of  the  guard-boats ; he  had  compelled  the  visit 
of  the  first  in  authority  at  Uraga;  he  had  surveyed  the  harbor;  he  had 
refused  to  go  to  Nagasaki,  and  kept  his  position  in  the  hay  of  Tedo;  and 
this  last  he  determined  to  retain  until  he  had  some  definite  answer  as  to  the 
reception  of  the  President’s  letter  by  a person  of  proper  rank  and  author- 
ity. 


The  weather  added  its  smiles  to  the  occasion,  for  nothing  could  be  more 
propitious.  The  heat,  which  was  not  excessive,  for  the  thermometer  hardly 
ranged  above  78°,  was  tempered  by  cool  sea  breezes,  and  the  atmosphere  was 
so  clear  that  every  object  appeared  with  great  distinctness,  and  there  was  a 
picturesque  view  disclosed  to  the  eye  on  all  sides.  The  peaked  summit  of 
Fusi  rose,  with  great  distinctness,  above  the  high  land  on  the  western  coast, 
and  ten  miles  ahead  the  bold  cliffs,  which  guard  both  sides  of  the  entrance 
to  the  inner  harbor  leading  to  Yedo,  were  readily  discernible.  Nearer,  the 
houses  of  Uraga  could  be  so  plainly  seen  that  their  peculiar  forms  and  con- 
struction could  be  made  out,  and  they  were  perceived  to  be  built  of  wood, 
with  roofs  of  various  forms — pointed,  square,  and  pyramidal.  Most  of  the 
buildings  were  of  the  natural  color  of  the  wood,  somewhat  discolored,  however, 
by  time,  while  some  few  were  painted  white.  The  Japanese  boats  and 
junks,  to  the  number  of  several  hundreds,  extending  from  the  headland  off 
which  the  Susquehanna  was  anchored,  to  the  harbor,  were  so  distinctly  visi- 
ble as  to  be  readily  counted.  Nearer  still,  the  eye  could  minutely  distin- 
guish the  parts  of  the  unfinished  forts  that  were  in  the  process  of  construction 
on  the  heights  opposite  to  the  ship. 

The  next  day  was  Sunday  (July  10th),  and,  as  usual,  divine  service 
was  held  on  board  the  ships,  and,  in  accordance  with  proper  reverence  for 
the  day,  no  communication  was  held  with  the  Japanese  authorities.  During 
the  day,  however,  a boat  came  off  with  a striped  flag,  which  indicated  the 
high  rank  of  the  three  or  four  Japanese  sitting  beneath  its  awning  and 
languidly  using  their  fans.  They  were  evidently  persons  of  distinction,  and 
had  the  same  intelligent  expression  and  the  remarkably  courtly  manners 
which  were  uniformly  observed  in  all  those  of  the  better  class.  On  commg 
alongside  they,  through  their  interpreter  whom  they  had  brought,  requested 
permission  to  come  on  board.  They  were  asked  if  they  had  any  business 
with  the  Commodore,  and  answering  that  they  had  none,  but  merely  wished 
to  have  a talk,  were  politely  informed  that,  by  his  orders,  they  could  not  be 
received.  Through  the  day,  preparations  were  observed  to  be  still  proceed- 
ing on  the  land  ; the  soldiers  moved  busily,  with  their  glistening  shields  and 
long  spears,  about  the  batteries  in  sight,  and  some  seemed  to  be  engaged  in 


FURTHER  SURVEY  OF  THE  BAT  OF  TEDO.  277 


removing  the  sham  forts  of  striped  canvas,  and  in  training  more  guns  upon 
the  squadron.  The  reverberations  of  the  report  of  a cannon,  fired  ofi" 
apparently  some  distance  up  the  bay,  echoed  through  the  hills,  and  were 
distinctlj;  beard  on  board  the  ships.  At  night,  the  beacon-fires,  though 
fewer  in  number  than  on  the  previous  evening,  again  blazed,  while  the  deep- 
toned  bell  tolled  as  usual  until  morning.  Everything,  however,  remained 
on  board  the  ships  tranquil  and  without  interruption,  as  befitted  the  Chris- 
tian day  of  rest. 

On  the  next  morning  early  (Monday)  the  surveying  boats  were  despatched 
higher  up  the  bay,  and  Commander  Lee,  of  the  steamer  Mississippi,  was 
directed  to  get  his  ship  under  way  to  protect  them,  if  necessary.  The 
governor  of  Uraga,  on  seeing  the  Mississippi  going  higher  up,  came  on  board, 
although  he  had  been  told  that  there  would  be  no  necessity  for  further  com- 
munication or  discussion  until  the  reply  from  Yedo  was  received. 

The  Commodore  had  sent  the  Mississippi  and  the  boats  on  the  service, 
in  part  for  effect,  being  satisfied  that  the  very  circumstance  of  approaching 
nearer  to  Yedo  with  a powerful  ship  would  alarm  the  authorities,  and  induce 
them  to  give  a more  favorable  answer  to  his  demands.  It  happened  as  was 
expected.  The  governor  pretended  that  his  visit  to  the  ship  was  simply  for 
the  purpose  of  bringing  the  information  that  it  was  very  probable  the  letters 
(meaning,  as  was  then  supposed,  the  translations  of  the  originals)  would  be 
received  on  the  following  day,  and  forwarded  to  Yedo.  His  evident  object 
in  coming  on  board,  however,  was  to  ascertain  for  what  purpose  the  Missis- 
sippi and  the  surveying  boats  had  ascended  the  bay,  and  he  accordingly  put 
the  question. 

The  Commodore,  anticipating  the  inquiry,  directed  that  the  governor 
should  be  informed  that,  unless  the  business  which  had  brought  the  squadron 
to  the  bay  of  Yedo  was  arranged  during  the  present  visit,  he,  the  Commo- 
dore, would  be  obliged  to  return  in  the  ensuing  spring  with  a larger  force; 
and,  as  the  anchorage  in  front  of  Uraga  was  not  convenient  or  safe,  he  was 
desirous  of  seeking  a more  favorable  situation  nearer  to  Yedo,  which  would 
facilitate  his  communication  with  that  city. 

The  surveying  party,  as  on  the  previous  occasion,  was  composed  of  boats 
from  each  ship  of  the  squadron,  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Bent. 
They  were  sent  out  with  general  directions  from  the  Commodore  to  go  as 
far  up  the  bay  toward  Yedo  as  possible,  without  getting  out  of  signal  dis- 
tance from  the  squadron,  and  to  avoid  giving  any  occasion  of  conflict  with 
the  people  of  the  country.  Their  departure  was  watched  with  considerable 
anxiety  by  those  on  board  the  Susquehanna.  Thirty  fathoms  of  her  cable 
had  been  taken  in,  and  the  remainder  was  ready  to  slip,  while  steam  was 
got  up,  to  be  in  readiness  for  any  emergency.  The  movements  on  shore 
were  quite  lively : in  the  distance,  on  the  eastern  shore,  large  numbers  of 
soldiers — as  many  apparently  as  a thousand — were  seen  to  march  down  from 


278 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


the  higher  ground  to  the  beach,  and  there  embark  in  boats,  which  put  off 
immediately  in  the  direction  of  the  surveying  party.  And,  during  the 
whole  time,  the  various  batteries  were  busy  with  the  movements  of  the 
troops,  who  seemed  to  be  either  preparing  for  hostilities,  or  attempting  to 
make  a formidable  show  of  force. 

The  boats  proceeded  from  ten  to  twelve  miles  further  toward  Tedo  than 
the  anchorage  of  the  squadron.  In  proceeding  up  the  bay,  numbers  of 
government  vessels  appeared,  waving  off  the  intruders,  and  some  thirty-five 
put  off  in  a direction  fronting  the  course  of  the  surveying  boats,  as  if  in- 
tending to  intercept  them.  Lieutenant  Bent,  who  was  in  advance,  ordered 
his  men  to  rest  on  their  oars,  and  to  affix  their  bayonets  to  their  muskets, 
but  this  proceeding  did  not  seem  to  have  the  effect  he  had  hoped  for,  of 
stopping  the  Japanese  boats.  They  still  came  on.  The  lieutenant,  anxious  to 
avoid  a rupture,  then  changed  his  course  somewhat,  to  prevent  an  immediate 
collision,  and  despatched  a boat  for  the  Mississippi,  which  was  about  two 
miles  astern.  The  desired  effect  was  soon  produced  by  the  approach  of  the 
steamer,  and  there  was  no  apparent  disposition  shown  afterward  to  inter- 
fere with  the  party,  which  continued  the  exploration.  Deep  soundings  were 
found  the  whole  distance,  with  a soft  bottom  of  mud.  A channel  seemed  to 
exist  at  the  furthest  point  reached ; in  the  centre  the  lead  gave  a depth  of 
twenty  fathoms,  while  on  the  sides  it  struck  upon  banks  of  mud  at  not  more 
tl’.an  five  fathoms.  It  was  inferred  that  there  were  deep  soundings  still  fur- 
ther, and  that  the  squadron  might  readily  push  on  with  safety  to  within  a 
few  miles  of  Yedo  itself.  At  the  extreme  distance  of  the  boats’  passage 
there  was  a smaller  bay,  cut  out,  as  it  were,  from  the  larger,  which,  it  was 
supposed,  would  probably  afford  an  excellent  anchorage.  On  either  side, 
the  shores  were  abrupt,  and  extended  back  into  lofty  hills,  and  from  the 
position  of  the  boats  at  this  point  a town  was  observed  on  the  right  side  of 
the  bay  of  Yedo.  The  Mississippi  had  disappeared  for  some  time  from  the 
view  of  those  on  board  the  other  ships ; but,  just  as  the  signal  gun  was 
about  to  be  fired  for  her  recall,  she  shot  round  the  promontory,  some  two  or 
three  miles  up  the  bay,  which  had  concealed  her  from  sight,  came  steaming 
down,  with  the  boats  in  tow,  and  was  soon  quietly  settled  at  her  old  anchor- 
age, passing  on  her  way  between  the  Susquehanna  and  the  Uraga  shore,  and 
attracting  the  attention  of  numbers  of  soldiers  on  the  latter,  who  came  out 
to  see  her  pass. 

The  bay  was  covered  all  day,  as  usual,  with  the  Japanese  junks,  sailing 
up  or  down,  apparently  carrying  on  a brisk  commerce,  and  not  at  all  dis- 
turbed by  the  presence  of  the  squadron.  Some  of  the  fishing  smacks  and 
other  boats  would,  indeed,  at  times  approach  pretty  near  to  the  ships,  but 
obviously  merely  to  gratify  curiosity,  as  their  crews  would  stand  up  and 
gaze  intently,  but  gave  no  sign  either  of  alarm  or  hostility.  The  trading 
vessels  were  observed  to  stop  at  a town  on  the  opposite  side  in  coming  down. 


IN  THE  BAY  OF  YEDO. 


279 


and  at  Uraga  in  going  up,  in  accordance,  probably,  as  has  already  been  in- 
timated, with  some  regulation  of  the  customs.  Everything  passed  tranquilly, 
and  the  next  day,  which  was  to  bring  some  reply  or  other  to  the  Commo- 
dore’s demands,  was  looked  forward  to  with  deep  solicitude  and  interest  by 
every  man  on  board  the  ships. 


In  the  Bay  of  Y edo. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


Reply  from  the  Court  at  Tedo. — Efforts  of  the  Japanese  to  get  the  Squadron  out  of  the  Bay  of  Tedo.— 
Commodore's  firm  refusal  to  leave  Uraga. — Agreement  of  the  Emperor  to  receive,  through  a Com- 
missioner, the  President's  letter. — High  breeding  of  the  Japanese  gentlemen ; not  ill  informed.— Sur- 
vey of  the  Bay  of  Tedo. — Fogs  of  Japan. — Second  Visit  from  the  Governor  of  Uraga. — He  brings  a 
letter  from  the  Emperor,  authorizing  a Prince  of  the  Empire  to  receive,  in  his  name,  the  President’s 
letter. — Arrangements  made  for  the  Commodore's  reception  on  shore  to  deliver  the  letter. — Minute 
attention  of  the  Japanese  to  etiquette  and  ceremonials. — Preparations  in  the  squadron  for  the  visit  on 
shore  at  the  reception. — Ships  brought  near  the  land,  so  as  to  command  the  place  of  meeting. — Land- 
ing and  reception,  and  delivery  of  the  letter  and  other  documents. — Princes  of  Idsu  and  Iwama.— 
Contents  of  President's  letter. — Commodore’s  letter  of  Credence,  and  his  letters  to  the  Emperor.— 
Receipt  given  by  the  Japanese  for  the  papers. — Return  to  the  ships. 


HE  day  appointed  for  the  re- 
ception of  a reply  from  Yedo 
(Tuesday,  July  12)  had  now 
arrived.  Accordingly,  at  a- 
hout  half  past  nine  o’clock  in 
the  morning,  three  boats  ■were 
seen  to  approach  the  steamer 
Susquehanna  from  the  shores 
of  Uraga.  These  were  differ- 
ent from  the  usual  government 
craft,  and  seemed,  unlike  the 
others,  to  be  built  after  an 
European  model ; the  rowers 
sat  to  their  oars,  and  moved 
them  as  our  boatmen  do, 
though  somewhat  awkwardly,  instead  of  standing  and  sculling  at  the  sides,  in 
accordance  with  the  usual  Japanese  practice.  The  construction  of  the  boats 
was  evidently  very  strong,  and  their  models  fair.  Their  masts,  sails,  and 
rigging  were  of  the  ordinary  Japanese  fashion.  The  crews  were  numerous, 
there  being  thirty  in  the  largest  boat,  and  thirteen  in  each  of  the  others,  and 
their  great  swarthy  frames  were  clothed  in  the  usual  uniform  of  loose  blue 
dresses  slashed  with  white  stripes. 


VISIT  OF  GOVERNOR  OF  URAGA. 


281 


The  boat  in  advance  was  distinguished,  in  addition  to  the  government 
mark  of  a horizontal  black  stripe  across  her  broad  sail,  by  the  black  and 
white  flag,  which  indicated  the  presence  of  some  officers  of  distinction,  and 
such  in  fact  were  now  on  board  of  her.  As  she  approached  nearer  to  the 
ship,  the  governor,  Kayama  Yezaiman,  in  his  rich  silken  robes,  was  recog- 
nised, seated  on  mats  spread  in  the  centre  of  the  deck  of  the  vessel,  and 
surrounded  by  his  interpreters  and  suite. 

The  advance  boat  now  came  alongside,  leaving  the  other  two  floating  at 
some  distance  from  the  Susquehanna.  His  highness,  Kayama  Yezaiman^ 
with  his  two  interpreters,  Hori  Tatsnoske,  the  principal,  and  Fatcisko  To- 
kushiimo,  his  second,  were  admitted  at  once  on  board,  and  having  been  received 
with  due  formality,  were  ushered  into  the  presence  of  Captains  Buchanan 
and  Adams,  who  were  prepared  to  communicate  with  them. 

The  Commodore  had,  previously  to  the  arrival  of  the  governor,  prepared 
the  following  letter  to  the  Emperor 

“ United  States  Steam  Frigate  Sdsqdehanna, 

Uraga,  July  ]2,  1853. 

“ The  Commander-in-chief  of  the  United  States  naval  forces  in  these  seas, 
being  invested  with  full  powers  to  negotiate  treaties,  is  desirous  of  confer- 
ring with  one  of  the  highest  officers  of  the  Empire  of  Japan,  in  view  of 
making  arrangements  for  the  presentation  of  the  original  of  his  letter  of 
credence,  as  also  the  original  of  a letter  with  which  he  is  charged,  addressed 
to  his  Imperial  Majesty  by  the  President  of  the  United  States. 

“ It  is  hoped  that  an  early  day  will  be  appointed  for  the  proposed  inter- 
view. 

“ To  his  Imperial  Majesty,  the  Emperor  of  Japan.” 

The  governor’s  first  statement  was  to  the  effect  that  there  had  been  a 
misapprehension  as  to  the  delivery  of  the  translations  of  the  papers  before 
the  originals  had  been  received.  Although  the  Commodore  was  certain  that 
there  had  beer,  no  such  misunderstanding,  nevertheless  he,  on  the  second 
interview  in  the  course  of  the  afternoon,  consented,  after  much  discussion,  to 
deliver  the  translations  and  originals,  as  also  a letter  from  himself  to  the 
Emperor,  at  the  same  time,  provided  the  latter  should  appoint  a suitable 
officer  to  receive  them  directly  from  the  hands  of  the  Commodore,  who  re- 
peated that  he  would  consent  to  present  them  to  no  other  than  a Japanese 
dignitary  of  the  highest  rank.  The  governor  then  said  that  a building 
would  be  erected  on  shore  for  the  reception  of  the  Commodore  and  his 
suite,  and  that  a high  official  personage,  specially  appointed  by  the  Emperor, 
would  be  in  attendance  to  receive  the  letters.  He,  however,  added  that  no 
answer  would  be  given  in  the  bay  of  Yedo,  but  that  it  would  be  transmitted 
to  Nagasaki,  through  the  Dutch  or  Chinese  superintendents.  This  being 


282 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


reported  to  tlie  Commodore,  he  wrote  the  following  memorandum,  and 
directed  it  to  he  translated  into  Dutch,  and  fully  explained  to  the  gover- 
nor. 

“ The  Commander-in-chief  will  not  go  to  Nagasaki,  and  will  receive  no 
communication  through  the  Dutch  or  Chinese. 

“ He  has  a letter  from  the  President  of  the  United  States  to  deliver  to 
the  Emperor  of  Japan,  or  to  his  secretary  of  foreign  afifairs,  and  he  will 
deliver  the  original  to  none  other : — if  this  friendly  letter  of  the  President 
to  the  Emperor  is  not  received  and  duly  replied  to,  he  will  consider  his 
country  insulted,  and  will  not  hold  himself  accountable  for  the  consequences. 

“ He  expects  a reply  of  some  sort  in  a few  days,  and  he  will  receive  such 
reply  nowhere  but  in  this  neighborhood.”  [Bay  of  Uraga.] 

When  this  was  communicated  to  the  governor,  he  took  his  departure, 
probably  to  consult  some  higher  authority,  as  doubtless  there  was  more  than 
one  high  officer  of  the  court  at  Uraga,  secretly  directing  the  negotiations. 
The  interview  had  lasted  three  hours,  and  it  was  fully  one  o’clock  before 
the  governor  left  the  ship.  All  passed  in  the  most  quiet  way  without  any 
interruption  to  the  usual  courtesies  of  friendly  negotiation.  The  shore 
showed  every  indication  of  tranquillity,  and  no  movement  was  observed  on 
the  part  of  the  fortresses,  or  the  many  government  boats  along  the  shore. 

The  governor,  in  accordance  with  his  promise  on  leaving  in  the  morning, 
returned  in  the  afternoon  accompanied,  as  usual,  by  his  interpreters  and 
suite.  He  came  off,  however,  in  one  of  the  ordinary  Japanese  boats,  and 
not,  as  earlier  in  the  day,  in  the  vessel  built  after  the  European  modeh 
Captains  Buchanan  and  Adams  were  in  readiness  to,  receive  the  party,  and 
resumed  the  renewed  conference  with  the  same  form  and  ceremony  as  be- 
fore ; the  Commodore  still  preserving  his  seclusion  and  communicating  with 
the  Japanese  only  through  others.  The  conversation  is  here  given  verbatim 
as  reported. 

CONVERSATION. 

Present,  Captains  Buchanan  and  Adams,  Lieutenant  Contee,  Flag 
Lieutenant,  and  Yezaiman,  governor  of  Uraga,  and  interpreters. 

Yezaiman.  As  it  will  take  a great  deal  of  time  to  send  up  the  copies 
of  the  letters  first,  and  the  originals  afterwards,  I propose  that  the  originals 
and  the  copies  be  delivered  together,  when  the  high  officer  comes.  The 
governor  and  the  high  officer  will  do  their  best  to  entertain  the  Admiral  and 
give  him  a suitable  reception. 

Capt.  Buchanan.  That  is  not  the  object  of  the  Commodore ; he  wishes 
these  communications  to  go,  because  there  is  among  them  a letter  to  the 
Emperor  from  himself,  which  he  desires  to  send  to  Yedo  with  the  copies. 
The  reply  to  the  President’s  letter  is  not  of  so  much  consequence  just  now. 
We  want  a reply  to  the  Commodore’s  letter  which  is  in  the  package. 


CONFERENCE  WITH  TEZAIMAN. 


283 


Tezaiman.  If  you  send  the  original  letter  we  will  reply  to  it  as  soon  as 
possible.  We  are  here  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  the  letter  from  the 
President  to  the  Emperor,  hut  now  you  speak  of  a letter  from  the  Admiral 
to  the  Emperor. 

Capt.  B.  The  letter  from  the  Admiral  is  in  the  package  containing  the 
copies  of  the  President’s  letter.  It  states  that  he  has  in  his  possession  the 
original  letter  of  the  President,  and  is  empowered  by  the  President  to 
deliver  it  in  person  to  the  Emperor,  or  to  a high  oflBcer  of  equal  rank  with 
himself,  appointed  by  the  Emperor. 

Yezaiman.  We  are  very  sorry  that  you  separate  the  two;  it  would  be 
better  to  send  the  originals  at  once  with  the  copies. 

Capt.  B.  That  is  impossible.  The  letter  of  the  Admiral  states  that  he 
has  the  original  letter  of  the  President,  and  is  empowered  to  deliver  it 
either  in  person  or  to  an  officer  of  his  own  rank;  when  the  Emperor  is 
aware  of  the  fact  that  the  Admiral  has  the  letter,  then  he  will  appoint  an 
officer  of  the  same  rank  to  receive  the  original,  and  the  Admiral  will  return 
at  some  future  day  to  receive  the  answer. 

Yezaiman.  Can  you  not  contrive  to  manage  it  in  such  a way  that  the 
original  letter  may  be  sent  with  the  copies  ? 

Capt.  B.  It  cannot  be  done. 

Yezaiman.  When  the  ships  first  came  it  was  not  mentioned  that  the 
copies  must  be  sent  first,  and  not  the  original  letters ; and  now  you  mention 
it. 

Capt.  B.  During  the  first  visit  you  made  here,  you  were  shown  the 
original  letters,  and  also  the  copies,  and  the  same  statement  was  then  made 
by  us  as  now. — {After  a pause  Captain  B.  resumed.) — Will  the  high  officer 
who  will  come  here  be  accredited  by  the  Emperor  to  receive  the  letters  from 
the  Admiral? 

Yezaiman.  He  has  the  authorization  of  the  Emperor. 

Capt.  B.  Will  he  have  any  proof  to  show  that  he  is  thus  authorized  ? 

Yezaiman.  Yes,  he  can  prove  it. 

Capt.  B.  One  of  the  letters  is  from  the  President,  informing  the  Em- 
peror of  Japan  that  Commodore  Perry  is  sent  as  a high  officer  appointed 
by  himself,  and  Commodore  Perry  will  expect  similar  credentials  on  the 
part  of  the  officer  appointed  to  speak  with  him, 

Yezaiman.  He  will  receive  the  letter,  but  cannot  enter  into  any  negotia- 
tions. 

Capt.  B.  What  is  the  rank  and  official  title  of  the  officer  who  is  ap- 
pointed ? — ( y/liile  the  interpreter  is  writing  the  title  of  the  officer  in  ques- 
tion, in  Chinese  characters,  Captains  Buchanan  and  Adams  retire  to  con- 
sult with  the  Commodore.) 

Lieutenant  Contee.  When  will  the  high  officers  be  ready  to  receive  the 
letter  ? 


284 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


Interpreter.  To-morrow  or  the  day  after. 

Lieut.  C.  Where  is  the  house? 

Interpreter.  On  the  shore. 

Lieut.  C.  Can  you  point  it  out  from  here? 

Interpreter.  It  cannot  he  seen. 

Lieut.  C.,  [repeating  his  last  question.)  Can  you  point  it  out  from  here  ? 

Interpreter.  It  is  on  the  other  side  of  the  hills — you  can  see  it  from 
another  position. 

Lieut.  C.  What  was  the  name  of  the  officer  who  came  on  hoard  on  the 
day  of  our  arrival  ? 

Interpreter.  Nagazhima  Saheroske. 

[Captains  Buchanan  and  Adams  now  returned.) 

Captain  Buchanan.  Captain  Adams  and  I have  just  had  a conversation 
with  the  Admiral.*  He  says  that,  since  you  appear  to  have  wholly  misun- 
derstood the  matter  about  the  letter,  if  you  can  show  proof  that  an  officer 
of  the  proper  rank  is  appointed  to  receive  them,  he  will  waive  the  matter  in 
dispute,  and  deliver  the  original  at  the  same  time  with  the  copies.  But  he 
requires  strict  evidence  that  the  officer  who  shall  meet  him  shall  he  of  the 
necessary  rank,  and  that  he  has  been  specially  appointed  for  the  purpose  by 
the  Emperor. 

Yezaiman.  Nagasaki  is  the  proper  place  to  receive  letters  from  foreign 
nations,  and  because  Uraga  is  not  an  appropriate  place,  the  officer  will  not 
be  allowed  to  converse,  but  only  to  receive  the  letters. 

Capt.  B.  He  is  only  desired  to  receive  the  letters.  Will  he  come  on 
board,  or  will  the  letters  be  delivered  on  shore  ? 

Yezaiman.  He  will  not  come  on  board,  but  will  receive  them  on  shore. 

Capt.  B.  Before  the  letters  are  delivered,  the  credentials  of  the  officer 
must  be  translated  into  Dutch,  signed  with  the  proper  signatures,  and  sent 
on  board  the  Admiral. 

Yezaiman.  He  will  be  accredited  to  receive  the  letter,  but  cannot  speak. 

Capt.  B.  He  will  not  be  desired  to  speak,  but  he  must  have  a paper 
signed  by  the  Emperor,  stating  that  he  is  empowered  to  receive  the  letters. 

Yezaiman.  He  will  have  a document  properly  signed. 

\Gaptain  Buchanan  now  directed  Mr.  Portman  to  write  in  Dutch 
the  declaration  he  had  made,  and  to  give  it  to  the  interpreter.  The  follow- 
ing is  the  English  version  : “ There  has  been  a great  deal  of  misunderstand- 
ing about  receiving  the  original  letter  and  the  translated  copies,  whether  to 
be  received  together  or  separately.  The  Admiral  now  is  willing  to  meet 


* “ It  is  proper  to  remark  that  the  title  of  Admiral  was  necessarily  used  at  these  inter- 
views, to  designate  your  rank,  as  we  found  Yezaiman’s  interpreters  were  familiar  with  it, 
and  were  entirely  unacquainted  with  that  of  Commodore.” — Extract  from  Captain  Adams 
official  report  to  Commodore  Perry. 


CONFERENCE  WITH  TEZAIMAN. 


285 


with  a high  officer  of  Yedo,  holding  rank  in  Japan  corresponding  to  the 
rank  of  Admiral  in  the  United  States.  This  officer  shall  be  accredited,  viz  : 
possess  a writing  properly  signed  by  the  Emperor,  authorizing  him  to  receive 
the  said  letters.  Of  this  writing  or  letter  of  credence  shall  be  made  a copy, 
translated  into  Dutch,  and  the  same  copy  be  transmitted  to  the  Admiral 
before  the  interview  takes  place. 

“ At  this  interview  there  shall  be  no  discussions  whatever ; no  more  than 
an  exchange  of  civilities  and  compliments. 

“ The  Admiral  does  not  insist  upon  receiving  an  answer  to  the  original 
letter  of  the  President  immediately,  but  will  come  back  for  that  purpose 
after  some  months.”] 

Yezaiman.  The  high  officer  will  not  be  allowed  to  speak  on  the  matter  : 
only  to  make  and  return  compliments. 

Capt.  B.  That  is  all  that  is  necessary. 

Yezaiman.  The  high  officer  will  be  here  the  day  after  to-morrow,  to  re- 
ceive the  letter  on  shore. 

Capi.  B.  At  what  hour  ? 

Yezaiman.  At  eight  o’clock  in  the  morning.  As  soon  as  we  see  the 
flag  hoisted  we  will  come  on  board  the  ship. 

Gapi.  B.  Will  the  high  officer  bring  the  copy  of  the  letter  empowering 
him  to  act,  properly  certified  ? 

Yezaiman.  He  will  bring  it. 

Interpreter.  The  governor  is  very  grateful  for  his  kind  reception  on 
board. 

Capt.  B.  We  are  very  happy  to  see  him.  Where  is  the  place  of  recep- 
tion? 

Interpreter.  I can  point  out  the  place,  but  the  house  cannot  be  seen. 

Yezaiman.  Will  the  Admiral  await  the  Emperor’s  answer  to  the  Presi- 
dent’s letter  ? 

Capt.  B.  No ; the  Admiral  will  not  now  wait  for  it. 

Yezaiman.  When  will  he  come  for  a reply  ? 

Capt.  B.  He  will  return  in  a few  months  to  receive  the  Emperor’s  reply. 

Yezaiman.  I would  desire  a statement  in  writing  to  that  effect.  [ There 
being  no  satisfactory  answer  to  this,  Yezaiman  continued.]  The  high  officer 
who  receives  the  letter  of  the  President  will  give  a receipt  for  it,  as  an  as- 
surance that  it  has  been  received, 

Capt.  B.  Can  you  not  appoint  a place  nearer  the  ship  ? The  distance 
is  very  great  for  the  men  to  pull  in  a boat.  The  Admiral  will  be  satisfied 
to  meet  the  high  officer  in  a tent,  or  in  one  of  the  forts  nearer  the  ships. 
The  interview  will  not  be  long. 

Interpreter.  The  house  is  not  far  off ; it  is  less  than  a J apanese  mile. 

Capt.  B.  Can  you  not  arrange  to  have  it  nearer  the  ships  ? 

Interpreter.  The  governor  says  he  will  endeavor  to  arrange  it. 


286 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


Capt.  B.  Can  you  let  us  know  to-morrow  morning  ? 

Interpreter.  Yes. 

The  conference  here  ended. 

Kayama  Yezaiman  and  his  companions  seemed  to  he  in  the  highest  good 
humor,  and  readily  availed  themselves  of  the  proffered  courtesies  of  the 
officers  of  the  Susquehanna,  which  were  accepted  and  responded  to  in  a 
manner  indicating  the  most  polished  good  breeding.  In  receiving  the 
hospitalities  of  their  hosts,  it  may  he  remarked  that  they  partook  freely,  and 
seemed  to  relish  particularly  the  whiskey  and  brandy  which  formed  part  of 
the  entertainment.  The  governor  especially  appeared  to  appreciate  the 
foreign  liquors,  particularly  when  mixed  with  sugar,  and  smacked  his  lips 
with  great  gusto,  as  he  drained  his  glass  to  its  last  sweetened  dregs.  His 
interpreters,  in  the  growing  freedom  of  convivial  enjoyment,  made  merry 
over  his  highness’s  bacchanalian  proclivity,  and  laughingly  expressing  their 
alarm  lest  Yezaiman  should  take  a drop  too  much,  remarked,  “his  face  is 
already  growing  red.” 

Though  always  preserving  a certain  gentlemanly  aplomb  and  that  self- 
contained  manner  which  bespeaks  high  breeding,  these  Japanese  dignitaries 
were  disposed  to  be  quite  social,  and  shared  freely  and  gaily  in  conversation. 
Nor  did  their  knowledge  and  general  information  fall  short  of  their  elegance 
of  manners  and  amiability  of  disposition.  They  were  not  only  well-bred, 
but  not  ill-educated,  as  they  were  proficients  in  the  Dutch,  Chinese,  and 
J apanese  languages,  and  not  unacquainted  with  the  general  principles  of 
science  and  of  the  facts  of  the  geography  of  the  world.  When  a terrestrial 
globe  was  placed  before  them,  and  their  attention  was  called  to  the  delinea- 
tion on  it  of  the  United  States,  they  immediately  placed  their  fingers  on 
Washington  and  New  York,  as  if  perfectly  familiar  with  the  fact  that  one 
was  the  capital,  and  the  other  the  commercial  metropolis  of  our  country. 
They  also,  with  equal  promptitude,  pointed  out  England,  France,  Denmark, 
and  other  kingdoms  of  Europe.  Their  inquiries  in  reference  to  the  United 
States  showed  them  not  to  be  entirely  ignorant  of  the  facts  connected  with 
the  material  progress  of  our  country ; thus,  when  they  asked  if  roads  were 
not  cut  through  our  mountains,  they  were  referring  (as  was  supposed)  to  tun- 
nels on  our  railroads.  And  this  supposition  was  confirmed  on  the  interpreter’s 
asking,  as  they  examined  the  ship’s  engine,  whether  it  was  not  a similar 
machine,  although  smaller,  which  was  used  for  travelling  on  the  American 
roads.  They  also  inquired  whether  the  canal  across  the  isthmus  was  yet 
finished,  alluding  probably  to  the  Panama  railroad  which  was  then  in  pro- 
gress of  construction.  They  knew,  at  any  rate,  that  labor  was  being  per- 
formed to  connect  the  two  oceans,  and  called  it  by  the  name  of  something 
they  had  seen,  a canal. 

After  refreshments  and  conversation  in  the  cabin,  Yezaiman  and  his  in- 
terpreters were  invited  to  inspect  the  ship,  an  offer  which  they  accepted  . with 


JAPANESE  INTELLIGENCE. 


287 


great  politeness,  and  as  they  came  upon  deck,  notwithstanding  there  were 
crowds  of  officers  and  men  around  who  could  scarce  repress  the  manifesta- 
tion of  their  curiosity,  the  Japanese  never  for  a moment  lost  their  self-pos- 
session, hut  showed  the  utmost  composure  and  quiet  dignity  of  manner. 
They  evinced  an  intelligent  interest  in  all  the  various  arrangements  of  the 
vessel,  observed  the  big  gun  and  rightly  styled  it  a “ Paixhan,”  and  exhibited 
none  of  that  surprise  which  would  naturally  be  expected  from  those  who 
were  beholding  for  the  first  time  the  wonderful  art  and  mechanism  of  a per- 
fected steamship.  The  engine  evidently  was  an  object  of  great  interest  to 
them,  but  the  interpreters  showed  that  they  were  not  entirely  unacquainted 
with  its  principles.  Much  of  this  cool  but  not  unobservant  composure  may 
have  been  affected,  in  accordance  with  a studied  policy,  but  yet,  there  can 
be  no  doubt,  that  however  backward  the  Japanese  themselves  maybe  in 
practical  science,  the  best  educated  among  them  are  tolerably  well  informed 
of  its  progress  among  more  civilized  or  rather  cultivated  nations. 

On  leaving  the  cabin,  the  Japanese  dignitaries  had  left  their  swords  be- 
hind, two  of  which  are  always  worn  by  those  of  certain  rank  in  the  empire. 
This  gave  an  opportunity  for  inspection,  on  the  part  of  the  curious,  of  these 
badges  of  authority,  which  seemed  to  be,  in  accordance  with  their  purpose, 
more  suited  for  show  than  service.  The  blades,  however,  were  apparently' 
of  good  steel  and  temper,  and  highly  polished,  although  their  shape  as  well 
as  that  of  their  hilts,  without  a guard,  was  awkwardly  constructed  for  use. 
The  mountings  were  of  pure  gold,  and  the  scabbards  of  shark’s  skin,  re- 
markably well  manufactured.  The  visit  of  the  governor  was  prolonged  into 
the  evening,  and  it  was  seven  o’clock  before  he  took  his  departure,  when  he 
and  his  interpreters  left  the  ship  with  their  usual  graceful  courtesies,  bowing  at 
every  step,  and  smiling  in  an  amiable  yet  dignified  manner.  They  were  evident- 
ly favorably  impressed  with  their  reception  and  all  they  had  seen.  The  studied 
politeness  which  marked  their  intercourse  with  our  officers  was  evidently 
not  assumed  for  the  occasion,  for  it  is  so  habitual  with  them,  that  in  their 
ordinary  relations  with  each  other  they  preserve  the  same  stately  courtesy ; 
and  it  was  observed,  that  no  sooner  had  Yezaiman  and  his  interpreters 
entered  their  boat  alongside  the  Susquehanna,  than  they  commenced  saluting 
each  other  as  formally  as  if  they  had  met  for  the  first  time  and  were  passing 
through  the  ceremonials  of  a personal  introduction.  While  these  scenes 
were  in  transaction  on  board,  the  boats  of  the  squadron  sent  out  by  the 
Commodore  were  kept  busy  all  day  sounding  and  observing  as  on  previous 
occasions. 

The  next  day  was  Wednesday  (July  13th),  and  the  visit  of  the  governor 
was  naturally  expected  at  an  early  hour,  in  fulfilment  of  his  promise.  There 
was,  however,  no  indication  through  the  morning  of  his  coming,  and  every 
thing  remained  in  a state  of  tranquil  expectation.  There  seemed  to  be  some 
little  movement  on  the  part  of  the  authorities,  as  far  as  could  be  gathered 


288 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


I 


from  an  observation  of  the  neighboring  land.  From  the  opposite  shores 
numerous  vessels,  loaded  with  soldiers,  crossed  to  the  Uraga  side,  and  a 
large  junk  with  the  usual  government  flag  and  insignia  put  into  the  harbor. 
The  brisk  trade  of  the  bay  was  carried  on  as  usual,  and  Japanese  boats, 
both  large  and  small,  were  moving  up  and  down  in  constant  circulation. 
The  various  towns  and  villages  grouped  about  the  bay  were  thus  interchang- 
ing their  elements  of  life,  and,  stimulated  into  commercial  activity  by  the 
throb  from  the  busy  heart  of  the  great  city,  poured  into  Yedo  their  over- 
flowing abundance.  There  were  no  less  than  sixty-seven  junks  counted  as 
passing  up  the  bay  during  the  single  day. 

The  weather  continued  warm,  with  the  thermometer  indicating  as  high 
a point  as  87°,  but  the  heat  was  tempered  by  an  agreeable  sea  breeze.  The 
view  of  the  shores  was  much  obscured  at  times  by  the  haze  which  is  said  to 
be  so  prevalent  on  the  Japanese  coast ; but  in  the  experience  of  the  squadron 
tlie  weather  hitherto  had  been  remarkably  clear,  and  this  day  was  the  foggiest 
that  had  been  seen  since  the  ships  arrived  in  the  bay.  Nothing  could  be  seen 
of  the  great  land-mark — the  lofty  peak  of  Fusi — which,  by  the  way,  was 
generally  more  plainly  visible  toward  the  evening  than  during  the  day,  and 
was  often  observed  beautifully  distinct  at  sunset,  when  its  summits  would 
glow  with  a rich  halo  of  crimson  light. 

The  expected  visit  of  the  governor  occurred  at  last,  at  about  four  o’clock 
in  the  afternoon.  His  highness  Kayama  Yezaiman,  accompanied,  as  usual, 
by  his  first  and  second  interpreters,  presented  himself,  with  a thousand 
apologies  fbr  not  having  come  earlier,  as  the  high  oflicer  from  Yedo  had  but 
just  arrived.  The  apologies  having  been  made,  the  governor  exhibited  the 
original  order  of  the  Emperor,  addressed  to  the  functionary  who  had  been 
appointed  to  receive  the  Commodore.  The  Emperor’s  letter  was  short,  and 
was  certified  by  a large  seal  attached  to  it.  This  imperial  epistle,  which  was 
wi'apped  in  velvet,  and  enclosed  in  a box  made  of  sandal-wood,  was  treated 
by  the  governor  with  such  reverence  that  he  would  allow  no  one  to  touch  it 
A copy  of  it  in  Dutch,  and  a certificate  verifying  the  authenticity  of  the 
document,  and  of  the  Emperor’s  seal  attached  thereto,  given  under  the  hand 
of  Kayama  Yezaiman,  the  governor,  were  also  presented.  The  translations 
are  as  follows : 

Translation  of  letter  of  credence  given  hy  the  Emperor  of  Japan  to 
his  highness,  Toda,  Prince  of  Idzu. 

“ I send  you  to  Uraga  to  receive  the  letter  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States  to  me,  which  letter  has  recently  been  brought  to  Uraga  by  the 
Admiral,  upon  receiving  which  you  will  proceed  to  Yedo,  and  bring  the  same 
to  me. 

[Here  is  the  Emperor’s  seal.] 

“Sixth  month  in  1853.” 


VISIT  OF  JAPANESE  DIGNITARIES. 


289 


Translation  of  certificate  of  Kayama  Yezaiman,  governor  of  TJraga, 
verifying  the  authenticity  of  the  Emperor's  letter  and  seal. 

“ You  can  rest  assured  that  the  high  officer  who  has  been  accredited  by 
the  Emperor  of  Japan  himself,  and  who  consequently  comes  here  to  Uraga 
from  Yedo  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  the  original  and  translated  letters,  is 
of  very  high  rank,  equal  to  that  of  the  Lord  Admiral.  I do  assure  that. 

“KAYAMA  YEZAIMAN.” 

The  governor,  in  the  course  of  the  conference,  took  care  to  state  that 
the  person  appointed  by  the  Emperor  had  no  authority  to  enter  into  discus- 
sions with  the  Commodore,  but  was  merely  empowered  to  receive  the  papers 
and  convey  them  to  his  sovereign.  He  also  stated  that  he  had  made  inquiry 
as  to  the  practicability  of  changing  the  place  of  meeting,  and  said  that,  as  a 
suitable  building  had  already  been  erected,  it  would  be  inconvenient  to  change. 
The  Commodore  was  prepared  for  this  reply,  and  as  he  could  not  know 
whether  any  treachery  was  intended  or  not,  he  had  determined  to  provide, 
as  far  as  he  could,  against  every  contingency,  and  had  therefore  ordered  the 
surveying  party  to  examine  the  little  bay  at  the  head  of  which  the  building 
had  been  erected  for  his  reception.  The  officer  sent  upon  this  service 
promptly  performed  the  duty,  and  reported  that  the  ships  could  be  brought 
within  gun-shot  of  the  place,  where  great  numbers  of  the  people  had  been 
observed  employed  in  the  completion  of  the  building,  in  transporting  furni- 
ture, and  in  otherwise  preparing  for  the  occasion. 

The  governor  offered  to  accompany  a boat  to  the  place  appointed  for 
the  reception,  but  this  was  declined,  and  he  was  informed  that,  as  it  did  not 
befit  the  dignity  of  the  Commodore  to  proceed  a long  distance  in  a small 
boat,  the  squadron  would  be  removed  to  a position  nearer  the  building  de- 
signed for  the  reception.  It  was  then  agreed  that  the  Commodore  and  his 
party  should  leave  the  ships  between  eight  and  nine  o’clock  the  next  day 
(Thursday),  although  the  Japanese  seemed  particularly  anxious  that  the  in- 
terview should  take  place  at  an  earlier  hour,  assigning  as  a reason  that  the 
heat  of  the  day  might  thus  be  avoided. 

The  question  was  now  asked  as  to  how  many  officers  would  accompany 
the  Commodore  on  the  occasion,  to  which  they  received  the  answer  that  he 
would  be  followed  by  a large  retinue,  since  it  was  the  custom  of  the  United 
States  when  an  officer  of  high  rank  bears  a communication  from  the 
President  to  the  sovereign  of  another  country,  for  him  to  go  with  such  an 
attendance  as  will  be  respectful  to  the  power  to  which  he  is  sent.  Accord- 
ingly, the  governor  was  informed  that  all  the  officers  who  could  be  spared 
from  the  squadron  would  accompany  the  Commodore,  as  the  greater  number 
would  imply  the  greater  compliment. 

In  the  course  of  the  conference,  the  Japanese  dignitaries  showed  their 
great  regard  for  ceremony,  by  adverting  to  various  minute  points  of  etiquette 
19 


290 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


/ in  reference  to  the  approaching  reception.  They  announced  that  all  the 
I Japanese  officers  would  be  clothed  in  full  official  costume,  and  not  in  the 
dresses  worn  on  ordinary  occasions.  They  seemed  to  be  considerably 
troubled  because  they  would  not  he  able  to  seat  their  visitors,  on  the  morrow, 
in  the  same  kind  of  arm  chair  as  that  then  occupied  by  themselves  in  the 
j cabin,  and  apologized  for  not  having  any  such.  They  were  no  less  anxious 
on  the  score  of  the  wines  and  brandies,  and  begged  that  they  might  be  ex- 
cused for  not  offering  the  same  as  they  had  been  regaled  with,  since  the 
country  did  not  possess  them.  They  were  told  to  dismiss  their  solicitude 
on  these  points ; that,  as  the  practice  of  hospitality,  and  manners  and  cus- 
toms, necessarily  differed  in  different  countries,  it  was  not  reasonable  to  ex- 
pect to  find  American  habits  prevaibng  in  Japan;  and  that  the  Commodore 
would  be  satisfied  to  be  seated  in  the  same  manner  as  the  dignitary  appointed 
to  meet  him,  while  the  other  American  officers  would  content  themselves 
with  such  seats  as  were  provided  for  their  ecjuals  in  rank  among  the 
J apanese. 

They  then  made  some  inquiries  in  regard  to  the  minute  details  of  the 
approaching  ceremony,  as  to  whether  the  Commodore  would  present  the 
President’s  letter  directly  from  his  own  hand  into  that  of  the  Japanese  com- 
missioner, whose  name  and  title,  by  the  way,  were  now  announced  as  Toda- 
Idzu-no-Kami,  First  Counsellor  of  the  Empire. 

It  was  asked  whether  the  Commodore  would  immediately  return  to  his 
ship  after  delivering  the  letter,  and  also  when  he  would  come  back  to  Japan 
to  receive  an  answer.  The  Chinese  interpreter,  Mr.  Williams,  showed  them 
a map  or  plan  of  Yedo,  which  they  said  must  have  been  drawn  some  seventy 
years  ago,  as  the  capital  had  changed  much  since  the  plan  was  made,  having 
greatly  increased  in  size,  and  much  improved.  They,  however,  recognized 
on  the  plan  various  conspicuous  places,  and  pointed  them  out  very  readily, 
as  if  politely  willing  to  gratify  the  natural  curiosity  of  their  company. 

The  whole  conference  had  lasted  about  two  hours  and  a half,  and  when 
the  Japanese  functionaries  rose  to  depart  it  was  abeady  evening.  They  left 
the  ship  with  the  usual  polite  courtesies,  bowing,  as  usual,  at  every  step ; and 
the  chief  interpreter,  Ilori  Tatznoske,  who  had  evidently  a great  aptitude 
for  the  acquisition  of  foreign  languages,  mustered  English  enough  to  say 
very  distinctly  as  he  departed,  “ Want  to  go  home.” 

The  Commodore,  in  preparation  for  the  coming  event  of  the  next  morn- 
ing, summoned  his  captains,  from  the  several  vessels  of  the  squadron,  on 
board  the  flag-ship.  Orders  were  then  given  that  the  vessels  should  be  re- 
moved, early  in  the  morning,  to  an  anchorage  in  line,  covering  the  whole 
bay,  in  front  of  the  place  of  reception,*  as  the  Commodore  was  resolved  to 
be  prepared  against  any  possible  treachery  or  duplicity  on  the  part  of  the 


* Marked  on  the  chart  as  “ Reception  Bay.’ 


PEEPABATIONS  FOR  AN  INTERVIEW. 


291 


people  with  whom  he  had  to  deal,  and  the  object  of  the  Japanese  in  the 
selection  of  this  place  of  meeting  was  not  very  apparent  to  his  mind.  It 
was  also  ordered  that  all  the  officers  who  could  possibly  leave  the  ships  should 
appear  in  full  uniform,  and  accompany  the  Commodore  to  the  reception,  in 
order  that  he  might  present  as  imposing  a retinue  as  practicable.  The  sur- 
veying boats  had  been  kept  busy  during  the  day,  completing  their  observa- 
tions, and  were  allowed  to  proceed  with  their  work  without  any  molestation 
from  the  native  authorities. 

The  Japanese  seemed  no  less  busy  in  active  preparation  for  the  morning’s 
ceremony  than  the  Americans.  Various  government  vessels  sailed  down 
the  bay,  and  a large  fleet  of  small  boats  arrived  on  the  Uraga  shore  from  the 
opposite  coast,  evidently  preparatory  to  the  approaching  occasion.  A con- 
stant sound  of  hammers,  intermingled  with  the  noisy  voices  of  Japanese 
laborers,  arising  as  was  supposed  from  the  quarter  where  the  building  was 
in  progress,  disturbed  the  quiet  of  the  night,  and  was  prolonged  into  the 
morning  watches.  All  was  busy  preparation  for  the  coming  day. 

Thursday  (July  14),  opened  with  a sun  that  was  somewhat  obscured  at 
early  dawn,  but  which  soon  came  out  brightly,  and  dispelled  the  fogs  and 
clouds  which  overhung  the  land  and  seemed  to  give  an  inauspicious  aspect 
to  the  occasion.  As  the  atmosphere  cleared  and  the  shores  were  disclosed 
to  view,  the  steady  labors  of  the  Japanese  during  the  night  were  revealed  in 
the  showy  eflfect  on  the  Uraga  shore.  Ornamental  screens  of  cloth  had  been  !\ 
so  arranged  as  to  give  a more  distinct  prominence,  as  well  as  the  appearance 
of  greater  size  to  the  bastions  and  forts;  and  two  tents  had  been  spread 
among  the  trees.  The  screens  were  stretched  tightly  in  the  usual  way 
upon  posts  of  wood,  and  each  interval  between  the  posts  was  thus  distinct- 
Ij  marked,  and  had,  in  the  distance,  the  appearance  of  panelling.  Upon 
these  seeming  panels  were  emblazoned  the  imperial  arms,  alternating  with 
the  device  of  a scarlet  flower  bearing  large  heart-shaped  leaves.  Flags  and  i 
streamers,  upon  which  were  various  designs  represented  in  gay  colors,  hung 
from  the  several  angles  of  the  screens,  while  behind  them  thronged  crowds  / 
of  soldiers,  arrayed  in  a costume  which  had  not  been  before  observed,  and  j 
which  was  supposed  to  belong  to  high  occasions  only.  The  main  portion  of  | 
the  dress  was  a species  of  frock  of  a dark  color,  with  short  skirts,  the  waists 
of  which  were  gathered  in  with  a sash,  and  which  was  without  sleeves,  the  \ 
arms  of  the  wearers  being  bare. 

All  on  board  the  ships  were  alert  from  the  earliest  hour,  making  the 
necessary  preparations.  Steam  was  got  up  and  the  anchors  were  weighed, 
that  the  ships  might  be  moved  to  a position  where  their  guns  would  com- 
mand the  place  of  reception.  The  sailing  vessels,  however,  because  of  a 
calm,  were  unable  to  get  into  position.  The  officers,  seamen  and  marines 
who  were  to  accompany  the  Commodore  were  selected,  and  as  large  a num- 
ber of  them  mustered  as  could  possibly  be  spared  from  the  whole  squadron. 


292 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


All,  of  course,  were  eager  to  bear  a part  in  the  ceremonies  of  the  day,  hut 
all  could  not  possibly  go,  as  a sufficient  number  must  be  left  to  do  ship’s 
duty.  Many  of  the  officers  and  men  were  selected  by.  lot,  and  when  the 
full  complement,  which  amounted  to  nearly  three  hundred,  was  filled  up, 
each  one  busied  himself  in  getting  his  person  ready  for  the  occasion.  The 
officers,  as  had  been  ordered,  were  in  full  official  dress,  while  the  sailors  and 
marines  were  in  their  naval  and  military  uniforms  of  blue  and  white. 

Before  eight  bells  in  the  morning  watch  had  struck,  the  Susquehanna 
and  Mississippi  moved  slowly  down  the  hay.  Simultaneously  with  this 
movement  of  our  ships,  six  Japanese  boats  were  observed  to  sail  in  the 
same  direction,  but  more  within  the  land.  The  government  striped  flag  dis- 
tinguished two  of  them,  showing  the  presence  of  some  high  officials,  while 
the  others  carried  red  banners,  and  were  supposed  to  have  on  board  a retinue 
or  guard  of  soldiers.  On  doubling  the  head-land  which  separated  the  former 
anchorage  from  the  bay  below,  the  preparations  of  the  Japanese  on  the  shore 
came  suddenly  into  view.  The  land  hordering  the  head  of  the  bay  was  gay 
with  a long  stretch  of  painted  screens  of  cloth,  upon  which  was  emblazoned 
the  arms  of  the  Emperor.  Nine  tall  standards  stood  in  the  centre  of  an 
immense  number  of  banners  of  divers  lively  colors,  which  were  arranged  on 
either  side,  until  the  whole  formed  a crescent  of  variously  tinted  flags,  which 
fluttered  brightly  in  the  rays  of  the  morning  sun.  From  the  taU  standards 
were  suspended  broad  pennons  of  rich  scarlet,  which  swept  the  ground  with 
their  flowing  length.  On  the  beach  in  front  of  this  display  were  ranged 
regiments  of  soldiers,  who  stood  in  fixed  order,  evidently  arrayed  to  give  an 
appearance  of  martial  force,  that  the  Americans  might  be  duly  impressed 
with  the  military  power  of  the  Japanese. 

As  the  beholder  faced  the  bay,  he  saw  on  the  left  of  the  village  of  Gori- 
Hama  a straggling  group  of  peaked-roofed  houses,  built  between  the  beach 
and  the  base  of  the  high  ground  which  ran  in  green  acclivities  behind,  and 
ascended  from  height  to  height  to  the  distant  mountains.  A luxuriant  val- 
ley or  gorge,  walled  in  with  richly  wooded  hills,  opened  at  the  head  of  the 
bay,  and  breaking  the  uniformity  of  the  curve  of  the  shore  gave  a beautiful 
variety  to  the  landscape.  On  the  right  some  hundred  Japanese  boats,  or 
more,  were  arranged  in  parallel  lines  along  the  margin  of  the  shore,  with  a 
red  flag  flying  at  the  stern  of  each.  The  whole  effect,  though  not  startling, 
was  novel  and  cheerful,  and  everything  combined  to  give  a pleasing  aspect 
to  the  picture.  The  day  was  bright,  with  a clear  sunlight  which  seemed  to 
give  fresh  vitality  alike  to  the  verdant  hill-sides,  and  the  gay  banners,  and 
the  glittering  soldiery.  Back  from  the  beach,  opposite  the  centre  of  the 
curved  shore  of  the  bay,  the  building,  just  constructed  for  the  reception, 
rose  in  three  pyramidal  shaped  roofs,  high  above  the  surrounding  houses.  It 
was  covered  in  front  by  striped  cloth,  which  was  extended  in  screens  to  either 
side.  It  had  a new,  fresh  look,  indicative  of  its  recent  erection,  and  with 


AERANaEMENTS  FOE  LANDING. 


293 


its  peaked  summits  was  not  unlike,  in  the  distance,  a group  of  very  large 
ricks  of  grain. 

Two  boats  approached  as  the  steamers  neared  the  opening  of  the  hay, 
and  when  the  anchors  were  dropped  they  came  alongside  the  Susquehanna. 
Kayama  Yezaiman,  with  his  two  interpreters,  came  on  hoard,  followed  im- 
mediately by  Nagazima  Saboroske  and  an  officer  in  attendance,  who  had 
come  in  the  second  boat.  They  were  duly  received  at  the  gangway,  and 
conducted  to  seats  on  the  quarter  deck.  All  were  dressed  in  full  official 
costume,  somewhat  different  from  their  ordinary  garments.  Their  gowns, 
though  of  the  usual  shape,  were  much  more  elaborately  adorned.  The  ma- 
terial was  of  very  rich  silk  brocade  of  gay  colors,  turned  up  with  yellow 
velvet,  and  the  whole  dress  was  highly  embroidered  with  gold  lace  in  various 
figures,  among  which  was  conspicuously  displayed  on  the  back,  sleeves,  and 
breast  the  arms  of  the  wearer.  Saboroske,  the  sub-governor  of  Uraga,  wore  a 
pair  of  very  broad  but  very  short  trowsers,  which  when  his  legs  (which  was 
not  often  the  case)  stood  still  and  together,  looked  very  much  like  a slit  petti- 
coat, while  below,  his  nether  limbs  were  partly  naked  and  partly  covered  by 
black  woollen  socks.  Saboroske,  in  spite  of  his  elaborate  toilette  and  his 
finery,  all  bedizened  with  gold  thread,  glossy  silk,  and  gay  colors,  did  not 
produce  a very  impressive  effect ; but  by  his  comical  appearance  provoked 
mirth  rather  than  admiration.  He  had,  in  fact,  very  much  the  appearance 
of  an  unusually  brilliant  knave  of  trumps. 

A signal  was  now  hoisted  from  the  Susquehanna  as  a summons  for  the 
boats  from  the  other  ships,  and  in  the  course  of  half  an  hour  they  had  all 
pulled  alongside  with  their  various  officers,  sailors,  and  marines,  detailed  for 
the  day’s  ceremonies.  The  launches  and  cutters  numbered  no  less  than  fif- 
teen, and  presented  quite  an  imposing  array ; and  with  all  on  board  of  them 
in  proper  uniform,  a picturesque  effect  was  not  wanting.  Captain  Buchanan, 
having  taken  his  place  in  his  barge,  led  the  way,  flanked  on  either  side  by 
the  two  Japanese  boats  containing  the  governor  and  vice-governor  of  Uraga 
with  their  respective  suites ; and  these  dignitaries  acted  as  masters  of  cere- 
mony and  pointed  out  the  course  to  the  American  flotilla.  The  rest  of  the 
ships’  boats  followed  after  in  order,  with  the  cutters  containing  the  two 
bands  of  the  steamers,  who  enlivened  the  occasion  with  their  cheerful  music. 

The  boats  skimmed  briskly  over  the  smooth  waters ; for  such  was  the 
skill  and  consequent  rapidity  of  the  Japanese  scullers,  that  our  sturdy  oars- 
men were  put  to  their  mettle  to  keep  up  with  their  guides.  When  the 
boats  had  reached  half  way  to  the  shore  the  thirteen  guns  of  the  Susque- 
hanna began  to  boom  away  and  re-echo  among  the  hills.  This  announced 
the  departure  of  the  Commodore,  who,  stepping  into  his  barge,  was  rowed 
off  to  the  land. 

The  guides  in  the  Japanese  boats  pointed  to  the  landing  place  toward 
the  centre  of  the  curved  shore,  where  a temporary  wharf  had  been  built  out 


294 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


from  the  beach  by  means  of  bags  of  sand  and  straw.  The  advance  boat 
soon  touched  the  spot,  and  Captain  Buchanan,  who  commanded  the  party, 
sprang  ashore,  being  the  first  of  the  Americans  who  landed  in  the  Kingdom 
of  Japan.  He  was  immediately  followed  by  Major  Zeilin,  of  the  marines. 
The  rest  of  the  boats  now  pulled  in  and  disembarked  their  respective  loads. 
The  marines  (one  hundred)  marched  up  the  wharf,  and  formed  into  line  on 
either  side,  facing  the  sea;  then  came  the  hundred  sailors,  who  were  also 
ranged  in  rank  and  file  as  they  advanced,  while  the  two  bands  brought  up 
the  rear.  The  whole  number,  of  Americans,  including  sailors,  marines, 
musicians,  and  officers,  amounted  to  nearly  three  hundred ; no  very  formida- 
ble array,  but  still  quite  enough  for  a peaceful  occasion,  and  composed  of 
very  vigorous,  able-bodied  men,  who  contrasted  strongly  with  the  smaller 
and  more  effeminate-looking  Japanese.  These  latter  had  mustered  in  great 
force,  the  amount  of  which  the  governor  of  Uraga  stated  to  be  five  thousand; 
but,  seemingly,  they  far  outnumbered  that.  Their  line  extended  around  the 
whole  circuit  of  the  beach,  from  the  further  extremity  of  the  village  to  the 
abrupt  acclivity  of  the  hill  which  bounded  the  bay  on  the  northern  side ; 
while  an  immense  number  of  the  soldiers  thronged  in,  behind  and  under 
cover  of  the  cloth  screens  which  stretched  along  the  rear.  The  loose  order 
of  this  Japanese  army  did  not  betoken  any  very  great  degree  of  discipline. 
The  soldiers  were  tolerably  well  armed  and  equipped.  Their  uniform  was 
very  much  like  the  ordinary  Japanese  dress.  Their  arms  were  swords,  spears, 
and  match-locks.  Those  in  front  were  all  infantry,  archers  and  lancers ; but 
large  bodies  of  cavalry  were  seen  behind,  somewhat  in  the  distance,  as  if 
held  in  reserve.  The  horses  of  these  seemed  of  a fine  breed,  hardy,  of  good 
bottom,  and  brisk  in  action ; and  these  troopers,  with  their  rich  caparisons, 
presented  at  least  a showy  cavalcade.  Along  the  base  of  the  rising  ground 
which  ascended  behind  the  village,  and  entirely  in  the  rear  of  the  soldiers, 
was  a large  number  of  the  inhabitants,  among  whom  there  was  quite  an  as- 
semblage of  women,  who  gazed  with  intense  curiosity,  through  the  openings 
in  the  line  of  the  military,  upon  the  stranger  visitors  from  another  hemis- 
phere. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  Commodore,  his  suite  of  officers  formed  a double 
line  along  the  landing  place,  and  as  he  passed  up  between,  they  fell  into 
order  behind  him.  The  procession  was  then  formed  and  took  up  its  march 
toward  the  house  of  reception,  the  route  to  which  was  pointed  out  by  Kayama 
Yezaiman  and  his  interpreter,  who  preceded  the  party.  The  marines  led 
the  way,  and  the  sailors  following,  the  Commodore  was  duly  escorted  up 
the  beach.  The  United  States  flag  and  the  broad  pennant  were  borne  by 
two  athletic  seamen,  who  had  been  selected  from  the  crews  of  the  squadron 
on  account  of  their  stalwart  proportions.  Two  boys,  dressed  for  the  cere- 
mony, preceded  the  Commodore,  bearing  in  an  envelope  of  scarlet  cloth  the 
boxes  which  contained  his  credentials  and  the  President’s  letter.  These 


« *♦ 


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KECEPTION  OF  THE  COMMODOEE. 


295 


documents,  of  folio  size,  were  beautifully  written  on  vellum,  and  not  folded, 
but  bound  in  blue  silk  velvet.  Each  seal,  attached  by  cords  of  interwoven 
gold  and  silk  with  pendant  gold  tassels,  was  encased  in  a circular  box  six 
inches  in  diameter  and  three  in  depth,  wrought  of  pure  gold.  Each  of  the 
documents,  together  with  its  seal,  was  placed  in  a box  of  rosewood  about  a 
foot  long,  with  lock,  hinges,  and  mountings,  all  of  gold.  On  either  side  of 
the  Commodore  marched  a tall,  well-formed  negro,  who,  armed  to  the  teeth, 
acted  as  his  personal  guard.  These  blacks,  selected  for  the  occasion,  were 
two  of  the  best-looking  fellows  of  their  color  that  the  squadron  could  fur- 
nish. All  this  parade  was  but  for  effect. 

The  procession  was  obliged  to  make  a somewhat  circular  movement  to 
reach  the  entrance  of  the  house  of  reception.  This  gave  a good  opportunity 
for  the  display  of  the  escort.  The  building,  which  was  but  a short  distance 
from  the  landing,  was  soon  reached.  In  front  of  the  entrance  were  two 
small  brass  cannon  which  were  ; Id  and  apparently  of  European  manufacture; 
on  either  side  were  grouped  a rather  straggling  company  of  J apanese  guards, 
whose  costume  was  different  from  that  of  the  other  soldiers.  Those  on  the 
right  were  dressed  in  tunics,  gathered  in  at  the  waist  with  broad  sashes,  and 
in  full  trowsers  of  a grey  color,  the  capacious  width  of  which  was  drawn  in 
at  the  knees,  while  their  heads  were  bound  with  a white  cloth  in  the  form  of 
a turban.  They  were  armed  with  muskets,  upon  which  bayonets  and  flint- 
locks were  observed.  The  guards  on  the  left  were  dressed  in  a rather  dingy 
brown-colored  uniform  turned  up  with  yellow,  and  carried  old-fashioned 
match-locks. 

The  Commodore  having  been  escorted  to  the  door  of  the  house  of  recep- 
tion, entered  with  his  suite.  The  building  showed  marks  of  hasty  erection, 
and  the  timbers  and  boards  of  pine  wood  were  numbered,  as  if  they  had 
been  fashioned  previously  and  brought  to  the  spot  all  ready  to  be  put 
together.  The  first  portion  of  the  structure  entered  was  a kind  of  tent, 
principally  constructed  of  painted  canvas,  upon  which  in  various  places  the 
imperial  arms  were  painted.  Its  area  enclosed  a space  of  nearly  forty  feet 
square.  Beyond  this  entrance  hall  was  an  inner  apartment,  to  which  a car- 
peted path  led.  The  floor  of  the  outer  room  was  generally  covered  with 
white  cloth,  but  through  its  centre  passed  a slip  of  red-colored  carpet,  which 
showed  the  direction  to  the  interior  chamber.  This  latter  was  entirely  car- 
peted with  red  cloth,  and  was  the  state  apartment  of  the  building  where  the 
reception  was  to  take  place.  Its  floor  was  somewhat  raised,  like  a dais,  above 
the  general  level,  and  was  handsomely  adorned  for  the  occasion.  Violet- 
colored  hangings  of  silk  and  fine  cotton,  with  the  imperial  coat  of  arms  em- 
broidered in  white,  hung  from  the  walls  which  enclosed  the  inner  room,  on 
three  sides,  while  the  front  was  left  open  to  the  antechamber  or  outer  room. 

As  the  Commodore  and  his  suite  ascended  to  the  reception  room,  the 
two  dignitaries  who  were  seated  on  the  left  arose  and  bowed,  and  the  Com- 


296 


EXPEDITION 


TO  JAPAN. 


modore  and  suite  were  conducted  to  the  arm  chairs  which  had  been  pro- 
vided for  them  on  the  right.  The  interpreters  announced  the  names  and 
titles  of  the  high  Japanese  functionaries  as  Toda-Idzu-no-kami,  Toda, 
prince  of  Idzu,  and  Ido-Iwami-no-kami,  Ido,  prince  of  Iwami.  They  were 
both  men  of  advanced  years,  the  former  apparently  about  fifty,  and  the 
latter  some  ten  or  fifteen  years  older.  Prince  Toda  was  the  better  looking 
man  of  the  two,  and  the  intellectual  expression  of  his  large  forehead  and 
amiable  look  of  his  regular  features  contrasted  very  favorably  with  the  more 
wrinkled  and  contracted,  and  less  intelligent  face  of  his  associate,  the  prince 
of  Iwami.  They  were  both  very  richly  dressed,  their  garments  being  of 
heavy  silk  brocade  interwoven  with  elaborately  wrought  figures  in  gold  and 
silver. 

From  the  beginning,  the  two  princes  had  assumed  an  air  of  statuesque 
formality  which  they  preserved  during  the  whole  interview,  as  they  never 
spoke  a word,  and  rose  from  their  seats  only  at  the  entrance  and  exit  of  the 
Commodore,  when  they  made  a grave  and  formal  bow.  Yezaiman  and  his 
interpreters  acted  as  masters  of  ceremony  during  the  occasion.  On  entering, 
they  took  their  positions  at  the  upper  end  of  the  room,  kneeling  down  be- 
side a large  lacquered  box  of  scarlet  color,  supported  by  feet,  gilt  or  of 
brass. 

For  some  time  after  the  Commodore  and  his  suite  had  taken  their  seats 
there  was  a pause  of  some  minutes,  not  a word  being  uttered  on  either  side. 
Tatznoske,  the  principal  interpreter,  was  the  first  to  break  silence,  which  he 
did  by  asking  Mr.  Portman,  the  Dutch  interpreter,  whether  the  letters  were 
ready  for  delivery,  and  stating  that  the  prince  Toda  was  prepared  to  receive 
them ; and  that  the  scarlet  box  at  the  upper  end  of  the  room  was  prepared 
as  the  receptacle  for  them.  The  Commodore,  upon  this  being  communicated 
to  him,  beckoned  to  the  boys  who  stood  in  the  lower  hall  to  advance,  when 
they  immediately  obeyed  his  summons  and  came  forward,  bearing  the  hand- 
some boxes  which  contained  the  President’s  letter  and  other  documents. 
The  two  stalwart  negroes  followed  immediately  in  rear  of  the  boys,  and 
marching  up  to  the  scarlet  receptacle,  received  the  boxes  from  the  hands  of 
the  bearers,  opened  them,  took  out  the  letters  and,  displaying  the  writing 
and  seals,  laid  them  upon  the  lid  of  the  Japanese  box — all  in  perfect  silence. 
The  President’s  letter,  the  Commodore’s  letter  of  credence,  and  two  com- 
munications from  the  Commodore  to  the  Emperor,  are  here  given.  A third 
letter  from  him  has  already  been  presented  on  a previous  page.  All  these, 
however,  accompanied  the  letter  from  the  President  and  were  delivered  at 
the  same  time  with  it. 

MILLARD  FILLMORE,  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA,  TO  HIS 
IMPERIAL  MAJESTY,  THE  EMPEROR  OF  JAPAN. 

Great  and  good  Friend  : I send  you  this  public  letter  by  Commodore 


PRESIDENT 


FILLMORE’S  LETTER. 


297 


MatiJiew  C.  Perry,  an  officer  of  the  highest  rank  In  the  navy  of  the  United 
States,  and  commander  of  the  squadron  now  visiting  your  imperial  majesty’s 
dominions. 

I have  directed  Commodore  Periy  to  assure  your  imperial  majesty  that 
I entertain  the  kindest  feelings  towards  your  majesty’s  person  and  govern- 
ment, and  that  I have  no  other  object  in  sending  him  to  Japan  hut  to  pro- 
pose to  your  imperial  majesty  that  the  United  States  and  Japan  should  live 
in  friendship  and  have  commercial  intercourse  with  each  other. 

The  Constitution  and  laws  of  the  United  States  forbid  all  interference 
with  the  religious  or  political  concerns  of  other  nations.  I have  particularly 
charged  Commodore  Perry  to  abstain  from  every  act  which  could  possibly 
disturb  the  tranquillity  of  your  imperial  majesty’s  dominions. 

The  United  States  of  America  reach  from  ocean  to  ocean,  and  our 
Territory  of  Oregon  and  State  of  California  lie  directly  opposite  to  the 
dominions  of  your  imperial  majesty.  Our  steamships  can  go  from  Califor- 
nia to  Japan  in  eighteen  days. 

Our  great  State  of  California  produces  about  sixty  millions  of  dollars  in 
gold  every  year,  besides  silver,  quicksilver,  precious  stones,  and  many  other 
valuable  articles.  Japan  is  also  a rich  and  fertile  country,  and  produces 
many  very  valuable  articles.  Your  imperial  majesty’s  subjects  are  skilled 
in  many  of  the  arts.  I am  desirous  that  our  two  countries  should  trade  with 
each  other,  for  the  benefit  both  of  Japan  and  the  United  States. 

We  know  that  the  ancient  laws  of  your  imperial  majesty’s  government 
do  not  allow  of  foreign  trade,  except  with  the  Chinese  and  the  Dutch;  but 
as  the  state  of  the  world  changes  and  new  governments  are  formed,  it  seems 
to  be  wise,  from  time  to  time,  to  make  new  laws.  There  was  a time  when 
the  ancient  laws  of  your  imperial  majesty’s  government  were  first  made. 

About  the  same  time  America,  which  is  sometimes  called  the  New 
W orld,  was  first  discovered  and  settled  by  the  Europeans.  For  a long  time 
there  were  but  a few  people,  and  they  were  poor.  They  have  now  become 
quite  numerous ; their  commerce  is  very  extensive ; and  they  think  that 
if  your  imperial  majesty  were  so  far  to  change  the  ancient  laws  as  to  allow 
a free  trade  between  the  two  countries  it  would  be  extremely  beneficial  to 
both. 

If  your  imperial  majesty  is  not  satisfied  that  it  would  be  safe  altogether 
to  abrogate  the  ancient  laws  which  forbid  foreign  trade,  they  might  be 
suspended  for  five  or  ten  years,  so  as  to  try  the  experiment.  If  it  does  not 
prove  as  beneficial  as  was  hoped,  the  ancient  laws  can  be  restored.  The 
United  States  often  limit  their  treaties  with  foreign  States  to  a few  years, 
and  then  renew  them  or  not,  as  they  please. 

I have  directed  Commodore  Perry  to  mention  another  thing  to  your 
imperial  majesty.  Many  of  our  ships  pass  every  year  from  California  to 
China ; and  great  numbers  of  our  people  pursue  the  whale  fishery  near  the 


298 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


shores  of  J apaji.  It  sometimes  happens,  in  stormy  weather,  that  one  of  out 
ships  is  wrecked  on  your  imperial  majesty’s  shores.  In  all  such  cases  we 
ask,  and  expect,  that  our  unfortunate  people  should  he  treated  with  kindness, 
and  that  their  property  should  he  protected,  till  we  can  send  a vessel  and 
bring  them  away.  We  are  very  much  in  earnest  in  this. 

Commodore  Perry  is  also  directed  hy  me  to  represent  to  your  imperial 
majesty  that  we  understand  there  is  a great  abundance  of  coal  and  pro- 
visions in  the  Empire  of  Japan.  Our  steamships,  in  crossing  the  great 
ocean,  burn  a great  deal  of  coal,  and  it  is  not  convenient  to  bring  it  aU  the 
way  from  America.  We  wish  that  our  steamships  and  other  vessels  should 
be  allowed  to  stop  in  Japan  and  supply  themselves  with  coal,  provisions,  and 
water.  They  will  pay  for  them  in  money,  or  anything  else  your  imperial 
majesty’s  subjects  may  prefer ; and  we  request  your  imperial  majesty  to 
appoint  a convenient  port,  in  the  southern  part  of  the  Empire,  where  our 
vessels  may  stop  for  this  purpose.  W e are  very  desirous  of  this. 

These  are  the  only  objects  for  which  I have  sent  Commodore  Perry, 
with  a powerful  squadron,  to  pay  a visit  to  your  imperial  majesty’s  renowned 
city  of  Yedo  : friendship,  commerce,  a supply  of  coal  and  provisions,  and 
protection  for  our  shipwrecked  people. 

We  have  directed  Commodore  Perry  to  beg  your  imperial  majesty’s 
acceptance  of  a few  presents.  They  are  of  no  great  value  in  themselves ; 
but  some  of  them  may  serve  as  specimens  of  the  articles  manufactured  in 
the  United  States,  and  they  are  intended  as  tokens  of  our  sincere  and  respect- 
ful friendship. 

May  the  Almighty  have  your  imperial  majesty  in  His  great  and  holy 
keeping ! 

In  witness  whereof,  I have  caused  the  great  seal  of  the  United  States  to 
be  hereunto  affixed,  and  have  subscribed  the  same  with  my  name,  at  the 
city  of  Washington,  in  America,  the  seat  of  my  government,  on  the  thir- 
teenth day  of  the  month  of  November,  in  the  year  one  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  fifty-two. 

[ Seal  attached.]  Your  good  friend, 

MILLARD  FILLMORE. 


By  the  President : 


EDWARD  EVERETT, 

Secretary  of  State. 


commodore’s  letter. 


299 


Commodore  Perry  to  the  Emperor. 

United  States  Steam  Frigate  Susquehanna, 

Off  the  coast  of  Japan,  July  1,  1853. 

The  undersigned,  commander-in-chief  of  all  the  naval  forces  of  the 
United  States  of  America  stationed  in  the  East  India,  China  and  Japan 
seas,  has  been  sent  by  his  government  to  this  country  on  a friendly  mission, 
with  ample  powers  to  negotiate  with  the  government  of  Japan,  touching  cer- 
tain matters  which  have  been  fully  set  forth  in  the  letter  of  the  President  of 
the  United  States,  copies  of  which,  together  with  copies  of  the  letter  of  cre- 
dence of  the  undersigned,  in  the  English,  Dutch,  and  Chinese  languages,  are 
herewith  transmitted. 

The  original  of  the  President’s  letter,  and  of  the  letter  of  credence, 
prepared  in  a manner  suited  to  the  exalted  station  of  your  imperial  majesty, 
will  be  presented  by  the  undersigned  in  person,  when  it  may  please  your 
majesty  to  appoint  a day  for  his  reception. 

The  undersigned  has  been  commanded  to  state  that  the  President  enter- 
tains the  most  friendly  feelings  toward  Japan,  but  has  been  surprised  and 
grieved  to  learn  that  when  any  of  the  people  of  the  United  States  go,  of  their 
own  accord,  or  are  thrown  by  the  perils  of  the  sea,  within  the  dominions  of 
your  imperial  majesty,  they  are  treated  as  if  they  were  your  worst  enemies 

The  undersigned  refers  to  the  cases  of  the  American  ships  Morrison, 
Lagoda,  and  Lawrence. 

With  the  Americans,  as  indeed  with  all  Christian  people,  it  is  considered 
a sacred  duty  to  receive  with  kindness,  and  to  succor  and  protect  all,  of 
whatever  nation,  who  may  be  cast  upon  their  shores,  and  such  has  been  the 
course  of  the  Americans  with  respect  to  all  Japanese  subjects  who  have 
fallen  under  their  protection. 

The  government  of  the  United  States  desires  to  obtain  from  that  of 
Japan  some  positive  assurance  that  persons  who  may  hereafter  be  ship- 
wrecked on  the  coast  of  Japan,  or  driven  by  stress  of  weather  into  her 
ports,  shall  be  treated  with  humanity. 

The  undersigned  is  commanded  to  explain  to  the  Japanese  that  the  United 
States  are  connected  with  no  government  in  Europe,  and  that  their  laws  do 
not  interfere  with  the  religion  of  their  own  citizens,  much  less  with  that  of 
other  nations. 

That  they  inhabit  a great  country  which  lies  directly  between  Japan  and 
Europe,  and  which  was  discovered  by  the  nations  of  Europe  about  the  same 
time  that  J apan  herself  was  first  visited  by  Europeans ; that  the  portion  of 
the  American  continent  lying  nearest  to  Europe  was  first  settled  by  emi- 
grants from  that  part  of  the  world ; that  its  population  has  rapidly  spread 
through  the  country,  until  it  has  reached  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  Ocean ; 


300 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


that  we  have  now  large  cities,  from  which,  with  the  aid  of  steam-vessels,  we 
can  reach  Japan  in  eighteen  or  twenty  days;  that  our  commerce  with  all 
this  region  of  the  globe  is  rapidly  increasing,  and  the  Japan  seas  will  soon 
be  covered  with  our  vessels. 

Therefore,  as  the  United  States  and  Japan  are  becoming  every  day  nearer 
and  nearer  to  each  other,  the  President  desires  to  live  in  peace  and  friend- 
ship with  your  imperial  majesty,  but  no  friendship  can  long  exist,  unless 
Japan  ceases  to  act  toward  Americans  as  if  they  were  her  enemies. 

However  wise  this  policy  may  originally  have  been,  it  is  unwise  and  im- 
practicable now  that  the  intercourse  between  the  two  countries  is  so  much 
more  easy  and  rapid  than  it  formally  was. 

The  undersigned  holds  out  all  these  arguments  in  the  hope  that  the 
Japanese  government  will  see  the  necessity  of  averting  unfriendly  collision 
between  the  two  nations,  by  responding  favorably  to  the  propositions  of 
amity,  which  are  now  made  in  all  sincerity. 

Many  of  the  large  ships-of-war  destined  to  visit  Japan  have  not  yet 
arrived  in  these  seas,  though  they  are  hourly  expected  ; and  the  undersigned, 
as  an  evidence  of  his  friendly  intentions,  has  brought  but  four  of  the 
smaller  ones,  designing,  should  it  become  necessary,  to  return  to  Yedo  in 
the  ensuing  spring  with  a much  larger  force. 

But  it  is  expected  that  the  government  of  your  imperial  majesty  will 
render  such  return  unnecessary,  by  acceding  at  once  to  the  very  reasonable 
and  pacific  overtures  contained  in  the  President’s  letter,  and  which  will  be 
further  explained  by  the  undersigned  on  the  first  fitting  occasion. 

With  the  most  profound  respect  for  your  imperial  majesty,  and  enter- 
taining a sincere  hope  that  you  may  long  live  to  enjoy  health  and  happiness, 
the  undersigned  subscribes  himself,  M.  C.  PEKB.1", 

Commander-ia-cliief  of  the  United  States  Naval  Forces 

in  the  East  India^  China,  and  Japan  seas.* 

To  His  Imperial  Majesty, 

the  Emperor  of  Japan. 


Commodore  Perry  to  the  Emperor. 

“United  States  Steam  Frigate  Susquehanna, 

“ Uraga,  Yedo  Bay,  July  It,  1853. 

“ It  having  been  represented  to  the  undersigned  that  the  propositions  sub- 
mitted through  him  to  the  government  of  Japan  are  of  so  much  importance, 
and  involve  so  many  momentous  questions,  that  much  time  will  be  required 
to  deliberate  and  decide  upon  their  several  bearings : 

“ The  undersigned,  in  consideration  thereof,  declares  himself  willing  to 

* It  should  be  remarked  that  the  Commodore  framed  this  letter  on  his  letter  of  instruc- 
tions from  the  authorities  of  the  United  States. 


commodoee’s  lettee  op  ceedence.  301 


await  a reply  to  these  propositions  until  his  return  to  Yedo  Bay  in  the  en- 
suing spring,  when  he  confidently  hopes  that  all  matters  will  he  amicably 
arranged,  and  to  the  satisfaction  ot  the  two  nations. 

“ With  profound  respect,  “ M.  C.  PERRY, 

“ Commander-in-chief  of  the  United  States  Naval  Forces 

“ in  the  East  India,  China,  and  Japan  seas. 
“To  His  Imperial  Majesty, 

“ the  Emperor  of  Japan.'''' 


Letter  of  Credence  to  Commodore  Perry. 

MILLARD  FILLMORE,  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA,  TO  HIS 
IMPERIAL  MAJESTY  THE  EMPEROR  OP  JAPAN. 


Reposing  special  trust  and  confidence  in  the  integrity,  prudence,  and 
ability  of  Matthew  C.  Perry,  a captain  in  the  navy  of  the  United  States,  I 
have  invested  him  with  full  power,  for  and  in  the  name  of  the  said  United 
States,  to  meet  and  confer  with  any  person  or  persons  furnished  with  like 
powers  on  the  part  of  your  imperial  majesty,  and  with  him  or  them  to  negoti- 
ate, conclude,  and  sign  a convention  or  conventions,  treaty  or  treaties,  of  and 
concerning  the  friendship,  commerce,  and  navigation  of  the  two  countries; 
and  all  matters  and  subjects  connected  therewith  which  may  be  interesting 
to  the  two  nations,  submitting  the  same  to  the  President  of  the  United 
States  for  his  final  ratification,  by  and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the 
Senate  of  the  United  States. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I have  caused  the  seal  of  the  United  States  to  be 
hereunto  aifixed. 

Given  under  my  hand,  at  the  city  of  Washington,  the  thirteenth  day  of 
November,  in  the  year  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifty-two,  and  of  the 
independence  of  the  United  States  of  America  the  seventy-seventh. 

MILLARD  FILLMORE. 


By  the  President : 
[Seal  attached.] 


EDWARD  EVERETT, 

Secretary  of  State. 


Accompanying  the  letters  were  translations  of  the  same  into  the  Chinese 
and  Dutch  languages.  After  the  documents  had  been  laid  upon  the  lid  of 
the  imperial  box,  made  as  their  receptacle,  Mr.  Portman,  Dutch  interpreter, 
by  the  Commodore’s  direction,  indicated  to  Tatznoske,  the  Japanese  inter- 
preter, the  characters  of  the  various  documents,  upon  which  Tatznoske  and 
Keyama  Yezaiman,  still  kneeling,  both  bowed  their  heads.  The  latter,  now 
rising,  approached  the  Prince  of  Iwami,  and  prostrating  himself  on  his 


302 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


knees  before  him,  received  from  his  hands  a roll  of  papers,  with  which  he 
crossed  over  to  the  Commodore,  and  again  falling  upon  his  knees,  delivered 
it  to  him.  The  Dutch  interpreter  now  asked  “ what  those  papers  were  ? ” 
to  which  it  was  answered,  “ they  are  the  imperial  receipt.”  The  translation 
of  it  is  as  follows : 

[Translation  of  receipt  given  by  the  Princes  of  Idzu  and  Iwami  to  Commodore  Perry.] 

“ The  letter  of  the  President  of  the  United  States  of  North  America, 
and  copy,  are  hereby  received  and  delivered  to  the  Emperor.  Many  times 
it  has  been  communicated  that  business  relating  to  foreign  countries  cannot 
be  transacted  here  in  Uraga,  but  in  Nagasaki.  Now  it  has  been  observed 
that  the  Admiral,  in  his  quality  of  ambassador  of  the  President,  would  be 
insulted  by  it ; the  justice  of  this  has  been  acknowledged ; consequently,  the 
above  mentioned  letter  is  hereby  received,  in  opposition  to  the  Japanese 
law. 

“ Because  the  place  is  not  designed  to  treat  of  anything  from  foreigners, 
so  neither  can  conference  nor  entertainment  take  place.  The  letter  being 
received  you  will  leave  here. 

[Here  follow  fac-similes  of  Signatures  in  Japanese.] 

“ The  ninth  of  the  sixth  month.” 

The  above  is  a literal  translation  from  the  Dutch,  in  which  language  the 
conferences  were  held,  and  into  which  the  receipt  of  the  chief  counsellors, 
the  princes  of  Idzu  and  Iwami,  was,  doubtless,  badly  translated  from  the 
Japanese  by  their  interpreter. 

The  following  would  probably  be  the  correct  translation  from  the 
J apanese : 

“ The  letter  of  the  President  of  the  United  States  of  North  America, 
and  copy,  are  hereby  received,  and  will  be  delivered  to  the  Emperor. 

“ It  has  been  many  times  intimated  that  business  relating  to  foreign 
countries  cannot  be  transacted  here  in  Uraga,  but  at  Nagasaki ; nevertheless, 
as  it  has  been  observed  that  the  Admiral,  in  his  quality  of  ambassador  of 
the  President,  would  feel  himself  insulted  by  a refusal  to  receive  the  letter 
at  this  place,  the  justice  of  which  has  been  acknowledged,  the  above  men- 
tioned letter  is  hereby  received,  in  opposition  to  the  Japanese  law. 

“ As  this  is  not  a place  wherein  to  negotiate  with  foreigners,  so  neither 
can  conferences  nor  entertainment  be  held.  Therefore,  as  the  letter  has 
been  received  you  can  depart.” 

After  a silence  of  some  few  minutes,  the  Commodore  directed  his  inter- 
preters to  inform  the  Japanese  that  he  would  leave,  with  the  squadron,  for 
Lew  Chew  and  Canton  in  two  or  three  days,  and  to  offer  to  the  government 
his  services,  if  it  wished  to  send  any  despatches  or  messages  to  those  places. 
The  Commodore  also  stated  that  it  was  his  intention  to  return  to  Japan  in 


RETURN  TO  THE  SHIPS. 


303 


the  approaching  spring,  perhaps  in  April  or  May.  Tatznoske  then  asked  the 
Dutch  interpreter  to  repeat  what  he  had  said  about  the  Commodore’s  leaving 
and  returning,  which  he  did,  using  the  same  words  as  before.  Then  the 
question  was  asked  “ whether  the  Commodore  would  return  with  all  four 
vessels  ? ” “ All  of  them,”  answered  the  Commodore,  “ and  probably  more, 

as  these  are  only  a portion  of  the  squadron.”  Allusion  had  been  made  to 
the  revolution  in  China,  and  the  interpreter  asked  its  cause,  without  how- 
ever translating  to  the  Japanese  princes,  to  which  the  Commodore  dictated 
the  reply,  that  “ it  was  on  account  of  the  government.” 

Yezaiman  and  Tatznoske  now  bowed,  and,  rising  from  their  knees,  drew 
the  fastenings  around  the  scarlet  box,  and  informing  the  Commodore’s  inter- 
preter that  there  was  nothing  more  to  be  done,  passed  out  of  the  apartment, 
bowing  to  those  on  either  side  as  they  went.  The  Commodore  now  rose  to 
take  leave,  and,  as  he  departed,  the  two  princes,  still  preserving  absolute 
silence,  also  arose  and  stood  until  the  strangers  had  passed  from  their 
presence. 

The  Commodore  and  his  suite  were  detained  a short  time  at  the  entrance 
of  the  building  waiting  for  their  barge,  whereupon  Yezaiman  and  his  inter- 
preter returned  and  asked  some  of  the  party  what  they  were  waiting  for ; to 
which  they  received  the  reply,  “ For  the  Commodore’s  boat.”  Nothing 
further  was  said.  The  whole  interview  had  not  occupied  more  than  from 
twenty  to  thirty  minutes,  and  had  been  conducted  with  the  greatest  formality, 
though  with  the  most  perfect  courtesy  in  every  respect. 

The  procession  re-formed  as  before,  and  the  Commodore  was  escorted  to 
his  barge,  and,  embarking,  was  rowed  off  towards  his  ship,  followed  by  the 
other  American  and  the  two  Japanese  boats  which  contained  the  governor 
of  Uraga  and  his  attendants,  the  bands  meanwhile  playing  our  national  airs 
with  great  spirit  as  the  boats  pulled  off  to  the  ships.  While  there  was  some 
little  delay  in  embarking  all  the  party,  in  consequence  of  the  smallness  of 
the  landing  place,  which  was  now  flanked  by  some  sixty  or  seventy  Japanese 
government  boats,  the  soldiers  took  occasion  to  crowd  in  from  various  parts 
of  the  shore,  either  to  satisfy  their  curiosity,  or  to  show  a more  formidable 
front ; and  it  must  be  confessed  that,  had  such  been  the  disposition  of  the 
Japanese,  there  would  have  been  no  difficulty,  with  their  large  force,  in  com- 
pletely hemming  in  the  Americans. 


CHAPTER  XIV 


Concessions  of  the  Japanese. — Relaxation  of  their  restrictive  laws.— Satisfaction  of  both  Japanese  and 
Americans  at  the  result  of  the  visit  on  shore  and  delivery  of  the  President's  letter.— Tisit  of  Keyama 
Tezaimen  to  the  ships. — Impudence  of  the  interpreter  Saboroske. — The  squadron  goes  farther  up  the 
bay  toward  the  capital. — Policy  of  this  movement. — ^Alarm  of  the  Japanese  gradually  quieted. — Beau- 
tiful scenery  up  the  bay. — Survey  of  the  bay  continued. — Conviviality  on  board. — Surveying  boats 
enter  a small  river. — Cordial  greeting  of  the  inhabitants. — Crowd  dispersed  by  a Japanese  official- 
Commodore  transfers  his  pennant  from  the  Susquehanna  to  the  Mississippi — ^The  last-named  vessel 
goes  up  in  sight  of  the  shipping  place  of  Ycdo. — Sinagawa. — Yedo  about  ten  miles  distant  from  the 
point  where  the  ships  turned  about — Good  depth  of  water  in  Yedo  bay,  probably  almost  up  to  the 
city. — The  bay  pretty  thoroughly  explored  and  sounded  by  the  surveying  parties. — Interchange  of 
presents  with  the  Japanese  officers. — Avowed  sorrow  of  Japanese  officials  on  bidding  farewell  to  the 
Americans. — Commodore’s  reasons  for  not  waiting  for  a reply  to  the  President's  letter. — ^Leaves  Yedo 
bay  declaring  his  Intention  to  return  in  the  ensuing  spring. — The  Saratoga  sent  to  Shanghai  to  look 
after  American  interests. — The  Plymonth  ordered  to  Lew  Chew. — Oho-sima. — Ships  encounter  a 
storm. — General  results  of  the  first  visit  of  the  squadron  to  the  bay  of  Yedo. 

HE  Commodore  had,  pre- 
vious to  setting  out  on  the 
expedition  ashore,  placed  his 
two  steamers  in  such  a posi- 
tion as  to  command  the  lit- 
tle hay,  and  had  given  orders 
that  the  decks  should  he 
cleared  and  everything  made 
ready  for  action.  Ho'wit- 
zers  were  placed  in  boats 
, in  readiness  to  he 
id  at  a moment’s 
notice,  in  case  any  trouble 
should  occur  on  land,  and 
the  ship’s  guns  were  prepared  to  send  their  balls  and  shells  in  showers  upon 
all  the  line  of  Japanese  troops  which  thronged  the  shore,  had  they  com- 
menced hostilities.  There  was,  however,  no  serious  apprehension  felt  of 
any  warlike  termination  to  the  ceremonies  of  the  day,  although  every  pre- 
caution was  properly  taken  to  provide  against  the  least  untoward  occurrence- 


JAPANESE  CONCESSIONS. 


305 


When  the  reception  was  over,  there  was  a general  feeling  of  satisfaction  on 
the  part  of  every  man  in  the  squadron  at  the  successful  result.  Judged  by 
the  ordinary  relations  of  civilized  nations,  there  was  not  much  ground  for 
congratulation,  but  when  considered  in  reference  to  the  exclusive  policy  of 
Japan,  there  was  every  reason  for  a proud  self-satisfaction  on  the  part  of 
each  American  who  had  shared  in  the  event  of  the  day. 

The  justice  of  the  Commodore’s  demand  to  be  received  as  befitted  the 
envoy  of  a great  nation,  was  acknowledged  in  the  remarkable  document 
received  from  the  imperial  government,  and  confirmed  in  the  most  impressive 
manner  by  the  proceedings  of  the  day,  when  two  of  the  chief  princes  of  the 
Empire,  acting  as  the  immediate  representatives  of  the  highest  authority, 
had  so  far  raised  the  iron-like  mask  of  Japanese  reserve  as  to  show  them- 
selves face  to  face  to  the  Americans,  and  receive  from  the  hands  of  an 
American  ambassador  an  urgent  invitation  to  share  in  the  comity  of  nations. 
“ As  it  has  been  observed  that  the  Admiral,  in  his  quality  of  ambassador  of 
the  President,  would  feel  himself  insulted  by  a refusal  to  receive  the  letter 
at  this  place,  the  justice  of  which  has  been  acknowledged,  the  above  men- 
tioned letter  is  hereby  received  in  opposition  to  the  Japanese  laws.”  Such 
are  the  remarkable  words  of  the  Japanese  document,  and  thus,  in  this 
striking  phrase,  “ in  opposition  to  the  Japanese  laws,''''  has  Japan  herself 
emphatically  recorded  the  American  triumph,  as  she  has,  perhaps,  foretold 
her  own  regeneration.  The  vigorous  grasp  of  the  hand  of  America  which 
was  proffered  in  a friendly  spirit,  but  thrust  forward  with  an  energy  that 
proved  the  power  to  strike,  as  well  as  the  disposition  to  embrace,  had 
stirred  Japanese  isolation  into  a sensibility  of  its  relationship  to  the  rest  of 
the  world.  Japan  had  broken  its  own  code  of  selfish  exclusiveness  to  obey 
the  universal  law  of  hospitality. 

The  concession  to  the  demands  of  the  Commodore,  though  great  for  the 
Japanese,  was  yet  very  far  from  all  that  was  to  be  reasonably  demanded  on 
the  score  of  the  usual  comity  of  nations.  The  communication  from  the 
government  of  Japan,  remarkable  as  it  was  for  its  breaking  through  the  Ja- 
panese law  of  exclusion,  was  still  marked  with  traces  of  their  restrictive 
policy,  and  contained  these  words : “ Therefore,  as  the  letter  has  been  re- 
ceived, you  can  depart.”  The  Commodore,  to  show  how  little  he  regarded 
the  order  of  the  princes  to  depart,  had  no  sooner  reached  the  ship,  after  the 
interview  on  shore,  than  he  ordered  the  whole  squadron  to  get  under  way. 
This  was  not  to  leave  the  bay,  as  the  princes  doubtless  expected,  but  to  go 
higher  up.  The  Commodore  determined  to  examine  the  channel  toward 
Yedo,  being  satisfied  that  the  employment  of  so  large  a force  in  surveying 
service,  and  in  so  near  a neighborhood  to  the  capital,  would  produce  a deci- 
ded influence  upon  the  pride  and  conceit  of  the  government,  and  cause  a 
more  favorable  consideration  of  the  President’s  letter. 

The  governor  of  Uraga,  Yezaimen,  and  Saboroske,  with  the  interpreters, 

20 


306 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


had  accompanied  the  party  on  the  return  to  the  ships,  and,  on  going  on 
board  of  the  Susquehanna,  were  received  by  the  captains  and  the  Commo- 
dore’s aid  in  the  upper  cabin,  where  the  following  conversation  ensued ; 

Yezaimen.  We  are  happy  to  state  that  everything  has  passed  off  well 
and  favorably. 

Captain  Buchanan.  We  hope  that  Japan  and  the  United  States  will 
always  be  friends. 

Yezaimen.  When  do  you  intend  to  go  away? 

Capt.  B.  In  the  eourse  of  two  or  three  days.  The  Commodore  is 
going  to  take  a sail  up  the  bay  to  see  the  anchorage.  He  does  not  like  his 
first  place  of  anchorage. 

Yezaimen.  Will  you  anchor  there  ? 

Capt.  B.  Only  for  two  or  three  days,  until  we  get  ready  to  go  to  sea. 

Yezaimen.  We  desire  to  take  leave  officially  to-day,  that  it  may  not 
be  necessary  for  us  to  return  before  you  go. 

Capt.  B.  We  hope  to  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  again  before 
many  months.  Commodore  Perry  did  not  bring  this  time  with  him  the 
presents  intended  for  the  Emperor  of  Japan,  but  when  he  comes  again  he 
will  bring  them.  Among  them  is  a steam  engine  or  loeomotive,  for  rail- 
roads. 

Lieut.  Contee.  There  is  also  among  them  a telegraph  long  enough  to 
reach  from  Uraga  to  Yedo,  by  means  of  which  you  can  speak  from  one 
place  to  another  in  a single  second.  ’ 

Yezaimen.  How  many  miles  can  you  make  in  an  hour  with  your  steam 
engine  ? 

Lieut.  C.  Eight  Japanese  or  thirteen  American  miles,  with  steam  only 
and  without  wind.  In  the  United  States,  there  are  some  very  light 
steamers  on  the  river  which  can  go  eighteen  miles  an  hour. 

Yezaimen.  Where  were  steamers  first  invented  ? 

Lieut.  C.  In  Ameriea  : an  American  named  Fulton  first  invented  them 
in  New  York. 

Yezaimen  having  been  urged  to  remain  and  observe  the  engine  in  mo- 
tion, his  curiosity  prompted  him  to  do  so,  and  his  boat  and  that  of  Sab- 
oroske  being  taken  in  tow,  these  two  officials  and  their  interpreters,  while 
the  anchors  were  weighing  and  the  steamers  were  proceeding  to  their  old 
anchorage,  partook  freely  of  the  hospitalities  of  the  officers,  and  busied 
themselves  in  gratifying  their  natural  desire  of  seeing  aU  that  was  to  be  seen 
on  board  the  ship. 

These  Japanese  officials,  evincing  as  they  always  did  a certain  reserved 
curiosity,  yet  showed  an  intelligent  interest  in  the  structure  of  the  steamer 
and  all  that  pertained  to  its  appointments.  While  the  engines  were  in  mo- 
tion they  minutely  inspected  every  part,  but  exhibited  no  fear,  nor  any  of 
that  startled  surprise  that  would  be  expected  of  those  who  were  entirely 


SQUADRON  ASCENDS  THE  BAT. 


307 


ignorant  of  their  mechanism.  They  seemed  to  acquire  rapidly  some  insight 
into  the  nature  of  steam,  and  into  the  mode  by  which  it  was  applied  to 
put  into  action  the  great  engine  and  move  by  its  power  the  wheels  of  the 
steamers.  Their  questions  were  of  the  most  intelligent  character,  and  they 
asked  again  by  whom  steamers  were  first  discovered,  and  to  what  speed  they 
could  be  propelled  through  the  water.  They  examined  with  marked  inter- 
est various  engravings  which  were  shown  them  of  American  river  and  sea 
steam  vessels,  and  also  some  views  of  New  York,  New  Orleans,  and  San 
Francisco,  which  happened  to  be  on  board.  Yezaimen  having  observed  the 
revolvers  in  the  belts  of  some  of  the  American  officers,  expressed  a desire 
to  examine  the  construction  and  see  one  let  off.  His  curiosity  was  accord- 
ingly  gratified  by  one  of  the  captains,  who  fired  off  a revolver  from  the 
quarter  deck,  and  he  watched  the  repeated  discharges  of  the  six  barrels 
with  very  evident  astonishment  but  no  alarm. 

There  was  a marked  contrast  observed  between  the  bearing  of  the  two 
officials.  While  Yezaimen  always  exhibited  a modest  reserve  of  manner, 
Saboroske  was  bold  and  pushing.  The  former  evinced  an  intelligent  cui'ios- 
ity,  but  the  latter  showed  an  importunate  inquisitiveness.  Yezaimen  was 
always  the  quiet,  courteous,  and  reserved  gentleman,  but  Saboroske  was  per- 
petually bustling,  rude,  and  intrusive.  The  latter  was  continually  peering 
his  bold  and  impudent  face  into  every  nook  and  corner,  whether  invited  or 
not,  and  appeared  more  desirous  of  acting  the  spy  than  of  gratifying  the  in- 
terest of  a liberal  curiosity. 

A shrill  blast  of  the  steam  whistle  now  announced  the  arrival  of  the 
steamers  off  Uraga,  and  startled  the  J apanese  to  their  feet,  as  the  time  of 
their  departure  had  arrived.  The  engines  were  stopped  for  a few  minutes 
while  the  J apanese  boats  were  brought  alongside  from  the  stern,  where  they 
had  been  in  tow.  Yezaimen  and  his  party  were  evidently  disappointed  that 
their  visit  was  brought  so  soon  to  a close,  and  expressed  some  reluctance  at 
leaving  before  they  had  fully  gratified  their  curiosity. 

The  whole  squadron  now  got  in  position,  the  steamers  having  been 
joined  by  the  two  sloops-of-war,  the  Plymouth  and  Saratoga,  and  all  four 
ships  presented  a formidable  array  as  they  stood  oflf  in  a line  abreast  of  each 
other  and  advanced  with  running  lines  of  soundings  up  the  bay.  The 
course  was  now  directed  toward  the  eastern  shore,  leaving  on  the  west  the 
promontory  of  Uraga  and  a beautiful  bay  beyond,  which  disclosed  to  the 
view  its  surrounding  hills  of  the  richest  verdure  with  numerous  villages  at 
their  base,  as  the  squadron  moved  along  in  a diagonal  line. 

As  the  land  on  the  west  was  approached  to  within  three  miles,  it  was 
seen  to  rise  gradually  from  the  undulating  slopes,  near  the  waters  of  the 
bay,  to  steep  mountains  in  the  distance.  Fertile  fields,  expanding  parks, 
bounded  with  plantations,  and  varied  here  and  there  with  carefully  arranged 
clumps  of  trees  of  advanced  but  vigorous  growth,  terraces  lifting  their 


308 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN, 


smooth  surfaces  one  above  the  other,  in  the  richest  and  greenest  of  verdure, 
and  retired  groves  of  deep  shade,  showed  upon  the  acclivities  of  the  nearer 
range  of  hills  all  the  marks  of  a long  and  most  perfect  cultivation,  and  pre- 
sented a beauty  of  landscape  unrivalled  even  by  the  garden-like  scenery  of 
England  when  clothed  in  the  fresh  charms  of  a verdant  spring.  The  dis- 
tant hills  were  rugged  and  bare,  and  apparently  without  cultivation,  but 
gave,  by  their  contrasting  barrenness  and  rudeness  of  aspect,  a heightened 
beauty  to  the  rich  culture  of  the  land  which  gradually  undulated  from  their 
base  to  the  waters  of  the  bay.  As  the  squadron  advanced  toward  the 
north  the  shore  became  more  level,  and  a stretch  of  sand  was  observed  to 
extend  for  three  or  four  miles  into  the  bay,  and  to  arise  near  its  termina- 
tion into  two  considei’able  elevations,  upon  which  forts  with  ten  guns  each 
were  erected,  and  there  the  Japanese  troops  had  been  seen  to  gather. 

The  ships  now  directed  their  course  toward  the  proposed  place  for  an- 
choring, which  had  been  surveyed  by  Lieutenant  Bent  on  the  previous  sur- 
veying expedition.  Keeping  in  view  a bold  headland,  which  bounded  the 
upper  part  of  the  bay,  to  which  the  squadron  was  tending,  the  ships  steered 
toward  the  western  shore,  and  finally  dropped  their  anchors  in  the  afternoon 
in  a place  which  the  Commodore  then  named  the  American  Anchorage. 
This  was  about  ten  miles  distant  from  the  first  anchorage  off  Uraga,  and  a 
mile  and  a half  from  the  shore,  in  a depth  of  water  which  gave  full  thirteen 
fathoms.  Within  the  bay  in  which  the  ships  were  anchored  were  two  beau- 
tiful islands,  covered  with  a green  growth  of  herbage  and  scattered  groves. 
The  coast  which  bounded  the  anchorage  was  composed  of  a succession  of 
steep  cliffs  of  white  rock,  the  summits  of  which  were  covered  with  a fertile 
soil,  which  produced  a rich  vegetation  that  hung  over  from  above  in  heavj' 
festoons  of  green  shrubbery  and  trailing  vines  and  plants,  while  the  sea  had 
washed  the  base  of  the  cliffs  here  and  there  into  caverns  where  the  water 
flowed  in  and  out.  The  headland  at  the  north  was  about  six  miles  distant 
and  descended  in  green  slopes  to  the  bay,  and  from  the  thick  growth  of 
trees  which  covered  them  a white  smoke  was  observed  to  wind  through  the 
close  foliage,  and  was  supposed  to  indicate  the  presence  of  some  encampment. 
A great  number  of  the  usual  government  boats,  distinguished  by  red  ban- 
ners, lined  a long  stretch  of  the  shore  of  nearly  a mile  in  length,  and 
the  fortresses  had  extended  their  usual  cotton  cloth  batteries  or  screens, 
which  were  now,  on  longer  experience,  supposed  to  be  rather  military  em- 
blems, like  the  flag  and  banners,  than  sham  exhibitions  of  force  and  in- 
tended evidences  of  hostility. 

Immediately  on  anchoring  the  Commodore  ordered  the  boats  out  upon  a 
surveying  expedition,  and  although  this  seemed  to  bring  out  the  soldiers  in 
numbers  about  the  battery  which  lay  opposite  to  the  ships,  as  well  as  some 
of  the  government  boats  which  were  moored  along  the  shore,  there  was  no 
direct  interference  with  the  surveying  party.  The  Japanese  boats,  how- 


ALARM  OF  JAPANESE  OFFICIALS. 


309 


ever,  moved  backward  and  forward,  as  if  watching  the  movement  of  the 
ship’s  cutters,  hut  seemed  indisposed  to  do  more  than  show  themselves  in 
force  and  on  the  alert.  Soon,  however,  Yezaimen  and  his  interpreters  were 
seen  to  approach  the  Susquehanna,  in  their  usual  boat,  which  the  Japanese 
oarsmen  were  sculling  with  all  their  might,  and  at  once  dashed  up  alongside 
the  steamer.  Yezaimen  and  his  companions  hurried  up  the  companion  way, 
and  were  evidently  much  ruffled,  and  in  a state  of  great  anxiety.  They 
were  at  once  ushered  into  the  cabin,  where  they  were  received  as  usual  by 
the  captains,  who  were  coolly  prepared  to  listen  to  what  they  had  to  say. 
Tatznoske  at  once  burst  out  with  the  question,  “ Why  do  your  ships  anchor 
here  ? ” He  was  answered  that,  as  they  had  been  already  informed  by  the 
Commodore,  the  ships  had  advanced  up  the  bay  in  order  to  obtain  a more 
secure  anchorage.  The  interpreter  then  stated  that  that  part  of  the  Japan- 
ese waters  had  always  been  hitherto  respected  by  strangers,  and  that  the 
squadron  must  not  go  any  further.  He  then  asked  whether  the  Commodore 
intended  to  go  beyond,  and  if  not,  how  long  he  intended  to  remain  where  he 
then  was  ? He  was  told  that  the  Commodore  intended  to  remain  three  or 
four  days  longer  for  the  purpose  of  finding  out  a good  anchorage,  as  he  was 
to  return  in  the  ensuing  spring  with  many  more  ships  and  men,  and  that  it 
was  desirable  that  the  most  secure  place  should  be  found  for  mooring  his  ves- 
sels, and  that  for  this  purpose  it  was  necessary  to  survey  the  bay.  Uraga 
had  been  tried,  but  it  was  found  insecure,  as  the  water  was  rough,  and  the 
winds  occasionally  blew  there  with  great  force.  Upon  the  interpreter,  Tatz- 
noske, asserting  that  the  Commodore  had  promised  to  leave  the  bay  immedi- 
ately on  the  reception  of  the  President’s  letter  by  the  princes,  he  was  re- 
minded that  the  Commodore  had  only  promised  to  leave  the  shore,  but  had 
distinctly  stated  that  it  was  his  intention  to  advance  further  up  the  bay  with 
the  ships.  The  interpreter  continued,  by  declaring  that  if  the  surveying 
boats  should  approach  any  nearer  to  the  land  there  would  be  trouble, 
as  the  people  were  already  under  considerable  excitement  from  observing 
the  close  neighborhood  of  the  strangers.  He  was  then  told  that  there  was 
no  need  for  any  anxiety,  as  the  boats  should  not  land,  and  the  Americans 
would  not  interfere  with  the  Japanese  unless  they  were  first  disturbed  by 
them.  Yezaimen  still  persisted  through  his  interpreters  upon  the  squadron 
leaving,  and  courteously  expressed  his  assurance  that  the  Japanese  govern- 
ment was  favorably  disposed  toward  the  Americans,  and  that  as  the  Presi- 
dent’s letter  had  been  received  it  would  undoubtedly  be  considered  with  a 
favorable  disposition.  He  concluded  by  expressing  the  hope,  that  on  the 
next  visit  of  the  Commodore  he  would  not  advance  any  further  up  the  bay 
than  Uraga,  as  that  place  offered  every  convenience  for  the  proposed  negoti- 
ation. Yezaimen  was  now  assured  that  the  Americans  came  as  friends,  and 
that  therefore  it  was  quite  unreasonable  that  any  opposition  should  be  made 
to  their  ships  seeking  a suitable  anchorage.  They  were,  moreover,  told  that 


310 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


it  was  the  custom  in  the  United  States  to  aiford  every  facility  to  foreigners 
in  that  respect,  and  that  if  the  Japanese  came  to  the  United  States  they 
would  find  the  navigable  waters  of  the  country  free  to  them,  and  that  they 
would  not  be  debarred  even  from  the  rich  gold  fields  of  California. 

Yezaimen  had  nothing  more  to  say,  and,  whether  persuaded  or  not,  had 
the  courtesy  to  refrain  from  pushing  his  demands  any  further.  He  and  his 
companions,  upon  being  invited  to  partake  of  some  refreshments,  readily 
complied,  and  were  soon  engaged  in  discussing  with  a vigorous  appetite  the 
collation  that  was  spread  before  them.  Another  government  boat  was  at 
this  juncture  announced  as  being  alongside,  when  immediately  the  Japanese 
officials  who  were  on  board  of  it  were  invited  to  share  in  the  hospitalities  of 
the  cabin.  Quite  a convivial  scene  ensued,  in  the  course  of  which  abundant 
supplies  of  ham,  ship’s  biscuit,  and  other  stores,  washed  down  by  plentiful 
draughts  of  whiskey,  quickly  disappeared.  The  cheer  seemed  to  be  much 
relished,  and  the  interpreters  were  so  exceedingly  delighted,  that  they  de- 
sired to  bear  away  some  substantial  mementos  of  the  pleasant  feast,  and,  ac- 
cordingly, not  satisfied  with  well-filled  paunches,  they  carried  ofiF  in  their 
capacious  sleeves  pieces  of  the  bread  and  ham,  wherewith  to  refresh  their 
memories  and  their  future  appetites.  As  the  night  approached,  the  Japan- 
ese took  their  departure,  full  of  courteous  expressions  of  satisfaction  at  the 
hospitality  of  the  ships. 

The  following  morning  (July  15th)  a surveying  party  was  again,  at  a 
very  early  hour,  dispatched  by  the  Commodore  to  sound  further  np  the  bay. 
Three  of  the  boats  pulled  round  to  the  other  side  of  the  battery  which  shut 
out  a part  of  the  country  inland  from  the  view  of  those  on  board  ship. 
Here  they  found  an  inlet  and  a beautiful  surrounding  cormtry  watered  by  a 
stream,  upon  the  fertile  borders  of  which  were  grouped  a great  number  of 
picturesque  Japanese  villages,  while  fertile  fields  and  highly  cultivated  gar- 
dens stretched  out  beyond  them.  The  officers  ordered  their  boats  up  the 
river,  and  were  met  as  they  advanced  by  crowds  of  the  inhabitants,  gather- 
ing upon  the  shores  to  satisfy  their  curiosity  in  a look  at  the  strangers. 
Some  of  the  people  greeted  the  boats  with  every  indication  of  welcome, 
and  readily  supplied  those  on  board  with  water  and  some  excellent 
peaches.  There  were  a few  government  boats  lying  near,  and  the  officers  on 
board  gladly  welcomed  our  people  to  a vi,sit,  in  the  course  of  which  such  a 
mutual  friendliness  sprung  up  that  the  Americans  joined  the  Japanese  in  a 
social  pipe  or  two  of  tobacco.  Our  officers,  in  return  for  their  hospitable 
entertainment,  amused  their  newly-found  hosts  with  an  exhibition  of  their 
revolvers,  and  fired  them  off,  to  the  intense  surprise  and  delight  of  the  Ja- 
panese. In  the  midst  of  this  enjoyment  of  social  intercourse,  where  the 
greatest  harmony  prevailed,  and  in  which  the  Japanese  seemed  remarkably 
genial  in  manner  and  expansive  in  hospitality,  down  came  some  severe  offi- 


FURTHER  PROGRESS  UP  THE  BAT, 


311 


cial,  and  beckoned  off  bis  countrymen,  who  rapidly  scattered  away,  like  so 
many  children  caught  in  the  very  act  of  some  awful  disobedience. 

On  the  return  of  the  ships’  boats  from  sounding,  all  the  officers  and  men 
were  in  raptures  with  the  kindly  disposition  of  the  Japanese  and  the  beauty 
of  their  country.  In  fact,  nothing  could  be  more  picturesque  than  the 
landscapes  wherever  the  eye  was  directed,  and  even  those  on  board  ship 
never  tired  of  looking  at  the  surrounding  shores.  The  high  cultivation  of 
the  land  everywhere,  the  deep,  rich  green  of  all  the  vegetation,  the  innu- 
merable thrifty  villages  embowered  in  groves  of  trees  at  the  heads  of  the  in- 
lets which  broke  the  uniformity  of  the  bay,  and  the  rivulets  flowing  down  the 
green  slopes  of  the  hills  and  calmly  winding  through  the  meadows,  combined 
to  present  a scene  of  beauty,  abundance,  and  happiness,  which  every  one  de- 
lighted to  contemplate. 

In  the  course  of  the  afternoon  the  Commodore  transferred  his  pennant 
from  the  Susquehanna  to  the  Mississippi.  He  then  proceeded  some  ten  miles 
further  up  the  bay  toward  Yedo,  and  reached  a point  estimated  to  be  distant 
twenty  miles  from  the  anchorage  at  Uraga.  The  port  or  shipping  place  of 
Yedo  was  distinctly  seen  on  the  southern  side  of  the  capital,  but  not  the 
capital  itself,  which,  being  composed  of  low  houses,  like  those  of  China,  was 
completely  hidden  behind  a projecting  point,  beyond  which  the  bay  took 
an  easterly  direction,  and  was  bounded  by  a shore  of  low  alluvial  land. 
The  town  observed  was  probably  Sinagawa,  a suburb  of  Yedo.  On  the 
western  side  of  the  bay  a view  was  obtained  of  Kanagawa  and  Konazaki, 
two  populous  places.  Some  four  miles  beyond  the  extreme  point  reached 
by  the  Mississippi  there  was  a cape  formed  by  a projecting  point  of  land, 
and  marked  by  a white  tower,  which  resembled  in  appearance  a light-house ; 
it  was  some  three  or  four  miles  still  further  where  the  shipping  and  sup- 
posed port  of  Yedo  appeared  to  the  view.  The  Commodore  thus  supposed 
that  he  had  taken  his  ship  within  ten  miles  of  Yedo,  and  as  the  lead  gave 
twenty  fathoms  where  he  put  about,  he  concluded  that  he  could  readily  have 
gone  still  higher  up.  He  was  apprehensive,  however,  of  causing  too  much 
alarm,  and  thus  throwing  some  obstacle  in  the  way  of  a favoradle  reception 
at  court  of  the  President’s  letter,  that  had  only  been  delivered  the  day  be- 
fore, and  which  was  probably  then  under  consideration.  The  Commodore 
thus  thinking  that  he  had  done  enough,  without  going  further,  caused  the 
ship  to  rejoin  the  squadron  at  the  “ American  Anchorage.” 

During  the  passage  of  the  Mississippi,  there  was  no  show  of  opposition 
to  her  movements,  although  there  was  a considerable  display  of  troops  about 
the  batteries,  loosely  grouped,  as  if  gathered  for  curiosity  and  not  for  mar- 
tial manifestation,  and  an  occasional  government  boat  put  out  from  the  shore 
with  the  apparent  design  of  watching  the  steamer.  While  the  Commodore 
was  absent  on  his  expedition  up  the  bay,  Yezaimen  and  his  interpreters  came 
alongside  the  Susquehanna,  bringing  some  boxes  containing  presents,  but 


312 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN, 


neither  they  nor  their  presents  were  received,  as  the  Commodore  had  given 
orders  that  no  one  from  the  shore  should  he  admitted  on  board  the  ship 
without  his  special  permission.  Upon  being  told  this,  the  Japanese  first 
expressed  a wish  to  wait,  but  finally  pushed  off,  saying  that  they  would  return 
another  time.  All  the  boats  which  could  be  spared  from  the  several  ships, 
amounting  to  twelve,  were  busily  engaged  during  the  whole  day  in  surveying 
the  western  shore  of  the  bay  above  Uraga. 

At  daylight  next  morning  (Saturday,)  16th  July  the  ships  were  moved 
to  a bay  about  five  miles  from  Uraga,  which  the  Commodore  named  “ Sus- 
quehanna Bay,”  and  in  the  survey  of  which  the  boats  were  kept  diligently 
occupied,  and  without  interference,  or,  in  fact,  any  expressed  objection. 
The  squadron  was  now  anchored  much  closer  to  the  shore  than  before,  at  a 
distance  of  less  than  a mile,  and  from  the  ship’s  deck  a distant  view  was  had  of 
the  land  on  the  west,  which  was  singularly  green  with  vegetation  and  beauti- 
ful in  aspect.  The  present  anchorage  was  completely  land-locked.  On  one 
side  was  the  charming  little  island,  named  “ Perry  Island  ” by  Lieutenant 
Bent,  who  was  in  command  of  the  surveying  party  which  first  examined  its 
neighboring  waters.  Out  of  the  trees  which  grew  to  the  summit  of  the 
rising  land  peered,  with  a suspicious  look,  a Japanese  battery.  Below,  some 
miles  to  the  south,  the  promontory  which  extends  out  into  the  bay  beyond 
Uraga  closed  in  the  ships  which  were  moored  so  far  under  the  cover  of  its 
lofty  flank,  that  the  view  of  the  eastern  shore  for  a considerable  extent  was 
entirely  blotted  out.  Two  villages,  of  the  name  of  Orsa  and  Torigasaki, 
nestled  among  the  trees  within  the  curve  of  the  bay,  and  presented  to  the 
eye  a charming  aspect  of  repose  and  rural  delight. 

Yezaimen,  the  governor  of  Uraga,  was  again  alongside  the  Susquehanna 
before  she  had  anchored.  He  came  to  renew  his  assurance  of  the  favorable 
reception  of  the  President’s  letter,  and  as  nothing  was  said  now  of  sending 
the  answer  to  Nagasaki,  it  seemed  that  the  nearer  the  Commodore  ap- 
proached the  imperial  city  of  the  Japanese  the  more  conciliating  and 
friendly  they  became.  The  governor  had  brought  with  him  some  presents, 
consisting  of  some  pieces  of  silk,  some  fans,  lacquered  tea-cups  and  tobacco 
pipes.  These  objects  were  interesting  as  specimens  of  Japanese  manufac- 
ture, and  though  not  very  valuable,  were  creditable  evidences  of  mechanical 
skill.  The  cups  were  made  of  a very  light  wood,  neatly  executed  and  beau- 
tifully polished  in  surface  with  the  famous  Japanese  lacquer.  The  silks 
were  of  fine  texture,  richly  interwoven  with  braids  of  gold  and  silver,  ela- 
borately wrought  into  various  ornamental  figures.  The  fans  were  covered 
with  those  “ dragons  and  chimeras  dire  ” in  which  the  grotesque  fancy  of 
Japanese  art  seems  especially  to  delight,  and  the  pipes  were  small  and  like 
what  had  been  previously  observed  in  use  among  the  Lew  Chewans. 

Yezaimen  was  informed,  by  the  orders  of  the  Commodore,  that  the  presents 
which  he  had  brought  could  not  be  received  unless  others  from  the  Commo- 


io  j k _ ±'-  .kTi-p.U-'trai 


■w 


V 


»• 


EXCHANGE  OF  PRESENTS. 


313 


dore  were  accepted  in  return.  To  this  Yezaimen  at  first  demurred  by  inter- 
posing the  invariable  plea  that  the  Japanese  law  forbade  it.  He  was  now 
answered  that  American  laws  enjoined  a reciprocity,  and  that  his  presents 
could  not  he  otherwise  received.  Finding  the  Commodore  resolute  upon  this, 
as  upon  all  other  points  of  ceremony,  Yezaimen  consented  at  last  to  receive 
in  return  whatever,  with  the  exception  of  arms,  there  was  a disposition  to 
give  to  him.  Accordingly,  some  few  articles  of  more  value  than  those 
brought  by  the  Japanese  were  sent  on  deck ; but  when  Yezaimen  saw  them,  he 
declared  that  they  were  of  too  much  value,  and  that  he  dared  not  take  on  shore 
anything  but  what  he  and  his  interpreter  could  conceal  about  their  persons. 
He  was  then  informed  that  if  he  could  not  receive  the  articles  openly,  and 
without  concealment,  that  those  which  he  had  brought  with  him  would  be 
put  back  into  his  boat.  He  then  departed,  carrying  with  him  all  the  Com- 
modore’s presents,  with  the  exception  of  three  swords,  which  he  was  permit- 
ted to  leave. 

In  the  afternoon,  Yezaimen  and  his  interpreters  came  on  board  again, 
with  a trifling  present  of  some  fowls  in  wicker  cages  and  several  boxes  of 
eggs.  They  seemed  in  very  good  humor,  as  there  had  been  no  objeetion 
urged  on  shore  to  their  retaining  the  presents  they  had  received  from  the 
Commodore  in  the  morning.  The  Commodore,  on  receiving  the  fowls  and 
eggs,  sent  presents  to  the  wives  of  the  J apanese  officials,  as  he  was  deter- 
mined to  be  under  no  obligation  to  them.  Another  important  point  had 
been  gained  in  persuading  the  Japanese  to  consent  to  an  exchange  of  pres- 
ents, a eoncession  which  had  hitherto  been  unprecedented  in  all  their  previ- 
ous relations  with  foreign  nations. 

A,mong  the  articles  given  to  Yezaimen  was  a large  box  containing  a va- 
riety of  American  seeds  and  some,  if  not  equally  useful,  not  less  acceptable, 
cases  of  wine.  The  governor  had  showed  his  appreciation  of  the  latter 
article  by  the  gusto  with  which  he  shared  in  the  conviviality  on  board,  which 
marked  his  last  visit.  Yezaimen  and  his  interpreters,  Tatznoske  and  Tok- 
saro,  evidently  lingered  with  pleasure  on  board  the  ship,  and  were  loth  to  say 
the  final  good-bye.  Over  the  board  which  was  spread  to  refresh  and  to  do 
honor  to  them  they  became  remarkably  jovial  and  communicative.  Yezai- 
men’s  disposition  was  naturally  genial,  and  it  became  still  more  expansive 
in  its  bonhommie  under  the  by  no  means  restricted  draughts  of  champagne. 
His  affection  towards  his  American  friends  was  liberally  acknowledged,  and 
he  confessed  such  a yearning  for  them  that  he  declared  he  would  not  be  able 
to  restrain  his  tears  on  their  departure.  The  interpreters,  though  less  bib- 
ulous and  more  reserved  than  their  superior,  were  evidently  in  a very  joyous 
mood  and  disposed  to  be  confidential.  Tatznoske,  with  a knowing  look, 
hinted  in  a low,  whispering  tone  of  voice,  that  the  President’s  letter  had  a 
very  fair  chance  of  a satisfactory  answer,  and  that  Yezaimen  had  a good 


314 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


prospect  of  promotion  from  the  governorship  of  Uraga  to  some  higher  grade 
of  othcial  distinction. 

The  Japanese,  however,  were  always  on  the  alert  to  gain  a point  in  di- 
plomacy, and  despite  their  convivial  freedom  did  not  forget  their  official 
duties.  Captain  Buchanan  had  informed  Tatznoske  of  the  intention  of  the 
Commodore  to  leave  Yedo  Bay  next  day,  whereupon  that  shrewd  gen- 
tleman put  down  his  glass  of  champagne,  and  showing  his  usual  eager  atten- 
tion to  business,  even  in  the  midst  of  pleasure,  asked  the  captain  for  a 
declaration  in  writing  of  what  he  had  said  in  words  about  the  squadron’s 
departure.  This  was  refused  with  an  expression  of  cold  reserve  on  the  part 
of  Captain  Buchanan,  as  it  would  seem  to  imply  a doubt  of  his  word. 

The  Japanese  officials  now  prepared  to  depart,  and  finally,  after  express- 
ing in  the  most  courteous  terms  their  thanks  for  the  treatment  they  had  re- 
ceived, and  their  regret  on  leaving  their  American  friends,  shook  all  the 
officers  warmly  by  the  hand,  and  went  bowing  and  smiling  over  the  side  of 
the  ship  into  their  boat.  No  sooner  were  they  seated  on  their  mats,  than 
Yezaimen  showed  his  appreciation  of  the  present  of  wine  by  ordering  one 
of  the  cases  to  be  immediately  opened,  and  taking  the  first  bottle  that  came, 
impatiently  knocked  off  its  neck,  and  without  more  ado  commenced  imbibing 
its  contents,  probably  desiring,  with  his  usual  courtesy,  to  drink  a parting 
health  to  his  American  friends.  His  boat  soon  pulled  out  of  sight  behind 
the  projecting  promontory  of  Uraga,  and  nothing  more  was  seen  of  the 
courteous  Yezaimen  and  his  worthy  and  learned  associates  Tatznoske  and 
Toksaro. 

The  survey  of  the  west  side  of  the  magnificent  bay  having  been  com- 
pleted from  Uraga  to  a point  about  fourteen  miles  below  Yedo,  and  the 
steamer  Mississippi  having  ascended  with  the  boats  and  sounded  six  miles 
nearer  to  that  capital,  the  Commodore  believed  that  a sufficient  knowledge 
was  obtained  of  the  navigation  of  the  bay  to  conduct  the  man-of-war,  the 
Vermont,  which  was  to  join  his  squadron  on  his  next  visit,  to  the  American 
anchorage,  or  even  higher  if  necessary. 

The  governor  of  Uraga,  as  will  have  been  observed,  had  evinced  a great 
anxiety,  during  the  several  conferences  on  board  the  Susquehanna,  to  learn 
how  long  the  Commodore  intended  to  remain  on  the  coast.  On  these  occa- 
sions Yezaimen  always  took  care  to  remark  that  it  was  the  custom  of  the 
Japanese  government  to  be  very  slow  in  deciding  upon  mattershaving  refer- 
ence to  foreign  countries.  In  consequence  of  these  representations,  and 
knowing  that  the  propositions  contained  in  the  President’s  letter  were  of 
such  importance  as  to  require  time  for  deliberation,  overturning,  as  they 
would,  if  acceded  to,  many  of  the  fundamental  laws  of  the  Empire,  the 
Commodore  deemed  it  advisable  not  to  wait  for  a reply.  To  these  were 
added  other  reasons  of  importance.  The  Commodore  had  not  provisions  or 
water  sufficient  to  allow  of  his  remaining  on  the  coast  more  than  a month 


SQUADRON  LEAVES  TEDO  BAT. 


31.5 


longer,  and  he  well  knew  that  the  Japanese  authorities  could  easily,  and 
with  every  apparent  show  of  reason,  defer  any  satisfactory  reply  to  a period 
beyond  the  time  when  it  would  be  absolutely  necessary  for  him  to  leave. 
They  would  he  prepared,  as  an  excuse  for  delay,  to  allege  the  necessity  of 
calling  together  and  conferring  with  the  princes  of  the  Empire,  as  also  of 
consulting  the  Dairi  or  Ecclesiastical  Emperor,  and  thus  the  Commodore 
might  he  put  off  from  day  to  day,  and  ultimately  he  obliged  to  sail  without 
any  satisfaction  whatever.  Such  a result  would  have  been  construed  into  a 
triumph  by  the  Japanese,  and  would  have  caused,  as  the  Commodore  be- 
lieved, a serious  injury  to  the  success  of  his  mission. 

The  Commodore,  moreover,  was  glad  to  have  a good  excuse  for  waiting 
until  the  ensuing  spring  for  the  final  answer  from  the  Japanese  government, 
because  he  knew  that  some  of  his  ships  were  required  to  protect  American 
interests  on  the  coast  of  China,  then  somewhat  endangered  in  consequence 
of  the  disturbed  state  of  that  country.  He  could  not  spare  any  of  the 
squadron  while  he  remained  in  Japan,  for  the  vessels  promised  by  the  Navy 
Department  had  not  yet  followed  him  as  he  had  expected.  He  was  also  unpre- 
pared to  respond  with  becoming  courtesy  to  any  concession  or  act  of  friend- 
liness on  the  part  of  the  Japanese  government,  in  consequence  of  not  hav- 
ing  received  the  presents  from  the  United  States  that  were  expected  in  the 
Vermont,  and  which  it  was  essential  to  have  ready  upon  the  reception  of 
a favorable  answer  to  the  President’s  letter. 

The  Commodoi'e  preferred,  then,  to  wait  until  the  ensuing  spring,  when 
he  would  be  able  to  concentrate  his  whole  force,  and  be  prepared  with  store 
and  coal  vessels,  and  all  other  conveniences  for  remaining  an  indefinite  time 
to  secure  whatever  concessions  the  Japanese  should  be  disposed  to  make. 
His  policy,  though  in  conformity  with  the  exigencies  of  his  position,  was  at 
the  same  time  a courteous  concession  to  the  deliberate  ceremoniousness  of 
Japanese  diplomacy,  and  was  crowned  by  the  happiest  result.  A letter  sig- 
nifying his  intention  to  leave  immediately  and  return  the  ensuing  spring  for 
an  answer  to  the  President’s  letter,  had  been,  it  will  be  recollected,  delivered 
with  that  letter  on  the  occasion  of  the  Commodore’s  reception  on  shore. 

The  squadron  left  the  anchorage  in  Susquehanna  Bay  on  Sunday  morn- 
ing, (July  17.)  With  the  steamer  Susquehanna  towing  the  Saratoga,  and 
the  Mississippi  the  Plymouth,  the  four  vessels  began  their  voyage  and  started 
away  rapidly  without  a yard  of  canvas  set.  The  morning  was  fine,  and 
as  the  departure  of  the  Americans  was  a great  event,  and  the  appearance 
of  the  four  ships  moving  off  in  stately  procession,  succeeding  each  other  in 
regular  line,  was  imposing  and  novel  to  the  Japanese  unfamiliar  with  the 
power  of  steam,  crowds  of  people  gathered  upon  the  land  to  behold  the 
sight.  As  the  promontory  of  Uraga  was  doubled  the  soldiers  thronged  out 
of  the  batteries,  and  hurrying  to  the  loftiest  summits  eagerly  looked  at  the 
passing  ships.  The  course  of  the  squadron  was  down  the  centre  of  the  bay. 


! 


316  EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 

and  the  inhabitants  on  both  shores  could,  in  the  clearness  of  the  day,  equally 
gratify  their  curiosity.  Many  were  not  content  with  the  distant  view, 
and  crowding  into  boats  had  pushed  off  in  the  stream  in  such  multitudes 
that  the  waters  were  covered  with  many  hundreds  of  them. 

As  the  squadron  steamed  out  of  the  bay  a parting  look  was  obtained  of 
the  lofty  summit  of  Mount  Fusi,  both  behind  and  in  advance ; as  the  ships 
took  an  easterly  course,  the  mountainous  coast  of  the  province  of  Awa,  at 
the  northern  entrance  to  the  lower  bay  of  Yedo,  rose  to  the  view.  Vries’ 
Island,  or,  as  it  is  otherwise  called,  Oo-Sima,  was  left  to  the  south ; and, 
though  partly  obscured  with  clouds,  the  convex  outline  of  the  lower  part  of 
its  mountainous  elevation  could  be  distinctly  traced.  The  course  of  the 
ships  was  now  directed  toward  the  south,  when  the  various  islands  which  ex- 
tend in  a line  from  the  mouth  of  the  bay  of  Yedo  were  gradually  ap- 
proached and  observed.  They  mostly  were  marked  with  the  usual  features 
of  volcanic  origin,  having  a rounded  contour,  with  their  summits  rising 
into  cones,  their  steep  sides  scarred  with  the  burning  currents  of  lava,  and 
their  bases  surrounded  with  irregular  shaped  detached  rocks.  A rich  vege- 
tation, as  is  common  in  such  latitudes,  had  thrown  its  green  mantle  over  the 
sides  of  some  of  the  islands,  which  presented  a striking  contrast  of  verdant 
beauty  with  the  bared  ribs  and  fire-blasted  surface  of  others.  Vulcan 
Island  was  conspicuous  among  the  rest  with  its  volcanic  summit  and  its  ac- 
clivities of  cooled  lava.  Fatsicio,  the  penal  island  of  Japan,  was  in  the  dis- 
tance at  the  south ; but  as  the  shades  of  evening  gathered  as  the  ships  ap- 
proached, it  was  not  come  up  with  before  it  was  too  dark  to  obtain  a good 
view.  As  several  of  the  islands  were  not  laid  down  in  any  of  the  charts  in 
possession  of  the  Commodore,  he  took  the  usual  privilege  of  American  and 
European  discoverers  and  gave  names  to  some  of  the  chain.  One  was 
called,  after  the  steamer,  the  Mississippi  Island ; a cluster  of  rocks,  de- 
scribed as  resembling  somewhat  the  basaltic  formation  of  the  Giant’s  Cause- 
way, was  called  after  the  Susquehanna ; and  the  other  ships,  the  Plymouth 
and  Saratoga,  each  came  in  for  the  honor  of  giving  her  name  to  a rock  or  an 
island.  The  whole  chain  was  composed  of  a great  number  of  islands  or 
islets,  as  many  as  eight  being  in  view  at  one  time.  They  showed  no  marks 
of  habitation;  but  froin  their  proximity  to  the  Japanese  coast  they  were 
probably  utilised  for  some  purpose  and  peopled  more  or  less.  Fatsicio,  it  is 
known,  is  used  as  a penal  settlement,  and  it  is  probable  some  of  the  other 
islands  may  be  forced  into  some  service  by  the  Japanese  people,  who  seem 
ever  on  the  alert  to  make  any  available  use  of  their  territory. 

On  the  next  day,  after  the  departure  of  the  squadron  from  Yedo  bay, 
the  wind,  which  had  been  steadily  blowing  from  east  to  E.  S.  E.,  began  to 
increase  with  such  force  as  made  it  necessary  to  cast  off  the  two  sloops-of- 
war,  the  commanders  of  which,  having  been  ordered  by  signal  to  proceed 
to  the  duty  previously  assigned  them,  then  parted  company.  Commander 


EESULTS  OF  FIEST  VISIT  TO  YEDO. 


317 


Walker,  in  the  Saratoga,  had  received  written  instructions  from  the  Com- 
modore to  make  the  best  of  his  way  to  Shanghai  to  protect  American  life 
and  property  and  to  look  after  the  general  interests  of  the  United  States  in 
that  vicinity.  Commander  Kelly,  in  the  Plymouth,  was  instructed  to  pro- 
ceed to  Lew  Chew,  and  on  his  way  to  examine  the  western  shores  of  Oho- 
Sima.  It  was  the  intention  cf  the  Commodore  to  have  surveyed  the  east- 
ern shores  of  this  island,  but  he  was  prevented  by  the  weather. 

After  the  Plymouth  and  Saratoga  had  been  cast  off,  the  wind  gradually 
increased  to  a strong  gale.  The  two  steamers  were  now  hove  to  on  the  port 
tack.  The  wind  being  at  east  by  south,  beating  up  an  ugly  sea,  the  Susque- 
hanna rolled  very  deeply,  but  otherwise  made  tolerable  weather.  The  Mis- 
sissippi apparently  was  doing  better,  but  nevertheless  lost  two  of  her  boats 
during  the  gale.  The  storm  did  not  begin  to  abate  until  the  third  day, 
when  the  Commodore  continued  his  course,  without  delay,  for  Napha. 
During  the  passage  to  and  from  Yedo  bay,  the  current  set  invariably  with 
more  or  less  strength,  according  to  the  wind,  to  the  north  and  east,  while  in 
the  bay  of  Yedo  itself,  the  tides  were  regular  and  set  up  and  down  the 
channel  opposite  Uraga  at  the  rate  of  two  and  a half  knots. 

At  the  close  of  a chapter  which  completes  the  account  of  the  first  visit 
of  Commodore  Perry  to  Japan,  it  seems  appropriate  to  sum  up  briefly  the 
results  of  that  visit.  Short  as  was  the  stay  of  the  squadron  in  the  waters 
of  the  bay  of  Yedo,  the  ships  having  first  anchored  on  the  eighth  of  July 
and  taken  their  departure  on  the  seventeenth  of  the  same  month,  no  unim- 
portant results  had  been  effected.  These,  to  be  fully  appreciated,  must  be 
considered  not  absolutely  in  regard  to  their  own  intrinsic  value,  but  rela- 
tively to  the  former  policy  of  Japan,  in  its  restricted  intercourse  with  for- 
eign nations. 

During  the  eight  days,  which  was  the  full  extent  of  his  first  visit.  Com- 
modore Perry  had  gained  in  behalf  of  his  country  several  advantages 
hitherto  denied  to  all  other  nations.  It  is  true  certain  concessions  had 
been  made,  but  in  a very  limited  degree,  to  the  Dutch  and  Chinese ; and 
these,  small  as  they  were,  were  awarded  to  them  at  the  expense,  on  their 
part,  of  the  most  degrading  conditions.  The  first  point  conceded  was  the 
release  of  the  American  squadron  from  the  perpetual  presence  of  the 
Japanese  guard-boats,  which  had  always  hitherto  surrounded  foreign  ships, 
and  placed  them,  as  it  were,  under  arrest  during  their  visit.  A resolute  re- 
sistance was  at  once  opposed  by  Commodore  Perry  to  this  degrading  impo- 
sition of  force  upon  a peaceful  visitor,  and,  in  spite  of  all  the  Japanese  au- 
thorities could  urge  on  the  score  of  their  own  exclusive  laws  and  inhospi- 
table practice,  a new  precedent  was  established  in  conformity  with  the  comity 
of  civilized  nations. 

The  second  point  gained  was  the  accomplishment  of  the  Commodore’s 
predetermined  intention  to  confer  with  no  one  but  a dignitary  of  the  highest 


318 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


rank  in  the  Empire,  and  to  obtain  a reception  in  every  respect  honorable 
to  himself  and  the  country  which  he  represented.  This  was  effected  with- 
out the  slightest  deviation  on  the  part  of  the  Commodore  from  those  simple 
rules  of  diplomatic  courtesy  recognized  by  our  institutions.  For  example, 
during  the  reception  on  shore,  while  the  governor  of  Uraga  prostrated 
himself  on  every  occasion  when  he  addressed  the  Prince  of  Idzu  and  hb 
associate,  the  Prince  of  Iwami,  the  Commodore  and  his  staff  remained 
quietly  seated,  and  used  no  more  ceremony  toward  the  Japanese  princes 
than  would  have  been  proper  in  a similar  conference  with  the  commissioners 
of  any  country  duly  accredited. 

The  survey  of  the  bay  of  Yedo,  in  spite  of  the  protests  of  the  authori- 
ties, and  under  the  very  guns  of  their  batteries,  was  an  important  advan- 
tage. It  not  only  taught  the  Japanese  the  folly  of  attempting  to  frighten 
away  the  Americans  by  bravado  and  sham  exhibitions  of  force,  but  has 
proved  to  the  world,  for  the  first  time,  the  practicability  of  sailing  even  to 
the  capital  of  Japan,  and  secured  every  facility  for  approaching  it  in  the 
charts  which  have  been  the  results  of  the  observations  of  the  hydrographi- 
cal department  of  the  expedition. 

The  Commodore,  conscious  that  he  was  dealing  with  a ceremonious 
people,  never  lost  an  opportunity  of  symbolising,  even  by  form  and  etiquette, 
his  resolute  determination  to  uphold  the  dignity  of  his  mission.  Thus,  in 
the  matter  of  giving  and  receiving  presents,  it  was  taken  care  that  the 
invariable  eastern  custom  should  be  strictly  followed,  and  that  the  advan- 
tage, on  the  score  of  the  value  of  gifts,  should  never  be  on  the  side  of  the 
Japanese.  Heretofore  it  had  been  the  policy  of  China  and  Japan  to  con- 
sider and  receive  all  presents  as  so  many  tributes  to  their  superior  power. 
In  the  equal  exchange  carefully  regarded  by  the  Commodore,  he  determined 
that  presents  should  be  considered  merely  as  a mutual  interchange  of 
friendly  courtesy,  and  he  accordingly  never  received  anything  without 
returning  at  least  its  equivalent. 

While  the  Commodore  strove  to  impress  the  Japanese  with  a just  idea 
of  the  power  and  superiority  of  his  country,  he  was  ever  studious  of  exhib- 
iting the  most  friendly  disposition  in  all  his  relations  with  the  authorities  of 
Japan,  that  they  might  understand  that  it  was  the  desire  of  the  United 
States  to  cultivate  a kindly  intercourse.  Thus,  on  the  one  hand,  a resolute 
determination  was  shown  to  demand  a respectful  hearing,  and  to  secure  at 
all  hazards  a protection  for  American  citizens  who  might  be  at  the  mercy 
of  Japan,  and  on  the  other,  a courteous  desire  was  expressed  of  cultivating 
a mutual  trade  and  commerce,  by  which  international  good  feeling  and  re- 
ciprocal interests  are  most  securely  created  and  safely  guaranteed.  The 
Japanese  were  reminded  how  closely  the  geographical  position  of  their 
Empire  had  been  brought  to  the  United  States  by  the  new  possessions  on 
the  Pacific,  and  the  development  of  the  mighty  power  of  steam,  the  effec- 


POLICY  PURSUED  IN  JAPAN. 


319 


tive  operation  of  which  had  been  so  strikingly  revealed  to  the  people  of 
Japan  by  the  appearance  of  the  American  naval  steamers  almost  within 
gun-shot  of  their  capital.  How  far  this  policy,  which  proved  the  power  to 
compel,  while  it  exhibited  the  disposition  to  conciliate,  was  successful,  will 
be  developed  in  the  future  pages  of  the  narrative. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


Amakirlma  Islands. — State  of  feeling  in  Lew  Chew. — Commodore's  measures  for  permanent  arrangement* 
with  the  authorities. — Coal  depot. — Protest  against  espionage. — Trade  in  open  market — Letter  to  the 
Eegent. — Interview  with  the  Eegent. — Entertainment  of  the  Commodore. — During  dinner  the  E«- 
gent’s  answer  is  brought. — Unsatisfactor7  to  the  Commodore. — Letter  handed  back  to  the  Eegent,  and 
the  Commodore  prepares  to  leave  the  house. — Informs  the  Eegent  that  he  must  have  a satisfactory 
answer  on  the  next  day,  otherwise  he  will  land  and  take  pos.session  of  the  palace  at  Shui  and  retain  it 
until  matters  are  adjusted. — Probable  effects  of  hunting  up  the  old  sedan  chair  on  shore. — Commo- 
dore’s propositions  all  accepted. — Coat  depot  built. — Visit  to  the  castle  of  Tima-Gusko.^ — Purchases  in 
the  bazaar. — Departure  from  Napha  for  China — Plymouth  left  behind  with  orders  to  visit  Bonin 
Islands  and  make  further  surveys. — Captain  Kelly’s  report  of  the  visit  and  surveys. — Form  of  govern- 
ment and  constitution  of  the  settlers  on  Peel  Dland. — General  effect  of  this  last  visit  to  Lew  Chew.— 
Arrival  of  the  Vandalia  ; of  the  Powhatan. — Overhauling  of  the  vessels  of  the  squadron  at  Hong 
Kong. 


HE  storm  which  began  to 
blow  soon  after  the  depart- 
ure from  the  bay  of  Tedo, 
continued  for  three  days, 
and  the  two  steamers  rolled 
heavily,  and  were  much 
tossed  by  its  violence,  mak- 
ing it  necessary  to  send 
down  the  topmasts  and  se- 
cure the  great  guns  by 
strong  lashings ; they,  how- 
ever, rode  out  the  storm  in 
safety,  and  finally  arrived 
at  Napha  on  the  25th  of  July.  On  the  approach  to  the  coast  of  Lew 
Chew  the  weather  was  so  hazy  that  the  land  could  not  be  discerned  at  any 
distance,  and,  night  coming  on,  it  was  thought  advisable  for  the  ships  to 
stand  off,  which  they  did,  and  were  carried  very  much  to  the  southward 
and  westward  by  the  current.  This  current,  according  to  the  generally 
received  accounts,  should  have  been  setting  in  a contrary  direction,  and 
consequently  the  allowance  for  a northeast  set  was  wrongly  made. 

The  atmosphere  continued  hazy  throughout  the  night,  and  as  the  day 
dawned  the  land  was  still  concealed  from  view,  and  it  was  some  hours 


THIKD  VISIT  TO  LEW  CHEW. 


321 


before  the  position  of  the  steamers  could  he  determined  by  the  sight  at 
last  of  the  Amakirima  Islands.  At  some  distance  from  the  islands  a patch 
of  breakers  was  observed,  which  was  duly  noted  in  the  chart.  The  discov 
ery  of  these  breakers  and  other  dangers  among  the  Amakirima  group  show 
the  necessity  of  a thorough  survey  of  the  islands  lying  west  of  Great 
Lew  Chew,  and  a surveying  expedition  could  not  be  better  employed  than 
in  making  the  proper  investigations. 

On  coming  to  anchor  in  the  harbor  of  Napha,  at  noon  on  Monday, 
(25th  July,)  the  storeship  Supply  was  found  there  rolling  in  the  swell  of  the 
bay  like  a great  log,  and  the  officers  stated  that  the  gale  had  blown  with 
great  violence  with  them  and  had  raged  several  days,  while  those  upon  the 
land  declared  that  it  had  been  one  of  the  severest  storms  they  had  ever  ex- 
perienced. 

Upon  the  Commodore’s  arrival  at  Lew  Chew  he  lost  no  time  in  advanc- 
ing the  chief  purpose  of  his  visit,  and  prepared  at  once  to  enter  into  nego- 
tiations with  the  authorities  for  obtaining  from  them  further  relaxations  in 
their  laws  respecting  strangers.  Having  been  comparatively  successful 
with  the  Japanese,  the  Commodore  felt  confident  of  gaining  additional 
concessions  from  the  Lew  Chewans,  and  that  too  without  resort  to  any  act 
of  unkiudness,  or  the  adoption  of  their  policy  of  deceit  and  falsehood. 

The  officers  of  the  Supply,  which  vessel  had  been  left  at  Napha  during 
the  Commodore’s  visit  to  Japan,  stated  that  the  people  had  evinced  no 
unfriendly  feeling  towards  them,  but  were  still  very  much  reserved  and  as 
tenacious  as  ever  of  their  system  of  espionage.  Supplies  of  provisions, 
however,  had  been  regularly  furnished  through  the  agency  of  Dr.  Bettel- 
heim,  and  payment  had  been  also  received  through  him. 

The  Commodore  had  no  time  to  spare,  as  his  present  visit  was  intended 
to  be  very  short,  and  he  was  not  disposed  to  be  put  off  for  a moment  by  the 
usual  temporizing  policy  of  the  slow-moving  Lew  Chewans,  so  he  demanded  at 
once  an  interview  with  the  regent;  the  demand  was  immediately  granted, 
and  a day  appointed  for  the  meeting.  Previous,  however,  to  the  inter- 
view, the  Commodore  had  caused  the  regent  to  be  made  acquainted  with 
the  nature  of  the  propositions,  upon  a favorable  concession  to  which  he  had 
resolutely  fixed  his  mind.  Commander  Adams  was  commissioned  to  lay 
these  propositions  before  the  mayor  of  Napha  and  some  of  the  authorities, 
and  accordingly  went  ashore,  accompanied  by  Dr.  Williams,  the  Chinese 
interpreter,  bearing  the  following  instructions  from  the  hands  of  the  Com- 
modore : 

“ Establish  rate  and  pay  for  rent  of  house  for  one  year.  State  that  I 
wish  a suitable  and  convenient  building  for  the  storage  of  coal,  say  to  hold 
six  hundred  tons.  If  they  have  no  such  building,  I desire  to  employ 
native  workmen  to  erect  one  after  the  fashion  of  the  island ; or  if  the  Lew 
Chewan  government  prefers,  it  can  be  done  under  the  inspection  of  the 
21 


322 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


mayor,  at  government  expense,  and  I will  agi’ee  to  pay  an  annual  rent  foi 
it.  Either  one  or  the  other  arrangement  must  be  made.” 

“ Speak  about  the  spies,  and  say  if  they  continue  to  follow  the  officers 
about,  it  may  lead  to  serious  consequences,  and  perhaps  to  bloodshed,  which 
I should  deplore,  as  I wish  to  continue  on  the  most  friendly  terms  with  the 
authorities.  That  should  any  disturbance  ensue,  it  will  he  the  fault  of  the 
Lew  Chewans,  who  have  no  right  to  set  spies  upon  American  citizens  who 
may  he  pursuing  their  own  lawful  business.” 

“We  must  have  a free  trade  in  the  market,  and  the  right  to  purchase 
articles  for  the  ships.” 

“ It  will  be  wise,  therefore,  for  the  Lew  Chewans  to  abrogate  those  laws 
and  customs  which  are  not  suited  to  the  present  age,  and  which  they  have 
no  power  to  enforce,  and  by  a persistence  in  which  they  will  surely  involve 
themselves  in  trouble.” 

“ Let  th«  mayor  clearly  understand  that  this  port  is  to  be  one  of  rendez- 
vous, probably  for  years,  and  that  the  authorities  had  better  come  to  an 
understanding  at  once.” 

“ Thank  the  mayor  for  the  kind  act  of  the  authorities  in  putting  a tomb- 
stone over  the  remains  of  the  boy  buried  from  the  Susquehanna,  and  ask 
the  privilege  of  paying  the  cost  of  the  same.” 

“ Require  prompt  and  early  replies  to  all  these  propositions  and  de- 
mands.” 

The  Commodore,  in  addition  to  these  instructions  by  which  Commander 
Adams  was  to  be  governed  in  his  interview,  sent  a formal  communication 
to  the  regent,  in  these  words : 

“ To  his  Excellency  the  Tsung-li-lcivan  of  the  kingdom  of  Lew  Chew  : 

“ Sir  : The  commander-in-chief  of  the  United  States  naval  forces  in  the 
East  India,  China,  and  Japan  seas,  having  returned  to  this  port  from  Japan, 
is  about  sailing  for  China,  and  before  leaving  is  desirous  of  communicating 
to  his  excellency  the  Tsung-li-kwan  a few  observations,  having  reference  to 
the  intercourse  of  persons  under  his  command  with  the  authorities  and 
people  of  Lew  Chew. 

“ The  commander-in-chief,  while  he  thanks  the  officers  of  the  Lew 
Chewan  government  for  the  services  which  they  have  already  rendered  in 
furnishing  a few  supplies  to  the  ships  of  the  squadron,  cannot  see  the  neces- 
sity of  enforcing  against  strangers  a system  of  restriction  which  is  alto- 
gether at  variance  with  the  customs  and  practices  of  all  civilized  nations, 
and  which  cannot  at  the  present  day  be  recognized  as  just  or  proper. 

“ The  commander-in-chief  is  especially  desirous  of  remaining  on  the 
most  friendly  terms  with  the  government  of  Lew  Chew,  and  of  contributing 
all  in  his  power  to  the  prosperity  and  happiness  of  the  people ; and  he 
claims  that  the  officers  and  men  under  his  command  shall  be  received  on  the 


INTERVIEW  WITH  THE  REGENT. 


323 


same  footing  as  those  who  arrive  from  China  and  Japan;  that  they  shall 
have  the  privilege  of  purchasing  in  the  market  and  shops  whatever  they 
may  need,  and  for  which  they  will  pay  the  prices  demanded  by  the  sellers ; 
that  the  inhabitants,  particularly  the  women  and  children,  shall  not  fly  from 
us  as  if  we  were  their  greatest  enemies ; and.  Anally,  that  our  oflBcers  and 
men  shall  not  be  watched  and  followed  by  low  officials  and  spies.  He 
declares  that  if  this  system  of  espionage  is  persisted  in,  he  will  on  his  re- 
turn to  Lew  Chew  take  the  necessary  steps  to  stop  it. 

“ It  is  repugnant  to  the  American  character  to  submit  to  such  a course 
of  inhospitable  discourtesy,  and  though  the  citizens  of  the  United  States, 
when  abroad,  are  always  regardful  of,  and  obedient  to,  the  laws  of  the  coun- 
tries in  which  they  may  happen  to  be,  provided  they  are  founded  upon 
international  courtesy,  yet  they  never  can  admit  of  the  propriety  or  justice 
of  those  of  Lew  Chew,  which  bear  so  injuriously  upon  the  rights  and  com- 
forts of  strangers  resorting  to  the  island  with  the  most  friendly  and  peace- 
ful intentions. 

“ With  the  highest  consideration, 

“M.  C.  PERRY, 

“ Commander-in-chief  of  the  United  States  Naval  Forces, 

in  the  East  India,  China,  and  Japan  SeasF 

Upon  Commander  Adams  laying  the  propositions  of  the  Commodore 
before  the  mayor  of  Napha,  he  was  told  by  that  official  that  he  could  do 
nothing  of  his  own  accord,  and  was  obliged  to  refer  all  the  demands  of  the 
Americans  to  the  Tsung-li-kwan,  or  regent  of  Lew  Chew,  as  his  own  powers 
were  entirely  subordinate  to  those  of  that  high  dignitary.  Captain  Adams 
then  told  the  mayor  that  he  must  inform  the  regent  that  the  Commodore 
desired  to  have  an  interview  with  him,  either  the  next  day  or  the  day  after, 
at  any  hour  or  place  he,  the  regent,  might  appoint ; and,  moreover,  that  his 
excellency  must  come  prepared  to  answer,  unequivocally  and  without  dis- 
cussion, the  propositions  just  presented.  To  this  the  mayor  replied  that 
the  regent  would  be  immediately  notified,  and  that  the  Commodore  should 
be  informed  as  to  the  time  and  place  of  meeting. 

Next  morning.  Lieutenant  Contee,  the  Commodore’s  aid,  was  sent  ashore 
to  call  upon  the  mayor  of  Napha,  from  whom  he  learned  that  the  regent  had 
appointed  the  ensuing  day,  (Friday,  July  28,)  and  the  Kung-qua  at  Napha, 
as  the  time  and  place  for  the  interview. 

Accordingly,  on  Friday  the  interview  came  off,  and  its  details  are  mi- 
nutely given  in  the  following  report,  prepared  by  a subordinate  officer 
appointed  for  that  special  service : 

“ By  previous  arrangement,  two  o’clock,  p.  m.,  had  been  fixed  upon  as 
the  hour  for  the  interview,  and  the  regent  had  sent  word  that  he  would  leave 
Shui  at  noon.  About  half-past  one,  however,  a boat  came  ofif  to  the  Susque- 


324 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


banna  with  the  Pe-chiDg,  Chang-yvien,  on  board,  to  inform  the  Commodore 
that  everything  was  in  readiness  for  his  reception,  and  the  regent  already  in 
waiting.  The  place  selected  for  the  purpose  was  the  Kung-qua  of  Napha, 
which  is  used  on  all  official  occasions.  The  Commodore  went  ashore  at  two 
o’clock,  accompanied  by  Captain  Adams,  captain  of  the  fleet.  Lieutenant 
Contee,  flag  lieutenant.  Captain  Lee,  of  the  Mississippi,  Captain  Kelly,  of 
the  Plymouth,  and  twelve  other  officers,  making  a staff  of  sixteen  per- 
sons. 

'•  On  landing  he  was  received  by  a deputation  of  officers,  headed  by  the 
Pe-ching,  and  conducted  to  the  place  of  reception,  which  is  situated  on  the 
main  street  or  road  leading  from  Napha  to  Shui,  and  about  a quarter  of  a 
mile  from  the  beach.  It  is  a small  but  neat  building,  surrounded  by  a high 
wall,  which  screens  it  from  all  observation  from  without.  The  mayor  of 
Napha,  with  some  of  his  attendant  officers,  stood  at  the  entrance,  and  the 
regent  advanced  to  the  door  of  the  enclosure  to  receive  the  Commodore. 
Within  the  building,  tables  were  already  prepared  for  a collation,  similar  to 
that  given  at  Shui  by  the  former  regent,  though  not  on  so  extensive  a 
scale.  The  feast  was  arranged  in  precisely  the  same  manner,  the  Commodore 
and  Captain  Adams  occupying  the  first  table  on  the  right  hand,  while  the  regent 
and  mayor  took  that  on  the  left,  opposite  to  him.  After  tea  had  been  brought, 
the  regent  made  a complimentary  remark  to  the  Commodore,  hoping  that  he 
had  returned  in  good  health.  Ichirazichi  acted  as  interpreter,  and  the  con- 
versation was  carried  on  by  Mr.  Williams,  through  the  medium  of  the  Chi- 
nese language. 

“ The  Commodore  stated  that  he  would  leave  in  a few  days  for  China,  but 
should  return  again  to  Lew  Chew  in  a few  months.  Before  he  left,  how- 
ever, he  wished  to  have  a settlement  of  all  those  matters  concerning  which 
he  had  addressed  them.  His  demands  were  reasonable  and  proper,  and  he 
expected  that  they  would  be  complied  with.  The  Americans  were  persons 
of  few  words,  but  they  always  meant  what  they  said.  The  regent  answered 
that  his  reply  would  soon  be  ready,  and  invited  the  Commodore,  in  the 
meanwhile,  to  partake  of  some  refreshments.  He  was  answered  that  we 
preferred  business  first  and  the  refreshments  afterwards.  The  requests 
made  were  fair  and  simple,  and  the  Commodore  was  dissatisfied  with  any 
delay  in  granting  them.  We  had  been  to  Japan,  where  we  had  been  re- 
ceived in  a very  friendly  manner.  We  had  exchanged  presents  with  Japan- 
ese governors,  and  were  on  friendly  terms  with  the  Japanese.  We  hoped, 
now,  to  be  on  friendly  terms  also  with  the  Lew  Chewans.  Mr.  Williams 
then,  at  the  Commodore’s  request,  gave  a brief  narration  of  his  reception  by 
the  princes  of  Idzu  and  Iwami,  and  of  our  exploration  and  survey  of  the  bay 
of  Yedo.  The  regent  observed,  in  return,  that  his  reply  would  be  very 
soon  delivered. 

“ The  dinner  then  commenced,  and  seven  or  eight  of  the  twelve  courses 


EEFUSAL  TO  RECEIVE  REGENT’S  LETTER,  325 


of  soups  had  been  served,  when  the  letter  was  brought  in  and  given  to  the 
regent,  who  took  it,  and,  accompanied  by  the  mayor  and  interpreter,  ad- 
vanced to  the  Commodore’s  table,  where  he  presented  it  with  every  appear- 
ance of  submission  and  humility.  His  demeanor  during  the  dinner  was 
even  more  constrained  and  impassive  than  on  the  occasion  of  his  dining  on 
hoard  the  Susquehanna,  previous  to  our  departure  for  Japan.  The  letter 
was  enclosed  in  an  envelope,  and  stamped  with  the  great  seal  of  Lew 
Chew.  Mr.  Williams,  at  the  Commodore’s  order,  opened  and  read  it  on  the 
spot. 

“ It  commenced  by  affirming  the  small  size  and  poverty  of  the  island, 
stating  that  Dr.  Bettleheim’s  residence  among  them  had  given  them  much 
trouble,  and  that  if  we  should  erect  a building  for  coal  their  difficulties 
would  be  greatly  increased.  Besides,  they  said,  the  temple  which  they  had 
appropriated  to  our  use  was  thereby  rendered  useless  to  them,  and  their 
priests  were  prevented  from  performing  their  worship  in  it.  The  produc- 
tions of  the  island  were  few,  as  they  derived  all  of  their  teas,  silks,  cloths,  and 
many  other  articles  from  Japan  and  China.  With  regard  to  the  shops  and 
markets,  that  was  a matter  that  depended  on  the  people  themselves,  and  if 
they  chose  to  keep  their  shops  shut,  the  regent  could  not  interfere.  He 
declared,  moreover,  that  the  persons  who  had  followed  us  whenever  we  had 
gone  ashore  were  not  spies,  hut  officers  appointed  to  act  as  guides,  and  to 
prevent  us  from  being  annoyed  by  the  people.  Since  we  had  not  found  them 
to  be  of  service,  and  objected  to  them,  they  would  be  directed  not  to  follow 
us  in  future. 

“ After  the  letter  had  been  read,  the  Commodore  ordered  it  to  be  deliv- 
ered back  to  the  regent,  stating  that  it  was  not  at  all  satisfactory,  and  conld 
not  be  received.  We  had  asked,  he  said,  for  no  more  than  is  accorded  to  us 
in  other  countries — for  no  more  than  we  already  had  in  China,  and  expected 
to  have  in  Japan.  With  regard  to  the  temple,  that  they  had  themselves 
assigned  it  to  our  use,  as  they  invariably  had  done,  for  those  foreigners  who 
had  visited  them  previous  to  our  arrival.  We  would  pay  them  rent  for  it, 
and  expected  to  pay  for  everything  that  we  obtained.  We  had  travelled 
over  their  island,  and  knew  that  the  soil  was  rich,  the  people  thrifty,  and 
supplies  of  all  sorts  abun  dant.  As  we  paid  for  all  we  received,  our  presence 
was  an  advantage  to  the  people,  who  fonnd  in  our  vessels  a good  market  for 
their  productions.  If  they  did  not  wish  to  erect  a building  for  coal,  we 
would  send  a vessel  with  materials,  and  put  it  up  ourselves.  The  regent 
ventured  to  say  that  there  were  some  difficult  points  in  the  Commodore’s 
communication,  and  they  had  mnch  deliberation  concerning  them,  before 
the  reply  was  written.  The  Commodore  reiterated  what  he  had  pre- 
viously said,  that  all  his  demands  were  plain  and  simple,  and  ought  to  be 
granted  without  hesitation.  The  Lew  Chewans  should  be  satisfied,  by  this 
time,  that  we  had  no  intention  to  injure  them.  They  had  not  been  molested 


326 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


in  any  way  by  any  of  our  men,  and  if  they  persisted  in  following  us  with 
spies  hereafter  he  would  not  he  answerable  for  the  consequences. 

“The  regent  attempted  to  come  forward  and  again  present  the  reply; 
hut  the  Commodcre  rose  and  prepared  to  leave,  declaring  that  if  he  did  not 
receive  satisfactory  answers  to  all  his  demands  by  noon  the  next  day,  he  would 
land  two  hundred  men,  march  to  Shui,  and  take  possession  of  the  palace 
there,  and  would  hold  it  until  the  matter  was  settled.  With  this  declaration 
he  left,  the  regent  attending  him  to  the  gateway,  where  he  remained  until  all 
the  olficers  had  taken  their  departure.  The  Commodore  returned  to  the 
beach,  attended  by  his  staff,  and  immediatelywent  on  hoard  the  Susquehanna.” 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  new  regent,  Shang-Hiung-Hiun,  was  a 
great  adept  in  the  temporizing  policy  of  his  government,  and  was  ever 
ready  with  a thousand  crooked  arguments  for  not  giving  a direct  answer 
to  a direct  demand. 

The  Commodore,  however,  was  not  to  be  balked  of  his  purpose  hy  any 
of  the  shams  and  devices  of  Lew  Chew  policy,  and  went  straight  on  to  the 
end  proposed,  without  allowing  himself  to  be  diverted  from  a broad,  honest 
course  of  fair  dealing,  into  any  of  the  bye-ways  of  the  oriental  hide-and-go- 
seek  diplomacy.  As  to  resorting  to  force,  which  had  heen  threatened  at 
the  close  of  the  conference  with  the  regent,  the  necessity  of  violent  measures 
was  never  seriously  contemplated  by  the  Commodore,  as  it  was  rightly 
judged  that  a resolute  attitude  would  answer  all  the  purpose  of  a blow. 
The  Commodore,  therefore,  sent  Commanders  Adams  and  Buchanan,  accom- 
panied by  Dr.  Williams,  to  the  mayor  of  Napha.  These  gentlemen  were 
instructed  to  obtain  categorical  replies  to  all  the  demands  made  upon  the 
regent  the  previous  day.  Simultaneously  with  this  mission  ashore,  an  inci- 
dent occurred,  which,  however  slight  in  itself,  had  probably  no  small  effect 
upon  the  timid  hearts  of  the  Lew  Chewans.  The  Commodore  had  dis- 
patched his  carpenter  to  look  after  the  sedan  chair  which  had  been  deposited 
in  the  temple  at  Tumai,  since  its  use  on  the  previous  occasion  of  the  grand 
procession  to  the  palace  of  Shui.  The  people  of  Lew  Chew  watched,  with 
considerable  anxiety,  the  movements  of  the  carpenter,  and  their  frightened 
imaginations  already,  no  doubt,  fancied  the  Commodore  borne  on  in  his  car 
of  state,  the  aforesaid  sedan  chair,  as  a triumphant  victor  within  the  walls 
of  their  capital. 

Whether  this  looking  after  the  sedan  chair  was  accidental  or  not,  it 
happened  in  the  very  nick  of  time,  and  probably  hastened  the  decision  of 
the  Lew  Chew  authorities.  The  mayor  of  Nai^ha  was  very  prompt  in  com- 
plying, to  the  extent  of  his  authority,  with  the  demands  of  the  Commodore, 
as  urged  in  his  behalf  by  his  representative  Commander  Adams,  who  returned 
to  the  ship  hearing  the  message  that  the  regent  would  be  immediately  com- 
municated with,  and  that  the  Commodore  might  be  assured  that  a definite 
answer  would  be  given  to  his  propositions  the  next  day. 


MATTERS  AMICABLY  ADJUSTED. 


327 


Accordingly,  at  about  ten  o’clock  the  following  morning,  the  mayor 
came  on  board  the  Susquehanna,  with  the  information  that  all  the  Commo- 
dore’s propositions  had  been  acceded  to,  and  would  be  carried  out  as  far  as 
the  people  could  be  controlled.  He  then,  in  detail,  stated  the  various  con- 
cessions to  which  the  government  had  finally  yielded.  In  regard  to  the 
coal  depot,  he  said  that  preparations  had  already  been  made  for  its  construc- 
tion, and  that  the  government  had  agreed  upon  the  amount  of  rent,  which 
was  to  be  ten  dollars  per  month.  As  for  access  to  the  market,  it  having 
been  stated  that  the  difficulty  was  with  the  common  people,  and  particu- 
larly the  women,  who  were  averse  to  entering  into  immediate  traffic  with 
strangers,  a compromise  was  proposed  by  the  Commodore,  and  agreed  to  on 
the  part  of  the  mayor,  which  was  to  the  effect  that  a bazaar  should  be 
opened  in  the  Kung-qua  for  the  sale  of  the  various  products  of  the  country 
which  the  Americans  might  desire  to  purchase. 

The  mayor  proposed  the  subsequent  Sunday  for  the  opening  of  the 
bazaar,  when  he  was  told  that  that  was  a day  kept  holy  by  Christians,  when 
buying  and  selling  were  contrary  to  their  religion.  It  was  then  proposed, 
and  acceded  to,  that  as  the  squadron  was  not  to  sail  until  Monday,  at  nine 
o’clock,  that  the  market  should  be  opened  at  six  o’clock  on  the  morning  of 
that  day. 

Although  the  authorities  had  soon  found  that  it  was  necessary  to  give 
a favorable  answer  to,  the  demands  of  the  Commodore,  and  the  mayor  of 
Napha  had  come  on  board  for  the  express  purpose  of  giving  such  an  an- 
swer, which  he  accordingly  did  at  once,  yet  while  yielding  each  point,  he 
still  pertinaciously  insinuated  all  sorts  of  trivial  objections  to  the  Commo- 
dore’s plans.  He  said  that  the  coal  would  not  be  safe  on  shore,  as  the 
natives  would  probably  steal  it ; in  answer  to  which  he  was  told  that  the 
government  of  Lew  Chew  would  be  held  responsible  for  every  lump  of  it. 
The  mayor  was  then  ready  with  another  objection,  stating  that  typhoons 
blew  very  severely  on  the  island,  and  would  no  doubt  sweep  away  the  coal 
depot ; and  thus,  to  the  very  last,  while  forced  to  grant  all  that  was  asked, 
the  authorities  still  clung  to  their  prevaricating  policy,  as  if  deceit  was  so 
much  a part  of  their  nature  that  they  practised  it  for  its  own  sake  alone. 

During  the  few  days  in  which  the  steamers  remained  at  Napha  a party 
of  the  officers  and  artists  of  the  expedition,  at  the  suggestion  of  Commo- 
dore Perry,  availed  themselves  of  the  occasion  to  visit  the  ruins  of  the 
castle  of  Tima-gusko.  The-  Commodore  had  requested  them  to  take  their 
supplies  with  them,  that  they  might  be  entirely  independent  of  the  natives 
for  the  satisfaction  of  their  wants.  They  accordingly  set  out  well  provided 
with  a supply  of  ship  biscuit,  and  some  American  saki,  which  Japanese 
word  was  now  pretty  generally  accepted  as  the  generic  term  for  all  that  was 
intoxicating  and  potable.  Trusting  to  the  general  direction  that  the  castle 
was  situated  at  the  southern  end  of  the  island,  and  constantly  repeating 


328 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


with  an  interrogatory  tone,  whenever  they  met  a native,  the  word  “ Tima- 
gusko?  ” the  party  proceeded  on  their  way.  Passing  from  the  little  village, 
on  the  southern  side  of  Junk  E-iver,  they  got  upon  a narrow  paved  road 
leading  eastward  along  its  banks.  By  the  way  they  reached  a large  village, 
where  they  were  hospitably  entertained  at  tea,  in  a handsome  Kung-qua, 
embowered  in  fruit-bearing  lime  trees,  and  succeeded  in  making  friends 
with  the  Lew  Chewan  host,  and  a party  of  his  neighbors,  who  just  dropped 
in  to  get  a glance  at  the  strangers,  and  to  share  in  their  supplies  of  ship 
biscuit  and  foreign  saki^  which  were  liberally  dispensed  by  the  American 
officers,  and  highly  relished,  as  usual,  by  the  Lew  Chewans. 

Tima-gusko .?  Tima-gusko  ? which  was  about  the  extent  of  the  limited 
vocabulary  of  the  Americans,  seemed  quite  intelligible,  and  the  interroga- 
tory repetition  of  the  word  was  responded  to  by  an  offer  on  the  part  of  the 
Lew  Chewan  tea  party  to  act  as  guides.  They  were,  undoubtedly,  some  of 
the  spies  who  swarmed  everywhere,  but  it  was  thought  advisable,  as  it 
seemed  quite  impracticable  to  get  rid  of  them,  to  turn  these  fellows  to  some 
good  purpose,  and  their  services  as  guides  were  accordingly  accepted.  In 
spite,  however,  of  their  assistance,  it  was  a long  time  before  the  right  road 
was  discovered,  and  then  only  after  a very  tedious  tramp  through  rice 
fields  flooded  with  water,  and  the  climbing  of  a steep  hill,  from  which  a 
beautiful  view,  however,  of  the  palace  of  Shui  and  its  gi-oves,  and  Isapha 
with  its  white  tombs  and  red  tiled  houses,  and  its  inner  and  outer  bays,  and 
of  the  whole  amphitheatre  of  the  verdant  hills  of  the  island,  proved  some 
compensation  for  the  labor  lost. 

The  true  road  was  only  reached  at  last  by  turning  back,  in  accordance 
with  the  direction  of  the  Lew  Chewan  guides,  or  rather  spies,  in  whom  it 
would  have  been  better  to  have  trusted  from  the  first;  but  these  timid- 
hearted  natives  had  become  so  impressed  with  the  obstinacy  of  the  self- 
willed  Yankees,  and  their  resolute  determination  to  have  their  own  way, 
wherever  it  might  lead,  that  they  seemed  half  afraid  of  urging  the  right, 
when  they  knew  the  Americans  were  pursuing  the  wrong.  It  was  thus, 
from  the  apparent  distrust  in  their  own  knowledge  on  the  part  of  the  Lew 
Chewans,  that  the  party  from  the  ship  had  followed  their  own  bent,  but 
finding  at  last  that  it  was  wrong,  they  trusted  to  the  leadership  of  their 
guides. 

On  returning  through  the  rice  fields  towards  the  bridge  of  Ishirashi,  as 
the  natives  called  it,  and  which  was  supposed  to  be  the  same  as  that  of 
Madaiv-darki,  as  it  had  been  termed  by  Dr.  Bettleheim,  the  Lew  Chewans 
pointed  up  to  some  ruined  walls  which  stood  upon  the  brink  of  a loftj»  and 
precipitous  hill,  which  overlooked  the  town  of  Napha,  and  a large  circuit  of 
the  country  and  the  surrounding  waters. 

The  report,  as  drawn  up  by  one  of  the  party  and  laid  before  the  Commo- 
dore, describes  Tima-gusko  as  distant  four  miles  in  a southeast  direction  from 


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CASTLE  OF  TIMA-GtrSKO. 


329 


Napha,  and  as  being  on  a large  scale,  covering  about  eight  acres,  but  in  a 
state  of  utter  ruin.  It  seemed  to  have  no  regular  plan,  and  the  walls  had 
been  erected  upon  various  projecting  points  of  the  rock,  and  often  parallel  to 
each  other  in  several  lines,  for  the  purpose  of  strengthening  the  defences. 
The  neck  of  the  headland  connecting  it  with  the  hills  behind  had  been  sepa- 
rated by  a moat,  which  was,  however,  hardly  perceptible  from  the  profuse 
growth  of  vegetation,  which  filled  it  up  and  concealed  it  from  the  eye.  On 
a lofty  eminence  of  the  headland  there  was  an  oblong  space  shut  in  with 
walls,  and  thickly  crowded  with  a dense  thicket  of  trees  and  undergrowth. 
This  part  of  the  fortress  was  in  a better  state  of  preservation  than  the  rest, 
and  the  original  height  of  the  wall,  which  reached  about  twelve  feet,  was  dis- 
cernible. On  the  western  side  there  was  a massive  arched  gateway,  with  a 
wooden  door,  closed  by  what  appeared  to  be  a Chinese  lock.  As  a large 
tree,  growing  on  the  summit  of  the  arch,  haa  sent  down  its  twisted  roots 
among  the  stones  which  formed  the  sides  of  the  entrance,  a natural  ladder 
was  thus  formed,  by  which  the  party  succeeded  in  clambering  over  into  the 
enclosed  space.  Following  a narrow  pathway  through  the  otherwise  impene- 
trable thicket,  a heap  of  ruins  was  reached,  upon  the  summit  of  which  were 
two  stones  marked  with  Chinese  characters,  and  the  remains  of  some  joss 
sticks.  From  these  it  was  concluded  that  the  present  inhabitants  of  Lew 
Chew  still  retain  some  forms  of  this  worship.  Tima-gusko  is  undoubtedly 
the  remains  of  the  southern  one  of  the  three  castles  which  were  the  strong- 
holds of  the  three  several  kings  who  at  one  time  divided  the  dominion  of  Lew 
Chew.  The  traditional  account  of  the  former  dynasties,  as  given  by  Kla- 
proth in  his  translation  of  the  Kan-to-sits^"  seems  remarkably  confirmed 
by  the  observations  of  our  officers  at  Lew  Chew.  The  two  castles  of  the 
north  and  the  south  were  found  in  ruins,  while  the  central  one  of  Shui,  now  the 
habitation  of  the  present  supposed  young  king,  was  seen  to  be  in  a perfect 
state  of  preservation,  and  indicated  that  the  dynasty  of  Lew  Chew  had  been 
finally  concentrated  in  a single  ruler. 

In  accordance  with  the  arrangements  between  the  Commodore  and  the  au- 
thorities of  Napha,  the  bazaar  was  opened  at  six  o’clock  on  the  morning  of  the 
steamer’s  departure,  (Monday,  August  1.)  The  the  place  selected 

for  the  mart,  was  found  duly  prepared,  with  heaps  of  Lew  Chewau  productions, 
a motley  assortment  of  lacquered  cups,  plates  and  boxes,  pieces  of  grass- 
cloth,  and  the  various  articles  of  Lew  Chew  costume,  such  as  cotton  and  silk 
sashes,  sandals  of  straw,  and  hair  pins  of  brass  and  silver,  fans,  chow-chow 
boxes,  which  correspond  somewhat  with  our  sandwich  cases,  smoking  pipes, 
and  a plentiful  supply  of  tobacco.  The  interpreter,  Ichirazichi,  was  the 
presiding  genius,  or,  rather,  roguish  Mercury  of  this  market,  who  went  busily 
about  performing  his  functions  as  general  broker,  accompanied  by  a group 
of  subordinate  officials.  The  various  parties  from  the  ship  soon  commenced 
a brisk  business,  and  succeeded  in  spending,  in  the  aggregate,  about  a hun- 


330 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


dred  dollars.  As  the  demand  increased  it  was  found,  in  accordance  with  the 
usual  law  of  trade,  that  the  supply  augmented,  and  the  Lew  Chew  merchants 
were  not  backward  in  illustrating  this  prirciple  of  political  economy.  The 
prices  were  not  very  heavy  at  first,  but  the  natives,  in  the  course  of  the  busi- 
ness, began  to  improve  in  tliis  particular,  and  it  was  found  that  some  from 
the  ships  had  paid  at  least  double  the  sum  paid  by  others  for  a similar  article. 
The  objects  obtained  were  of  not  much  importance,  but  the  chief  interest  of 
the  occasion  arose  from  the  fact  that  this  dealing  with  foreigners  was  the  first 
authorized,  and  was  in  direct  opposition  to  a fundamental  law  of  the  island, 
the  abrogation  of  which  cannot  but  result  in  the  greatest  advantage  to  the 
people  of  Lew  Chew.  The  signal  of  departure  being  hoisted,  the  party  of 
purchasers  returned  to  their  respective  ships,  and  at  8 o’clock  in  the  morning, 
(August  ] ,)  the  Commodore  started  for  Hong  Kong. 

So  prompt  had  been  the  effect  of  the  Commodore’s  resolute  demands  upon 
the  authorities  of  Lew  Chew,  that  on  the  day  of  sailing,  the  building  for  the 
storage  of  coal,  commenced  only  two  days  previous,  bad  been  framed  and 
reared,  and  it  was  learned  afterward  that  it  was  entirely  finished  in  two  days 
more.  The  building  is  50  by  60  feet  in  dimensions,  with  a water-tight 
thatched  roof,  with  the  eaves  projecting  beyond  the  sides,  which  are  boarded 
up  more  than  half  the  distance  from  the  ground  to  the  roof,  leaving  an  open 
space  suflicient  for  purposes  of  ventilation.  It  was  originally  of  sufScient 
capacity  to  hold  500  tons  of  coal,  and  the  first  cargo  placed  in  it  was  that  of 
the  Caprice,  which  arrived  soon  after  the  departure  of  the  Commodore. 
Subsequently,  the  Southampton  landed  her  cargo,  shipped  at  Macao,  when  it 
was  thought  advisable  to  enlarge  the  depot,  and  accordingly  the  authorities 
added  a wing  to  each  side. 

The  Commodore,  conceiving  it  to  be  of  the  highest  importance  that  a 
ship  of  the  squadron  should  be  stationed  almost  constantly  at  Lew  Chew,  to 
keep  alive  the  friendly  interest  and  good  feeling  then  subsisting  between  the 
Americans  and  the  islanders,  who  were  becoming  daily  more  cordial,  he  de- 
termined to  leave  the  Plymouth,  Commander  Kelly,  there.  He,  however^ 
instructed  this  ofiicer  to  run  over  to  the  Bonin  islands,  after  the  termination 
of  the  hurricane  season,  for  the  purpose  both  of  visiting  the  sett  lement  at 
Port  Lloyd  and  of  surveying  the  southern  cluster  of  the  Bonins,  originally 
called  the  Cofiin  islands,  after  the  first  American  discoverer  in  1823,  though, 
as  we  have  stated  before,  subsequently  appropriated  and  named  by  the  Eng- 
lish Captain  Beechy,  the  Baily  group. 

The  instructions  of  the  Commodore  to  Commander  Kelly  referred  gen- 
erally to  the  conciliatory  but  firm  attitude  he  desired  should  be  sustained 
in  all  the  relations  of  the  Americans  with  the  Lew  Chewans.  It  was  strictly 
enjoined  upon  Captain  Kelly  that  he  should  receive  nothing  from  the  island- 
ers without  returning  a fair  compensation,  and  always  bear  himself  towards 
them  in  such  manner  as  to  prove  that  it  was  the  desire  of  the  United  States 


SURVEY  OF  THE  BONIN  ISLANDS. 


331 


to  cultivate  their  friendship  and  secure  their  confidence.  The  Commodore, 
in  addition  to  some  detailed  instructions  in  regard  to  the  construction  of  the 
coal  depot  and  landing  the  cargoes  from  the  expected  storeships,  directed 
that,  in  his  absence,  the  survey  of  Melville  harbor  and  the  coast  of  the  island 
should  be  made,  the  investigations  already  commenced  in  the  waters  of  Napha 
be  continued,  and  a boat  and  ofiicer  kept  in  readiness  to  pilot  in  any  of  the 
American  squadron  that  might  arrive. 

In  regard  to  Captain  Kelly’s  visit  to  the  Bonin  Islands,  he  was  instructed 
to  proceed  with  the  Plymouth,  after  the  hurricane  season,  about  the  1st  of 
October,  provided  nothing  occurred  to  detain  him  at  Lew  Chew,  to  Port 
Lloyd,  where  he  was  to  inquire  into  the  condition  of  the  settlers,  especially 
with  respect  to  Nathaniel  Savory  and  John  Smith,  two  persons  who  had  been 
! em-olled  on  the  books  of  the  steamer  Susquehanna.  He  was  also  directed,  after 
obtaining  the  services  of  some  of  the  settlers  at  Port  Lloyd  as  guides  or  pilots, 
to  visit  the  group  of  islands  lying  south  of  Peel  Island,  and  named  on  Beechy’s 
chart  Baily’s  group.  Captain  Kelly  was  then  to  lay  out  a chart,  giving  the 
result  of  his  survey,  and  to  be  careful  to  give  the  name  of  Coffin,  the  original 
discoverer,  to  the  group  of  islands  alluded  to.  The  largest  single  island,  or 
the  one  containing  the  best  harbor,  was  to  be  called  Hillsborough,  and  its 
port  to  be  termed  Newport.  To  these  directions  were  added  general  instruc- 
tions to  examine  and  survey  the  harbor  and  coasts,  and  to  investigate  the 
geological  formation  and  the  nature  and  condition  of  the  soil  of  the  CofiSn 
Islands. 

In  anticipation  of  the  regular  course  of  the  narrative,  it  may  be  well  to 
give  here  the  result  of  Captain  Kelly’s  observations  and  proceedings  at  the 
Lew  Chew  and  Bonin  Islands,  in  accordance  with  the  Commodore’s  instruc- 
tions. The  officer  appointed  by  the  commander  of  the  Plymouth  for  the  sur- 
vey of  the  middle  group  of  the  Lew  Chew  Islands  and  the  neighboring 
waters,  reports  that  on  September  15,  1853,  he  and  his  party  encamped  on  the 
island  of  Kindaka,  the  southeastern  one  of  the  chain,  extending  along  the 
coast  of  G-reat  Lew  Chew.  Here  a bay  was  discovered,  but  it  was  found  to 
be  of  no  practical  utility,  being  filled  with  coral  reefs,  which  extend,  in  fact, 
in  an  unbroken  chain  outside  of  all  the  islands  as  far  as  the  northeast  point 
of  Ichey,  with  the  exception  of  a narrow  ship  channel  between  the  islet  off 
the  northeast  end  of  Kudaka  and  the  island  of  Ta-king.  But  as  this  channel 
leads  to  a bay  with  numerous  reefs,  it  is  not  safe  to  enter  it.  In  regard  to 
Barrow’s  Bay,  the  survey  proved  it  to  be  useless  for  all  purposes  of  naviga- 
tion, from  its  exposure  to  easterly  winds  and  the  swell  from  the  ocean. 

A port  of  refuge,  however,  was  discovered  on  the  west  side  of  the  island 
of  Ichey,  which  forms  the  southern  point  of  Barrow’s  Bay,  as  well  as  under 
Hanadi,  toward  both  of  which  a secure  anchorage  may  be  found.  This  is,  in 
fact,  the  only  harbor  of  refuge  on  the  eastern  coast  of  the  Lew  Chew  group. 

The  position  of  Sidmouth  Islands  was  found  to  be  in  latitude  26°  43' 


332 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN, 


30"  north,  differing  3'  30"  from  that  assigned  to  it  hy  Captain  Basil  Hall 
in  his  sketch  of  the  Lew  Chew  group. 

And  the  outline  of  the  coast  was  observed  also  to  run  in  a direction  vary- 
ing somewhat  from  that  laid  down  by  that  navigator.  The  whole  of  the 
island  of  Great  Lew  Chew  was  circumnavigated  in  the  course  of  this  survey, 
under  the  directions  of  Commander  Kelly, 

On  the  arrival  of  the  Plymouth  at  the  Bonins,  it  was  found  that  the  set- 
tlers on  Peel  Island,  the  principal  one  of  the  group,  had  of  their  own  accord 
organized  a municipal  government,  under  the  title  of  “ The  Colony  of  Peel 
IslandP  Commander  Kelly  also,  in  accordance  with  the  instructions  of 
Commodore  Perry,  visited  the  islands  hitherto  termed  “ Baily’s,”  took  for- 
mal possession  of  them  in  the  name  of  the  United  States,  and  gave  them 
their  proper  name  of  Coffin,  a due  record  of  which  was  made  upon  the  chart, 
and  upon  the  spot,  by  affixing  a plate,  inscribed  with  the  fact,  to  a large 
sycamore  tree  growing  about  twenty  feet  from  the  beach,  near  the  northwest 
point  of  the  cove,  and  burying  one  also,  with  some  documents  placed  in  a 
bottle,  giving  a true  history  of  the  discovery  of  the  islands,  and  assigning 
the  credit  to  the  genuine  discoverer,  the  American  whaling  captain.  Coffin.* 

* As  an  interesting  specimen  of  this  original  effort  at  constitution-making  by  wanderers 
from  many  lands,  civilized  and  savage,  we  subjoin  a copy  of  tbe 

“ ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  SETTLERS  OF  PEEL  ISLAND.” 

“ We,  tbe  undersigned,  residents  and  settlers  on  Peel  Island,  in  convention  assembled, 
wishing  to  promote  each  other’s  mutual  welfare,  by  forming  a government,  have  ordained 
and  established  the  following  articles,  which  we  solemnly  bind  ourselves  to  support  for  the 
period  of  two  years.” 

ARTICLE  I. 

“ The  style  of  our  government  shall  be  ‘ The  Colony  of  Fed  Island. 

ARTICLE  n. 

“ The  government  shall  consist  of  a chief  magistrate,  and  a council,  composed  of  two 
persons  ; and  by  virtue  of  this  article,  we  hereby  unanimously  elect  and  appoint  Nathaniel 
Savory,  chief  magistrate,  and  James  Maitley  and  Thomas  H.  Webb,  councUmen;  each  to 
hold  his  said  office  of  chief  magistrate  and  councilman  for  the  period  of  two  years  from 
the  date  of  this  convention.  The  said  chief  magistrate  and  councR  shall  have  power  to 
enact  such  rules  and  regulations'for  the  government  of  this  island  as  to  them,  from  time  to 
time,  may  appear  necessary  for  the  public  good  ; such  rules  and  regulations,  to  become 
binding  on  the  residents,  must  have  the  approval  and  concurrence  of  two-thirds  of  the 
whole  number  of  the  residents.” 

ARTICLE  m. 

“ Until  such  time  as  the  chief  magistrate  and  council  may  he  enabled  to  form  a code  of 
regulations,  we  unanimously  ordain  and  establish  the  following  thirteen  sections,  under  this 
article,  which  shall  have  fall  force  and  effect  until  the  adoption  of  others,  and  until  the  ex- 
piration of  two  years.” 


EFFECT  OF  VISIT 


ON  LEW  CHEWANS.  333 


On  leaving  Napha,  the  reflection  naturally  suggested  itself  to  the  mind 
of  the  Commodore  as  to  the  effect  produced  upon  the  Lew  Chewans,  by  his 

I visit.  It  seemed  evident  that  a very  marked  change  had  taken  place  in  the 
deportment  of  the  islanders  toward  the  Americans. 

There  was  less  mystery  about  them,  and  some  of  the  spies  had  thrown 
off  a portion  of  their  reserve.  The  Lew  Chew  authorities  probably  conjec- 
tured, and  with  good  cause,  that  the  trouble  they  had  taken  in  their  attempts 

I to  deceive  the  Commodore,  with  respect  to  the  condition  of  their  govern- 
ment, the  poverty  of  the  islands,  and  the  harmless  innocence  of  the  people, 

I was  futile,  and  so  much  labor  lost.  And  accordingly  it  was  found  that, 
although  they  still  adhered,  as  if  by  instinct,  to  their  system  of  deception, 
they  were  not  quite  so  ready  with  their  misrepresentations. 

Section  1. — “It  shall  be  the  duty  of  any  and  all  person  or  persons  having  claims  and 
demands  against  each  other,  or  who  shall  have  any  dispute  or  difficulties  between  them- 
selves, which  they  cannot  amicably  settle,  to  refer  the  same  to  the  chief  magistrate  and 
council,  for  adjudication  and  settlement ; and  their  decision  to  be  final  and  binding.” 

Section  2. — “ All  penalties  in  this  colony  shall  be  a pecuniary  fine : and  no  penalty  for 

any  offence  shall  exceed  the  sum  of .” 

Section  3. — “ The  chief  magistrate  and  council  shall  have  power  to  direct  the  seizure 
and  sale  of  any  property  of  any  offenders,  sufficient  to  pay  the  same,  against  whom  a fine 
has  been  decreed,  wherever  it  may  be  found  within  the  limits  of  Peel  Island.” 

Section  4. — “ It  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  resident,  settler,  or  other  person,  on  the 
island,  to  entice  anybody  to  desert  from  any  vessel  that  may  come  into  this  port,  or  to 
secrete  or  harbor  any  such  deserter.” 

Section  5. — “ Any  person  who  shall  entice.  Counsel,  or  aid,  any  other  person  to  desert 
from  any  vessel  in  this  port,  or  shall  harbor  or  conceal  him  to  prevent  his  apprehension, 
shall  be  liable  to  a fine,  not  exceeding  §50  (fifty  dollars).” 

Section  6. — “ All  moneys  arising  from  the  levy  of  fines  upon  offenders  shall  be  a pub- 
lic fund  for  the  use  and  behalf  of  the  colony  ; and  the  same  shall  be  placed  in  the  hands 
of  the  chief  magistrate  for  safe  keeping,  and  to  be  appropriated  to  such  public  purposes  as 
the  chief  magistrate  and  council  may  deem  necessary  and  proper  ; and  a correct  account 
of  all  expenditures  of  said  moneys  shall  be  kept  by  them,  and  a statement  of  receipts  and 
expenditures  published  at  the  end  of  one  year.” 

Section  7. — “ All  public  moneys  remaining  unexpended  at  the  end  of  one  year  shall 
he  equally  divided  among  the  present  settlers,  unless  otherwise  ordained  by  a convention  of 
the  people.” 

Section  8. — “ Part  Regulations. — There  shall  be  two  regularly  appointed  and  recognized 
pilots  for  this  port,  and,  by  virtue  of  this  section  of  article  3,  we  hereby  unanimously  ap- 
point James  Maitley  and  Thomas  H.  Webb  as  such  for  a period  of  two  years  from  the 
date  of  this  convention.  Said  pilots  may  appoint  capable  substitutes  under  them  ; and  it 
shall  he  unlawful  for  any  other  person  or  persons  to  perform  the  duty  of  pilots.  Any  one 
who  shall,  without  the  authority  of  either  of  the  appointed  pilots,  attempt  to  pilot  any 
vessel  into  or  out  of  this  port,  shall  be  liable  to  a fine  equal  to  the  amount  of  the  estab- 
lished rate  of  pilotage.” 

Section  9. — “ It  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  commander  of  a vessel  to  discharge  any  of 
his  crew  in  this  port  without  permission  from  the  chief  magistrate  and  council,  and  no 
commander  of  a vessel  shall  leave  any  sick  or  helpless  man  or  men  upon  the  island,  unless 


334 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


But,  after  all,  many  allowances  should  be  made  for  these  misgoverned 
people,  who  have  been,  doubtless,  taught  from  infancy  to  practise  duplicity 
and  lying  as  a necessary  part  of  an  accomplished  education,  and  altogether 
essential  to  advancement.  It  is  certain  that  they  do  not,  any  more  than  the 
Japanese,  place  the  least  confidence  in  each  other,  and  the  government  in 
employing  their  agents  invariably  send  them  forth  in  couples,  one  to  watch 
the  other. 

The  abominable  system  of  espionage  imposes  great  hardships  on  all 
classes,  as  those  in  power  can  never  know  how  soon  any  of  their  acts,  how- 
ever harmless  they  may  appear  to  themselves,  may  be  construed  into 
offences  against  the  state.  They  thus  find  their  lives  in  constant  jeopardy, 
and  are  often  compelled  to  purchase  safety  by  the  most  servile  humility,  or 
a good  share  of  their  substance.  If,  by  the  most  prostrate  servility,  or  by 
the  prodigal  forfeit  of  property,  they  fail  to  obtain  immunity,  they  are  forced 

he  procure  a house  for  him  or  them,  and  make  suitable  arrangements  for  his  or  their  com- 
fort and  subsistence  during  his  or  their  illness.” 

Section  10. — “ Any  person  or  persons  not  owning  land  upon  this  island,  who  may  here- 
after enter  into  partnership  in  trade  with  a resident  and  landholder,  or  who  shall  purchase 
an  undiidded  interest  in  the  land  of  a resident,  must  enter  into  written  articles  of  agree- 
ment, and  obtain  a written  title  to  the  undivided  interest  he  may  purchase  in  lands,  stock, 
&c. ; and  in  the  event  of  dissolution  of  partnership,  or  death  of  either  party,  partition  of 
the  property  shall  be  made  by  the  chief  magistrate  and  council,  whose  duty  it  shall  he  to 
secure  and  take  charge  of  the  property  and  effects  of  any  deceased  person  for  the  benefit  of 
his  friends.” 

Section  11. — “Any  person  or  persons  who  shall  he  guilty  of  trespass  or  waste  upon 
the  lands  of  any  of  the  inhabitants,  shall  be  fined  in  a sum  equal  to  the  value  of  the  dam- 
age or  waste  he  or  they  may  commit  thereon,  upon  a proper  adjudication  thereof  by  the 
chief  magistrate  and  council.” 

Section  12. — “ The  chief  magistrate  and  council  may,  when  they  deem  it  necessary, 
call  a convention  of  the  people  to  propose  new,  and  make  amendments  to  the  foregoing, 
rules  and  regulations.” 

Section  13. — “ Any  and  all  person  or  persons  who  shall  hereafter  emigrate  to  or  settle 
in  this  colony,  shall  he  subject  and  held  amenable  to  the  foregoing  rules  and  regulations.” 

All  the  above  articles  of  government  having  been  prepared,  concurred  in,  and  adopted 
by  us,  in  convention  assembled,  at  the  house  of  Nathaniel  Savory,  in  Port  Lloyd,  Peel 
island,  on  the  28th  day  of  August,  A.  D.  1853,  we  solemnly  pledge  ourselves  to  each  other 
to  support  and  cariy  out  the  same. 

In  testimony  whereof  we  have  hereunto  subscribed  our  names  the  day  and  year  afore- 
said. 

NATHANIEL  SAVORY. 

THOMAS  H.  MTIBB. 

JAMES  MAITLEY. 

WILLIAM  GILLY,  Jr. 

JOHN  BRONA. 

JOSEPH  CULLEN. 

GEORGE  W.  BRUTvO. 

GEORGE  HORTON. 


AEKIVAL  OF  THE  VANDALIA. 


335 


to  commit  suicide,  in  order  to  save  their  fortunes  from  confiscation  and  their 
families  from  ruin.  The  lower  classes  are  by  no  means  the  smallest  sufferers, 
for  it  is  their  hard-tasked  labor  which  supports  the  whole  system  which  is 
carried  on  by  swarms  of  spies,  who  infest  every  corner  and  nook  of  the 
island. 

On  the  second  evening  after  leaving  Napha,  as  the  Susquehanna  and 
Missis.sippi  were  proceeding  on  their  eourse  to  Hong  Kong,  a sail  was  seen 
ahead  in  the  distance,  steering  in  a northeasterly  direction.  At  first  there 
were  some  doubts  as  to  what  she  was,  but  these  were  soon  cleared  up  by 
the  hashing  of  her  guns,  in  the  approaching  darkness  of  the  night,  which 
showed  that  she  was  saluting  the  Commodore’s  flag  on  the  Susquehanna. 
It  was  now  certain  that  she  was  an  American  man-of-war,  and  soon  she  was 
discovered  to  be  the  long-expected  Vandalia.  As  she  lay  to,  the  Susquehanna 
steered  towards  her,  making  a signal  for  her  commander  to  come  on  board, 
and  soon  a boat  came  off,  bringing  Captain  Pope,  who  at  once  reported  to 
the  Commodore.  The  voyage  of  the  Vandalia  had  been  a remarkably  fine 
one,  having  left  Philadelphia  only  on  the  fifth  of  March,  touching  at  Rio 
Janeiro  by  the  way.  Her  commander  brought  the  information  of  the  arri- 
val of  the  Powhatan,  from  the  United  States,  at  Hong  Kong,  and  of  her 
proposed  departure  for  Lew  Chew.  This  information  made  Commodore 
Perry  very  anxious  to  reach  port  before  the  sailing  of  the  Powhatan,  as  her 
trip  to  the  north  would  be  utterly  useless,  and  the  consequent  consumption 
of  coal  a serious  loss  to  the  limited  stock  of  the  squadron.  The  Vandalia 
being  ordered  back  to  Hong  Kong,  the  fleet  continued  its  course  to  that 
place,  where  the  steamers  arrived  on  Sunday,  August  7,  1853. 

The  Vandalia,  however,  did  not  get  back  to  Hong  Kong  until  the  fif- 
teenth. The  Commodore  was  much  disappointed  to  find  that  the  Powhatan 
had  sailed  just  the  day  before  his  arrival,  and  as  she  had  taken  the  Formosa 
passage,  he  had  thus  lost  the  chance  of  intercepting  her.  She  did  not 
return  to  Hong  Kong  until  the  25th  of  August,  having  been  detained  ten 
days  at  Lew  Chew  for  the  repair  of  her  machinery ; and  similar  delays  had 
been  found  necessary,  in  the  opinion  of  her  chief  engineer,  at  almost  every 
port  at  which  the  Powhatan  touched  on  her  outward  passage. 

As  the  typhoon  season  was  approaching,  and  the  ships  all  required  a 
general  overhauling,  the  engineers  asking  for  sixty  working  days  for  putting 
the  Powhatan  alone  in  order,  and  the  crews  needing  some  relaxation,  the 
Commodore  determined,  in  consideration  of  these  circumstances,  to  give  all 
his  vessels  a thorough  refitment. 


CHAPTER  XVI 


Alarm  of  Americans  in  China. — ^Bequest  to  Commodore  that  he  would  send  a ship  to  Canton. — Supply 
sent. — The  rest  of  the  squadron  at  Cum-sing-moon. — Hospital  established  and  house  taken  at  Macao. 
— Sickness  in  the  squadron. — TVork  kept  up  in  all  departments,  notwithstanding. — Healthiness  of 
Canton. — Gluttony  of  the  Chinese. — Chinese  servants. — Chinese  English,  or  “ Pigeon." — Male  dress- 
makers, chamber  servants,  etc. — Chinese  female  feet — Chinese  guilds. — Beggars. — Charitable  institu- 
tions.— Thieves. — Boatmen. — Laboring  classes. — Domestic  servants. — Polygamy  and  its  moral  results, 
— Decadence  of  Macao. — Humbled  condition  of  the  Portuguese. — Harbor  of  Macao. — Commodore  es- 
tablishes his  depot  for  the  squadron  at  Hong  Kong. — Pleasant  society  of  Macao. — Powhatan  stationed 
at  Whampoa  to  relieve  the  Susquehanna. — Supply  still  at  Canton. — Chinese  peaceable  toward  foreign- 
ers.— Steamer  “ Queen  ” chartered  to  protect  American  interests  in  China  while  the  squadron  should 
gotoTeddo.. — Suspicious  movements  of  Russians  and  French  induce  the  Commodore  to  hasten  his 
return  to  Japan. — Lexington  arrives. — The  squadron  ordered  to  rendezvous  at  Napha,  Lew  Chew.— 
Orders  received,  just  as  the  squadron  leaves  ohina,  to  detach  a steamer  for  the  use  of  Mr.  McLane, 
American  commissioner  to  China. — Embarrassment  of  the  Commodore  in  consequence. — His  mode 
of  proceeding  to  accomplish  botli  the  objects  of  the  govemmenL — Correspondence  with  Sir  George 
Bonham  touching  the  Bonin  islands. — Courtesy  of  the  English  Admiral  Pellew. — Squadron  assembles 
at  Napha. 


UCH  time  had  not  elapsed 
after  the  arrival  of  Commo- 
dore Perry  at  Hong  Kong, 
before  the  American  mer- 
chants at  Canton  applied  to 
I him  for  further  protection 
to  their  lives  and  property, 
which  they  believed  endan- 
yCT  gered  by  what  appeared  to 
them  the  imminent  prospect 
of  a revolutionary  outbreak 
in  the  city.  These  gentle- 
men addressed  a communica- 
tion to  the  Commodore,  in 
which  they  expressed  their 
great  satisfaction  at  his  de- 
termination to  remain  upon  the  Chinese  coast  with  his  squadron  until 
he  was  prepared  to  resume  negotiations  with  Japan,  They  moreover  stated 


SUPPLY  SENT  TO  CANTON. 


337 


their  belief  that  the  revolution  which  had  commenced  in  China  would  result 
in  the  overthrow  of  the  Tartars,  with  no  immediate  prospect  for  the  future 
but  a confused  state  of  anarchy,  without  a power  anywhere  to  reduce  it  to 
the  order  of  a settled  government. 

While  it  was  acknowledged  that  the  majority  of  the  Chinese  people  are 
distinguished  by  a disposition  to  cultivate  the  peaceful  pursuits  of  industry 
and  commerce,  and  the  opinion  was  expressed  that  the  revolutionists  were 
favorably  disposed  toward  foreign  intercourse,  thus  giving  hopes  for  the 
future  prosperity  of  trade,  still  it  was  declared  that  the  disturbed  condition 
of  the  country  was  such  that,  if  continued,  foreign  commerce  would  be  de- 
stroyed, and  the  importation  of  American  goods,  so  vastly  important  to 
the  United  States,  be  entirely  extinguished. 

The  chief  purpose,  however,  of  the  communication  from  the  American 
merchants  was,  as  it  stated,  to  urge  upon  the  Commodore  to  send  one  or 
more  of  his  vessels  to  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  the  factories  at  Can- 
ton, the  whole  country  about  which  place  was  swarming  with  thieves  and 
desperate  fellows,  lying  in  wait  for  an  opportunity  to  attack  and  plunder 
the  foreign  residences,  if  not  to  wreak  their  vengeance  upon  the  persons  of 
their  occupants. 

The  Commodore  promptly  answered  this  communication  with  assurances 
of  his  determination  to  give  his  countrymen  all  the  protection  required  in 
the  prevailing  crisis  of  China  affairs.  He  had  already  sent  the  Mississippi 
to  Blenheim  Reach  to  protect  the  shipping  at  Whampoa,  as  also  to  guard 
against  the  numerous  pirates ; and  had  directed  an  examination  of  the  river 
with  a view  of  moving  that  steamer  nearer  Canton ; but  as  for  placing  her 
at  the  point  desired  by  the  American  merchants,  it  was  impossible,  from  her 
draught  of  water.  The  Commodore,  however,  promised  that  the  Supply, 
which  had  an  efficient  armament  and  accommodations  for  a hundred  and 
fifty  men,  should  be  sent  on  her  arrival,  if  it  were  necessary,  to  the  city  of 
Canton  itself,  and  if  there  was  any  delay  in  the  arrival  of  that  vessel,  that 
the  storeship  Southampton  should  take  her  place.  In  the  meantime  the 
merchants  were  informed  that  they  could  have,  if  they  desired,  a guard  of 
marines  and  one  or  more  pieces  of  artillery  from  the  Mississippi,  which  would 
be  landed  and  stationed  at  the  Factories.  Moreover,  Commander  Lee,  of 
the  steamer  Mississippi,  was  instructed  to  be  prepared  to  land,  on  the  requi- 
sition of  the  acting  American  vice-consul,  at  a moment’s  notice,  an  advanced 
guard,  to  be  followed,  if  need  be,  by  a much  larger  force,  composed  of  de- 
tachments from  the  other  ships  in  the  river. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  Supply  from  Amoy,  the  Commodore  dispatched 
her,  as  he  had  promised,  to  take  her  station  at  the  anchorage  opposite  the 
city  of  Canton.  Meanwhile  the  remainder  of  the  squadron  were  ordered  to 
rendezvous  at  Cum-sing-moon,  a port  lying  between  Hong  Kong  and  Macao- 
This  port  was  more  safe  and  commodious,  as  well  as  more  healthful,  than 
22 


338 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


any  of  tlie  other  harbors  or  anchorages  in  the  neighborhood,  and,  being  the 
rendezvous  of  the  opium  vessels  belonging  to  the  merchants  of  Canton, 
possessed  the  additional  advantage  of  constant  communication  with  the 
neighboring  towns. 

The  Commodore,  having  thus  disposed  of  his  squadron,  found  it  conve- 
nient, in  order  to  arrange  the  accumulated  results  of  his  voyage  to  Japan 
and  the  Lew  Chew  and  Bonin  islands,  to  take  a house  at  Macao,  for  faciU- 
tating  his  own  business,  and  for  the  accommodation  of  the  surveying  ofEicens 
and  artists  of  the  expedition  to  bring  up  their  work.  A hospital  was  also 
established  in  the  town  rmder  the  superintendence  of  the  fleet  surgeon. 
The  Commodore  found  the  station  he  selected  much  more  advantageous 
than  it  would  have  been  on  board  either  of  the  ships,  or  at  Canton  or 
Hong  Kong ; as  Macao  was  an  intermediate,  or  rather  central  point  be- 
tween those  two  places  and  Cum-sing-moon,  and  where,  with  mails  arriving 
and  departing  daily,  and  steamers  and  dispatch  boats  almost  hourly,  he  was 
enabled  to  hold  communication  with  them  all. 

The  hospital  soon  had  a goodly  number  of  inmates  sent  from  the  difiierent 
ships.  Scarcely  an  officer  or  man  escaped  an  attack  of  fever  of  more  or  less 
severity,  and  some  few  deaths  occurred,  among  which  were  those  of  Lieu- 
tenant Adams,  of  the  Powhatan,  and  the  master  of  the  band  belonging  to 
the  steamer  Mississippi.  The  Commodore  himself,  worn  out  by  duties  which 
were  more  than  usually  heavy,  in  consequence  of  the  supervision  of  the 
labors  in  connection  with  the  accumulated  results  of  the  expedition,  and 
large  correspondence  that  became  necessary  from  the  apprehensions  of  the 
danger  entertained  by  the  American  merchants  as  likely  to  result  from  the 
distiu'bed  state  of  China,  was  finally  prostrated  and  suffered  from  an  attack 
of  illness.  Notwithstanding,  however,  the  work  of  the  expedition  was  not 
allowed  any  remission.  The  surveying  officers  continued  their  hydrograph- 
ical labors,  and  succeeded  in  preparing  fair  copies  of  the  charts  which  had 
been  constructed  during  the  late  cruise.  The  artists  and  draughtsmen 
were  constantly  engaged  in  making  and  completing  their  sketches  and  draw- 
ings, of  which  more  than  two  hundred  were  finished.  The  several  appa- 
ratus of  the  magnetic  telegraph,  the  Daguerreotype,  and  the  Talbotype  were 
arranged  and  put  in  full  operation. 

Macao  had  always  hitherto  been  considered  a remarkably  salubrious 
place,  and  chosen  as  the  usual  summer  resort  of  families  from  Canton  and 
Hong  Kong;  but  the  epidemic  which  prevailed  in  1853  proved  that  it  was 
not  always  to  be  exempt  from  those  destructive  visitations  of  disease  to 
which  the  cities  and  towns  of  the  east  are  so  much  exposed.  During  the 
time  that  so  much  sickness  prevailed  at  Macao,  Canton  was  comparatively 
exempt.  In  fact,  this  latter  city  is  looked  upon,  and  justly  so,  as  a health- 
ful place  when  compared  with  other  cities  in  the  neighborhood ; and  this 
seems  more  remarkable,  when  it  is  considered  that  the  inhabitants  are  con- 


COTTON  ■VVHIPITNG,  HONG  KONG. 


Fas'- 


<i,  'fvT' ^ • y » 5 ft 

< «>» 

‘•^i 


',,411^  .,,(1 

•4*'  ••vsiwRt. '•r,-^.  l-»i;  TaF 

■'1  ^^^^^ 

't'-<hii»ii  HS  'ht 

fc*  • 1 ’ - V , M TaBiii^’jfiJ 

»*ff|iM<t'««Jr>r?®is-*i ' ■'««ii<  '4'«  m nfe. »» 


■’^  'I'**  <► 

T<f'i'j^-Vif‘-A  Iiv.f  'J  '^ifr  f}  wryj 

lilfi].  ■ • '■»  '4  >‘■'■'  ^1  4lli“  'fti 


''<^1  '■'S  .’♦'^ 

.|0'U<  ■:44M!,;-.  '■  ■■‘1 


'AV.tiil'V^;'-^,  ,'^r(S|  lii 


i >.  • « 4| 


'>•>^■^4)‘  Vtaii  4ifl|  ]y».vrtD>  W'liK-O  :J'|  t>jt*uiii*<it  W VmrM  -V’ 

.-nil,  ,^^•vV^  ,A»c)?'  ..W*(U  1*4 

A ., 

t:t  .tibif  '4j  '.(rt  fH(*»,»t*f»/'\Klj^.  ? 


SALUBRITY  OF  CANTON, 


339 


stantly  breathing  the  miasmatic  atmosphere  arising  from  the  luxuriant  and 
marshy  fields  of  rice  and  other  grains  which  surround  Canton.  Many  parts 
of  the  town  itself,  in  fact,  are  periodically  overfiowed  by  the  i-ising  of  the 
river,  which  makes  the  circumstance  of  its  comparative  healthfuluess  still 
more  extraordinary.  While  there  was  so  much  sickness  at  Macao,  the  pub- 
lic garden  of  the  Factories  at  Canton  was  covered  with  water,  which  ap- 
proached to  the  very  doors  of  the  merchants,  and  this  too  at  a season  when, 
in  all  inter-tropical  latitudes,  local  fevers  are  to  be  expected.  And  notwith- 
standing all  these  exciting  causes  of  disease,  the  ofiicers  and  crew  of  the 
Supply,  at  anchor  off  the  city,  and  within  the  direct  influence  of  them, 
remained  perfectly  healthy,  while  those  on  board  the  other  ships  suffered 
more  or  less  from  the  prevailing  epidemic. 

Various  speculations  have  been  advanced  to  account  for  the  singu- 
lar exemption  of  the  inhabitants  of  Canton  from  the  effects  of  malaria. 
Some  have  ascribed  it  to  the  vast  amount  of  smoke  produced  by  the  burn- 
ing of  wood  for  domestic  purposes,  while  others  have  attributed  it  to  the 
abstemiousness  of  the  people.  These  reasons  seem,  however,  insufficient  to 
account  for  it;  for  if  smoke  only  be  effective  to  dispel  the  ill  influences  of 
malaria.  New  Orleans  should  be  free  from  them,  for  more  fuel  is  certainly 
burned  there  than  at  Canton.  As  for  the  abstemiousness  of  the  people, 
which  certainly  exists,  but  from  necessity,  not  choice,  it  is  hardly  reasonable 
to  suppose  that  it  would  counteract  the  other  habits  of  their  lives,  which 
certainly  would  appear  to  be  highly  unfavorable  to  health.  If  narrow, 
filthy  streets,  ill- ventilated  and  crowded  houses,  and  uncleanliness  of  person, 
can  produce  disease,  then  it  would  appear  that  the  people  of  Canton  should 
be  sorely  afflicted.  But  yet  all  these  predisposing  causes  seem  to  have  no 
effect  either  upon  the  myriads  who  live  and  die  in  crowded  boats  upon  the 
river,  or  upon  those  who  throng  the  land ; and  years  pass  away  without  any 
serious  epidemic. 

In  regard  to  the  abstemiousness  of  the  Chinese,  this,  as  has  been  re- 
marked, is  altogether  a virtue  of  necessity,  as  they  seem  to  be  fond  enough 
of  flesh  and  of  all  sorts  of  food,  however  gross,  when  they  can  get  it.  They 
are  certainly  the  most  inordinate  feeders  in  the  world,  when  supplied  with 
the  material  necessary  for  the  exercise  of  their  gastronomical  propensities. 
The  poorer  classes  are  accustomed  to  the  use  of  boiled  rice  only,  mixed 
with  small  proportions  of  dried  fish,  and  occasionally  with  some  simple  con- 
diments, and  they  consume  enormous  quantities  of  this  food,  if  they  have 
the  means  of  procuring  it.  Dogs  and  cats,  which  are  carried  about  the 
streets  for  sale,  must  be  considered  delicacies  above  the  reach  of  the  poorer 
classes,  judging  from  the  prices  demanded  for  them.  Bats,  mice,  and  other 
vermin,  are  also  eagerly  sought  after,  and  are  made  up  into  various  savory 
dishes.  To  the  families  belonging  to  the  fast  boats  attached  to  the  ship,  a 
good  fat  rat  was  one  of  the  most  acceptable  of  presents,  which  they  cooked 


340 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


and  served  up  with  their  rice,  making  a dish  very  much  like  the  French  one 
of  Poulet-au-riz  in  appearance ; hut  as  for  the  taste,  that  question  must  be 
referred  to  Chinese  authorities,  as  no  American  or  European  has  yet  been 
found,  it  is  believed,  to  test  it  by  actual  experiment. 

Those  Chinese  employed  in  the  ships  of  the  squadron  have  always 
found  the  navy  ration  insufficient  to  satisfy  their  gluttony,  notwithstanding 
that  of  the  United  States  vessels  is  far  more  abundant  and  of  better  quality 
than  the  ration  of  the  navy  of  any  other  country.  A mess  of  ten  American 
seamen  usually  stop  each  two  rations,  for  which  they  receive  the  commu- 
tation in  money.  The  Chinese,  however,  although  the  most  sordid  of  beings, 
not  only  devoured  the  entire  ration  served  out  to  them,  hut  went  about  the 
decks  collecting  what  they  could  pick  up  from  the  leavings  of  the  messes, 
and  invariably  beset  the  ship’s  cooks  for  the  scrapings  of  the  coppers. 

The  Chinese  servants  employed  in  the  Commodore’s  cabin  ate,  in  miscel- 
^ laneous  food,  including  rice,  bread,  beef,  pork,  and  the  leavings  of  the  table, 

three  times  as  much  as  the  other  attendants.  In  fact,  the  enormous  quanti- 
ties of  rice  they  consumed,  with  whatever  else  they  could  seize  upon,  is 
almost  incredible.  As  for  sugar  and  other  sweets,  there  would  have  been 
no  end  to  their  pilfering,  if  they  had  not  been  carefully  watched  by  the 
steward.  This  gross  feeding  exhibited  its  effects  upon  the  Chinese  servants, 
as  it  does  upon  dumb  animals,  for  they  soon  became  fat  and  lazy. 

Most  of  the  Chinese  servants  employed  in  the  European  and  American 
families  settled  in  China,  engage  to  find  their  own  food.  Their  wages  vary 
from  four  to  six  and  seven  dollars  per  month ; the  cooks,  however,  receive 
from  seven  to  ten.  All  articles  for  household  consumption,  in  the  foreign 
establishments,  are  procured  through  the  agency  of  a person  called  a com- 
prador, who  hires  the  servants,  pays  them  their  wages,  and  becomes  security 
for  their  honesty ; he  keeps  a regular  account  of  the  domestic  expenditure, 
and  settles  with  his  employers  at  established  periodical  seasons.  In  the 
large  mercantile  establishments,  the  profits  of  these  compradors  are  very 
considerable.  However  ample  a dinner  may  have  been  furnished,  it  would 
be  difficult  to  secure  at  some  of  the  residences,  where  little  attention  is  paid 
to  the  economy  of  the  household  by  the  proprietors  themselves,  anything  for 
a late  guest  arriving  half  an  hour  after  the  meats  had  been  served.  Scarcely 
are  the  dishes  taken  from  the  dining  room,  before  they  are  on  their  way  to 
the  neighboring  eating  houses,  there  to  be  rehashed  into  stews,  and  sold  to 
the  middle  classes.  In  the  hongs  of  the  merchants,  who  are  called  upon,  as 
a part  of  their  business,  to  keep  up  abundant  tables,  great  waste  must 
necessarily  take  place,  but  as  the  expenditure  goes  to  the  profit  and  loss  of 
the  concern,  it  is  of  little  consequence.  The  missionaries  and  others,  of 
small  means,  are  necessarily  hard  put  to  it  to  make  both  ends  meet. 

In  the  houses  of  the  foreign  merchants,  where  there  happen  to  be  no 
ladies,  female  servants  are  unknown;  and  what  would  appear  to  be  repug- 


CHINESE  SERVANTS. 


341 


nant  to  our  own  sense  of  delicacy,  there  are  even  some  English  and  Ameri- 
can families  without  female  domestics,  although  ladies  form  part  of  the 
household.  The  reason  assigned  is  the  difficulty'of  obtaining  trusty  maid 
servants. 

It  was,  however,  observed,  that  in  all  the  families  containing  children, 
either  maid  servants  or  women  of  Macao,  called  Amahs  or  Ayahs,  were  em- 
ployed. 

The  wages  of  the  latter  at  Macao  are  four  dollars  a month,  hut  if  taken 
to  Canton  or  Hong  Kong  they  demand  additional  compensation.  Many  of 
the  women  speak  a little  of  the  lingua  called  Chinese  English,  or  in  the  cant 
phrase,  pigeon,  which  sounds  very  ludicrous  to  those  first  hearing  it,  but  one 
soon  finds  himself  drawn  necessarily  into  this  manner  of  making  himself  un- 
derstood. The  Macao  women  possessing  this  elegant  accomplishment  demand 
higher  wages. 

There  is  certainly  some  excuse  for  employing  male  attendants  about  the 
bed  chamber  and  dressing  rooms,  when  it  is  known  that  the  Chinese  lords  of 
creation  are  the  only  tailors,  dress-makers,  washers,  ironers  and  doers  up  of 
fine  linen.  In  Canton,  however,  there  are  some  women  hired  by  the  tailors 
to  do  plain  sewing,  for  which  they  receive  nearly  as  little  as  our  needle 
workers,  and  those  poor  creatures  in  Great  Britain,  over  whose  misery  and 
living  death  Hood  sang  his  dirge.  Their  pay  is  from  five  to  seven  cents  a 
day.  The  male  tailors  are  somewhat  better  paid,  and  will  go  to  any  house 
and  work  for  twelve  hours  at  the  rate  of  twenty-five  cents  a day,  they  finding 
their  own  food,  or,  as  they  call  it,  their  “ chow-chow."  It  is  not  uncommon 
to  see  a dirty  small-footed  female  sitting  at  some  corner  in  the  street,  with  a 
supply  of  sewing  materials  and  a few  rags,  ready  to  stitch  up  a rent  or  put  a 
patch  upon  the  garments  of  any  passer  by  who  may  want  her  services.  To- 
ward night  she  may  be  seen  hobbling  home,  with  her  stock  in  trade,  on  her 
disgusting  stumps,  of  which  she  is  seemingly  very  proud. 

All  the  Chinese  women,  in  fact,  pride  themselves  very  much  on  their  goat- 
like hoofs,  and  have  the  greatest  possible  contempt  for  a natural  foot.  Little 
girls  are  said  to  importune  their  mothers  with  tears  in  their  eyes  to  compress 
their  feet,  as  promising  them  a higher  position  in  society,  although  females 
of  the  lower  orders  are  frequently  observed  with  the  aristocratic  hoof, 
but  these  are  such  as  have,  possibly,  seen  better  days.  It  is  difficult  for 
strangers  to  get  a sight  of  these  singular  deformities,  as  the  Chinese  women 
manifest  the  greatest  reluctance  to  show  them ; but  Dr.  Parker  prevailed  upon 
a girl  of  thirteen,  who  was  a patient  in  the  hospital,  to  unbandage  in  the 
presence  of  her  mother,  in  order  to  satisfy  the  curiosity  of  the  Commodore, 
who  had  quite  enough  in  one  glance  of  that  shapeless  stump,  which  appeared 
more  like  a specimen  of  bad  surgery,  such  as  Dr.  Parker  would  have  been 
doubtless  ashamed  of,  than,  as  the  Chinese  considered  it,  an  elegance  of 
fashion. 


'f 


342  EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 

These  horrid  hoofs  are  very  carefully  looked  after  by  the  Chinese  women, 
and  are  swathed  in  gay  bandages  of  all  colors,  and  shod  with  a high-heeled 
shoe,  richly  worked  and  adorned. 

A fashionable  ladies’  dressmaker  in  China,  where  all  these  indispensable 
servitors  of  fashion  are  males,  is  always  greatly  in  demand  among  the  foreign 
ladies,  and  it  is  as  necessary  to  bespeak  his  services  in  time  at  Canton  and 
Macao,  as  it  is  those  of  a Miss  Lawson  in  New  York.  These  man-milli- 
ners generally  require  what  they  call  a musier^  or  pattern,  which  they,  with 
the  usual  Chinese  imitative  skill,  reproduce  exactly,  whether  of  London, 
Paris  or  New  York  fashion,  and  adapt  it  to  any  form  or  size.  It  was  by  no 
means  an  agreeable  sight,  on  passing  one  of  the  dark  and  dirty  tailor  shops 
at  Macao,  to  behold  the  greasy  and  half  naked  Chinaman,  late  at  night, 
busily  plying  his  dirty  fingers  about  a splendid  female  dress,  destined  to 
v/  drape  the  graceful  form  of  some  beautiful  woman  at  the  coming  ball  or  din- 

ner party.  These  male  dressmakers  are  held  in  such  estimation  by  those 
resident  in  China,  that  some  few  European  and  American  ladies  have  been 
known,  on  leaving  the  country,  to  carry  away  a Chinese  man  milliner  with 
them. 

The  ordinary  compensation  for  all  operatives  in  Canton,  who  find  their 
food,  varies  from  twelve  to  twenty  cents  a day.  Farm  hands,  when  fed,  re- 
ceive six  cents  for  twelve  hours  work,  being  at  the  rate  of  a farthing  an  hour. 
The  day  laborers,  chair  bearers,  and  porters,  if  not  hired  by  the  job,  are  paid 
from  twenty  to  twenty-five  cents.  Boatmen’s  wages  are  from  one  and  a half 
to  two  and  a quarter  dollars  per  month,  when  found,  which  latter  condition 
generally  includes  food,  not  only  for  themselves,  but  for  their  wives  and  chil- 
dren, who  live  with  them  in  the  boat. 

Porters,  and  those  of  other  crafts  in  Canton,  form  themselves  into  guilds, 
and  appoint  leaders,  or  headmen,  who  contract  for  labor  of  various  sorts. 
This  system  of  organization  is  not  confined  to  those  who  work,  but  extends 
to  those  who  beg.  The  beggars,  like  the  gipsies,  have  their  kings,  who  as- 
sign to  their  ragged  subjects  their  particular  ofiicesof  vagabondage  and  their 
respective  fields  of  operation  ; and  what  is  singular,  the  laws  of  China  secure 
to  these  rogues  certain  rights  and  privileges.  These  laws  give  to  them  the 
right  of  approaching  and  knocking  at  the  door  of  any  domicile,  or  to  enter 
the  shops,  and  there  to  strike  together  a couple  of  sticks  similar  to  those 
used  by  the  watchmen  employed  by  families  to  guard  their  premises  against 
thieves;  these  sticks  produce  a disagreeable  sound,  and,  however  long  the 
beggars  keep  up  this  annoyance,  they  cannot  be  legally  ejected  rmtil  they  are 
paid  the  usual  gratuity,  which  is  the  smallest  coin  in  use,  termed  a cash,  and 
which  in  value  is  about  the  twelfth  of  a cent ; when  supplied  with  this  the 
beggar  takes  his  departure,  and  repeats  the  stick  striking  nuisance  next  door, 
and  so  on  until  he  has  completed  his  daily  circuit. 

It  is  said  that  one  hundred  of  these  mendicants  are  assigned  by  their 


CniXESE  KICE  HDIXING  MACniNE. 


CHINESE  BEGGAES. 


343 


king  to  Old  China  street  alone,  which  is  altogether  occupied  by  wealthy 
shop-keepers.  Some  of  these  commute  with  the  beggars,  by  paying  them  a 
round  sum  for  exemption  from  the  annoyance  of  these  noisy  visitors ; others 
refuse  to  do  this,  and  hold  out  as  long  as  their  patience  will  allow,  with  a 
view  of  wasting  the  time  of  the  suppliant,  who,  having  a right  to  visit  all  the 
shops,  desires  to  make  the  greatest  number  of  calls  possible  in  the  course  of 
the  day,  and  thus  be  able  to  pay  into  the  general  treasury  at  night  the  largest 
amount  of  cash.  The  organized  beggars  have  their  own  benevolent  institu- 
tions, where  provision  is  made  for  the  sick  and  needy  and  the  old  and  infirm. 
The  number  of  these  well  disciplined  gentry  can  hardly  be  estimated  by  a 
stranger,  but  it  is  undoubtedly  very  large,  if  we  may  judge  from  the  crowds 
which  infest  those  parts  of  the  city  of  Canton  accessible  to  foreigners. 

Each  city  has  its  own  laws  with  respect  to  mendicants,  and  its  own  chari- 
table institutions.  In  Canton  there  are  four  principal  benevolent  establish- 
ments : one  for  widows,  another  for  foundlings,  a third  for  furnishing  coffins 
for  the  dead  relations  of  indigent  families,  and  the  fourth  for  “ loafers.” 
They  are  all,  however,  so  badly  managed,  that  they  answer  very  indifferently 
the  purpose  intended,  for  it  happens  very  generally  in  China,  as  is  too  often 
the  case  in  Christianized  countries,  that  those  who  have  the  control  of  these 
institutions  contrive  to  embezzle  the  revenues,  and  thus  make  themselves 
rich  by  taking  care  of  the  poor.  Whether  thieving  is  one  of  the  recognized 
functions  of  these  beggars  or  not,  is  not  known ; but  it  is  quite  clear  that 
they  can  and  do  turn  their  hand  with  great  skill  to  occasional  small  pilfering, 
in  which  they  show  themselves  as  great  adepts  as  the  most  accomplished 
pickpockets  in  any  part  of  the  world. 

The  Americans,  during  the  detention  of  the  squadron  on  the  coast  of 
China,  had  occasion  to  become  practically  acquainted  with  the  mode  of  carry- 
ing on  business  on  the  part  of  the  lower  or  laboring  classes.  Among  these,  the 
boatmen  and  boatwomen  were  those  with  whom  there  was,  of  course,  the 
most  frequent  relations.  The  men-of-war,  as  in  fact  do  most  of  the  merchant 
vessels,  employ  what  is  called  a fast  boat,  which  is  always  in  charge  of  a 
skipper.  This  man’s  family,  if  he  have  one,  which  is  almost  universally  the 
case,  lives  with  him  in  his  boat,  and  assists  in  rowing,  steering,  managing  the 
sails,  and  in  otherwise  conducting  the  craft.  The  children  are  born  and 
grow  up  in  the  boat,  rarely  leaving  her,  and,  in  proportion  to  their  number 
and  strength,  contribute  to  the  profit  of  the  father,  who  happens  to  be  the 
proprietor.  The  females  lend  a hand  as  readily  as  the  males,  and  both  sexes 
are  seen  laboring  alike.  A skipper  who  has  the  misfortune  to  be  childless, 
has  to  employ  six  or  eight  laborers  to  assist  him  in  the  management  of  his 
fast  boat ; while  he  who  has  been  blessed  with  a numerous  progeny  can  dispense 
with  these  expensive  assistants.  Forty  dollars  a month  is  the  ordinary  rate 
paid  by  ships  for  the  hire  of  one  of  these  boats. 

There  are  various  other  descriptions  of  boatmen  and  boatwomen  plying 


344 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


tlieir  curious  craft  in  the  Canton  river ; there  are  those  who  manage  the 
flower  boats,  the  hong  boats,  the  pull-away  boats,  the  numerous  fishing  boats, 
and  the  Tanka  boats.  The  latter,  and  their  picturesquely  costumed  female 
tenders,  have  been  already  described  somewhat  in  a previous  chapter ; but  it 
may  not  be  uninteresting  to  give  some  additional  details  in  regard  to  them. 
They  are  used  as  passenger  boats  to  carry  people  backward  and  forward 
from  the  land  to  the  shipping  in  the  harbor.  In  construction  they  are  short, 
but  broad  in  beam.  In  the  centre  there  is  a canopy  of  matting,  under 
which  the  passengers  sit  or  recline.  The  crew  generally  consists  of  two 
women,  who  are  often  quite  young,  and  who  are  usually  joint  proprietors, 
and  a little  female  apprentice  of  twelve  or  thirteen  years  of  age.  One  of 
the  elder  girls  sculls  and  steers  the  Tanka  boat,  the  other  sits  in  the  bow  and 
rows,  while  the  chief  function  of  the  youthful  apprentice  is  to  collect  the 
lare,  see  to  the  comfort  of  the  passengers,  and  make  herself  generally  useful 

These  girls  rarely  leave  their  boats  except  to  purchase  their  simple  food 
of  rice,  dried  fish,  and  leeks,  which  they  cook  on  board,  except  in  very  bois- 
terous weather,  when  it  becomes  necessary  to  haul  their  craft  on  shore.  On 
the  latter  occasion  they  are  always  ready  to  lend  each  other  a hand,  and 
getting  their  boats  high  and  dry  on  the  land,  and  snugly  protected,  they  form 
quite  a group  on  the  shore,  like  a flock  of  amphibious  marine  birds,  and 
avail  themselves  of  the  opportunity  to  gossip  and  visit  each  other,  on 
board  of  their  stranded  barks. 

In  regard  to  the  lower  or  laboring  classes  of  China,  of  whom  the  Com- 
modore had  an  opportunity  of  forming  some  judgment,  as  he  was  brought  in 
contact  with  them  from  the  necessity  of  availing  himself  of  their  services, 
he  was  agreeably  disappointed,  as  he  found  them,  practically,  not  so  bad  after 
all.  It  is  true,  honesty  is  only  a conventional  virtue  with  the  Chinese ; but 
it  can  be  obtained  for  money,  like  anything  else  among  that  nation  of  shop- 
keepers ; and  if  a Chinese  laborer  stipulates  to  be  honest  for  a consideration, 
he  may,  in  ordinary  cases,  be  depended  upon,  especially  if  he  furnishes 
security  for  the  fulfilment  of  his  contract.  If,  however,  honesty  has  not 
been  made  expressly  a part  of  the  bargain,  a Chinaman  thinks  he  retains 
the  right  of  lying,  cheating,  and  thieving,  to  the  full  extent  of  his  opportu- 
nity and  the  utmost  bent  of  his  inclinations.  In  engaging  servants,  it  is 
customary  to  require  of  them  to  produce  securities  who  will  hold  themselves 
accountable  for  their  honesty  and  good  conduct.  Without  an  endorsement, 
no  foreign  merchant  would  think  of  taking  a Chinese  domestic  into  his  house- 
hold, any  more  than  he  would  receive  across  the  desk  of  his  counting-room 
an  equivocal  note  without  the  security  of  a good  house  or  name. 

It  is  difficult  to  form  any  just  estimate  of  the  higher  classes  in  China 
without  an  opportunity,  which  few  can  possess,  of  mixing  in  intimate  social 
intercourse  with  them.  The  foreign  merchants,  whose  relations  with  the 
country  are  entirely  commercial,  have  but  little  occasion  of  knowing  any 


OniNESE  FRUIT  SELLER,  nONG  KONG. 


* IT  ' 


DEESS  OF  CHINESE  LADY  OF  RANK, 


MACAO. 


345 


others  than  those  engaged  in  trade.  The  missionaries  have  an  opportunity, 
undoubtedly,  of  extending  their  observations  over  a wider  range,  but  their 
experience  is  generally  confined  to  the  outskirts  of  society. 

There  was  no  very  complete  account  of  the  social  habits  and  character- 
istics of  the  Chinese  people  until  the  publication  of  Pere  Hue’s  book  of 
travels,  which  contains  certainly  the  best  account  extant  of  the  inner  life  of 
China.  What  is  seen  by  a casual  visitor  of  Chinese  society  is  not  calculated 
to  impress  him  very  favorably.  The  position  of  women  is  such  as  to  destroy 
all  the  best  features  of  domestic  life.  Polygamy  being  allowed  by  the  laws 
of  China,  as  well  as  concubinage,  women  are  naturally  considered  as  mere 
household  slaves,  to  gratify  the  passions  and  do  menial  service  at  the  will  of 
their  lords  and  masters.  The  men  do  not  treat  females  as  equals,  and  seem- 
ingly avoid  their  society  as  much  as  possible ; for  they  are  passing  their 
leisure  hours  at  the  tea  and  opium  houses,  while  the  women  are  kept  at  home 
in  a state  of  domestic  slavery.  As  among  the  negroes  on  the  western  coast 
of  Africa,  the  wealth  of  a king  or  chief  is  estimated  by  the  stock  of  wives 
he  has  been  enabled  to  purchase,  with  all  the  cocoa-nut  oil,  gold  dust,  and 
elephants’  tusks  he  can  muster,  so  in  China,  damsels  who  can  be  bought  to 
call  a man  husband,  make  his  riches  and  swell  his  importance.  The  very 
wealthy  and  aristocratic  are  the  exclusive  few,  however,  in  China,  who  can 
afford  the  luxury  of  a multiplicity  of  wives. 

The  Commodore’s  residence  at  Macao  gave  him  an  opportunity  of  extend- 
ing his  observations  of  that  place,  beyond  what  had  been  offered  by  his 
previous  casual  visit. 

Macao,  once  so  famed  for  its  extensive  and  profitable  commerce  and  for 
its  wealth,  is  now  entirely  divested  of  them,  and  seems  to  be  sustained  only 
by  a small  coasting  trade,  the  expenditures  of  a limited  garrison,  and  those 
of  the  families  of  the  English  and  American  merchants  who  make  it  a 
summer  resort,  and,  having  abundance  of  money,  freely  disburse  it.  The 
Portuguese  jurisdiction  is  confined  within  very  narrow  limits.  The  Chinese 
settlements  seem  to  be  fast  absorbing  the  whole  place ; in  fact,  the  larger 
portion  of  the  population  of  the  town  is  already  composed  of  China  men 
and  women,  who  perform  most  of  the  menial  duties  in  the  domestic  estab- 
lishments, both  of  the  Portuguese  and  of  other  foreigners. 

The  Chinese  are  also  the  shopkeepers,  the  mechanics,  and  the  market 
people.  What  the  native  Portuguese  have  to  do  it  would  be  difiicult  to 
conjecture.  They  are,  with  some  exceptions  of  wealthy  merchants,  mostly 
very  poor,  and  too  proud  to  work;  there  are  some  few,  however,  who  arc 
employed  as  clerks  in  the  various  foreign  mercantile  houses,  while  the  greater 
portion  spend  their  time  in  idleness,  living  upon  the  remnants  of  the  once 
princely  fortunes  of  their  ancestors,  and  still  occupy  in  beggarly  poverty, 
the  stately  mansions  erected  in  the  olden  time  of  Macao’s  splendid  pros- 
perity. 


1 


346  EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 

There  is  still  a show  of  military  possession  on  the  part  of  the  Portuguese 
who  hold  the  surrounding  hills,  covering  the  city  with  fortified  works,  con- 
structed after  the  fashion  of  the  seventeenth  century.  These  seem  quite 
sufficient  to  keep  the  Chinese  in  due  awe,  who,  if  they  had  the  least  energy, 
could  easily  dislodge  the  Portuguese,  for  whom  they  have  no  great  affection, 
and  might  drive  them  altogether  from  the  country.  The  Portuguese 
garrison  consists  of  about  two  hundred  regular  soldiers  and  as  many  local 
militia,  all  of  whom  are  under  excellent  discipline,  and  better  dressed  and 
more  orderly  men  are  seldom  seen. 

It  will  be,  perhaps,  recollected,  that  the  English  East  India  Company, 
before  the  abolition  of  its  charter,  made  Macao  a sort  of  entrepot  for  its 
China  trade,  and  some  of  the  finest  residences  were  erected  by  that  munifi- 
cent corporation,  or  by  the  ostentatious  Portuguese  in  their  days  of  wealth 
and  prosperity.  One  of  these  magnificent  dwellings,  with  a garden  of  more 
than  an  acre  in  extent,  tastefully  laid  out,  and  still  kept  in  order  at  con- 
siderable cost,  could  be  hired,  at  the  time  of  the  Commodore’s  visit,  for  the 
small  sum  of  five  hundred  dollars  a year ; and  this  place  has  the  additional 
advantage  of  the  romantic  association  with  the  name  of  the  poet  Camoens, 
it  having  been  his  favorite  resort,  and  the  spot  upon  which,  as  the  reader  has 
already  seen,  a monument  to  his  memory  has  been  erected.  It  was  from 
Macao,  in  the  days  of  its  opulence,  that  many  of  the  commercial  expeditions 
of  the  Portuguese  were  dispatched  to  Japan;  and  at  Macao,  too,  the  church 
of  Rome  had  one  of  its  most  powerful  ecclesiastical  establishments,  sustained 
by  the  dread  might  of  the  inquisition,  which,  in  former  times,  exercised  in 
the  east  the  full  force  of  its  dark  and  cruel  discipline.  Now,  however,  the 
opulence  and  enterprise  of  its  merchants  are  gone,  and  the  awful  dominion 
of  the  haughty  ecclesiastics  and  their  bloody  tribunal  has  lapsed  into  the 
weak  hands  of  a few  impoverished  priests,  who  meekly  appeal  to  the  pity, 
and  barely  live  upon  the  bounty,  of  the  reduced  Portuguese  population. 

Since  the  construction  of  vessels  of  greater  draught  than  those  of  former 
times,  few  that  visit  Macao  can  enter  the  inner  harbor;  it,  however,  is 
suflBciently  deep  for  those  vessels  engaged  in  the  coasting  trade,  sailing  under 
the  Portuguese  flag,  and  called  Lorclias,  which  are  a sort  of  nondescript  of 
curious  rig  and  construction.  The  Chinese  junks  are  also  enabled  to  enter 
the  inner  port,  as  are  occasionally  a brig  or  schooner.  The  storeship  South- 
ampton, drawing  thirteen  and  a half  feet,  anchored  inside.  Thirteen,  and 
at  high  tides  fourteen,  feet  can  be  carried  into  this  inner  port,  and  about  as 
much  into  a small  harbor  opposite  the  city,  called  the  Typa.  It  was  in  the 
Typa  that  the  Portuguese  corvette,  Don  John  the  Second,  was  lying  when 
blown  up,  when  the  United  States  sloop-of-war  Marion,  being  at  anchor  near 
by,  rendered  much  service.  The  Portuguese  ship  is  generally  supposed  to 
have  been  blown  up  purposely  by  the  gunner,  who  had  been  punished  in  the 


CHINESE  BARBEE,  MACAO. 


>■ 


I'', 


rJiOIH.SIANI'  (IIJAVICV  AI!I>,  MAOAO. 


MACAO 


AND  HONG  KONG. 


347 


morning  by  the  captain  for  neglecting  some  necessary  preparation  to  do 
honor  to  the  day,  which  was  some  national  anniversary. 

Ships  of  war  and  large  merchant  vessels,  resorting  to  Macao,  anchor,  as 
has  been  observed  in  a previous  chapter,  in  the  road,  at  a distance  of  from 
three  to  five  miles  from  the  city;  this  makes  the  communication  with  the  shore 
at  all  times  inconvenient,  and  in  blowing  weather  altogether  impracticable. 
This,  together  with  other  reasons,  prompted  the  Commodore  to  recommend 
the  removal  of  the  naval  depot  to  Hong  Kong.  Commodore  Perry,  on  this 
subject,  gave  his  views  at  length,  in  a communication  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy.  He  there  stated  that,  in  consideration  of  the  inconvenience  and 
consequent  delay,  with  the  increased  expense  of  landing  and  shipping  at 
Macao  articles  sent  from  the  United  States  for  the  use  of  the  squadron,  and 
especially  the  coal,  that  he  at  once  saw  the  necessity  of  having  a depot  at 
Hong  Kong,  which  had  been  originally  the  naval  station  ; but  as,  at  the  time 
of  the  agitation  of  the  Oregon  question,  a rupture  had  been  supposed  to  be 
imminent  with  G-reat  Britain,  it  had  been  removed.  No  such  troubles  now 
threatening,  there  could  be  no  doubt  that  government  property  would  be 
safer  at  Hong  Kong  than  at  the  badly  defended  town  of  Macao.  Hong 
Kong  has  all  the  advantages  of  anchorage,  as  vessels  of  the  largest  size  can 
be  moored  in  smooth  water,  within  seven  hundred  yards  of  the  land,  allowing 
of  the  conveyance  of  articles  of  all  kinds,  in  all  weather,  with  great  facility, 
from  shore  to  ship,  and  ship  to  shore.  The  only  objection  to  be  urged 
against  Hong  Kong  was  its  unhealthfulness ; but  this  did  not  apply  to  those 
afloat,  who  were  exempt  from  the  evil  effects  of  the  injurious  causes  which 
prevailed  on  land.  Hong  Kong  has  the  additional  advantage  of  being  the 
market  for  all  the  various  provisions,  which  may  be  required  by  a naval 
squadron,  and  has  conveniences  for  the  refitment  and  repair  of  vessels. 
Pending  the  action  of  the  naval  department,  the  Commodore  made  every 
necessary  preliminary  arrangement,  by  obtaining  depots  for  coal  and  other 
supplies  at  Hong  Kong,  and  then  ordered  the  coal  vessels  and  store  ships  to 
discharge  their  freight  at  that  port. 

The  Commodore  found  Macao  an  exceedingly  agreeable  place  of  resi- 
dence, as  the  picturesque  beauties  of  the  country  were  full  of  interest,  and 
the  town,  with  its  pleasant  foreign  society,  presented  many  attractions. 
During  his  stay  there  he  made  the  acquaintance  of  many  of  the  residents, 
among  whom  were  the  families  of  several  of  the  Canton  merchants  having 
summer  establishments  at  Macao,  to  which  they  are  accustomed  to  retire 
during  the  hot  months,  and  where  they  exercise  the  kindest  and  most  liberal 
hospitality.  Monsieur  de  Bourboulon,  the  French  minister  to  Canton,  had 
a residence  at  Macao,  and  with  his  wife,  an  American  lady,  whom  he  mar- 
ried while  secretary  of  legation  at  Washington,  contributed  much  towards 
heightening  the  charms  of  social  intercourse. 

The  French  commodore.  Monsieur  de  Montravel,  came  with  his  squadron 


1 


348  EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 

and  anchored  in  the  outer  road,  and  Commodore  Perry  had  an  opportunity 
of  forming  his  acquaintance,  and  of  interchanging  with  him,  as  well  as  with 
Monsieur  de  Bourhoulon,  and,  indeed,  with  all  the  principal  residents  of 
Macao,  those  acts  of  hospitality  and  kindness  which  are  invariably  allied 
to  a just  appreciation  of  mutual  courtesy. 

With  Grovernor  Giumaraes,  an  olheer  of  the  Portuguese  navy,  whom  the 
Commodore  had  met  before  on  the  coast  of  Africa,  there  were  the  most 
friendly  and  intimate  relations,  as  well  as  with  Captain  Loreiro,  of  the  same 
service ; and  it  is  due  to  both  these  officers  to  acknowledge  their  courteous 
deportment  in  the  course  of  all  the  official  transactions  with  them.  The  ut- 
most good  feeling  prevailed  in  the  intercourse  with  Sir  George  Bonham,  the 
British  superintendent  of  affairs  in  China  and  governor  of  Hong  Kong,  and 
with  the  military  and  naval  commanders-in-chief,  as  well  as  with  the  manda- 
rins of  the  country  and  the  local  authorities. 

Two  events  occurred  in  1849  at  Macao,  during  the  administration  of  the 
Portuguese  Governor  Amaral,  an  officer  of  distinction,  and  universally  es- 
teemed, which,  although  they  were  published  at  the  time  of  their  occurrence 
in  the  Hong  Kong  newspapers,  are  still  so  strikingly  illustrative  of  the  fallen 
fortunes  and  depressed  national  character  of  the  Portuguese,  that  it  may 
not  be  amiss  in  this  place  to  relate  them.  The  first  event  alluded  to,  grew 
out  of  one  of  those  acts  of  folly  which  are  sometimes  exhibited  by  the  ill- 
regulated  enthusiasm  of  fanatics  in  foreign  countries,  where  the  religion 
happens  to  differ  from  their  own.  A young  Englishman  attached  to  a mis- 
sionary school  at  Hong  Kong,  made  a visit  to  Macao,  and  shortly  after 
landing  he  espied  one  of  those  religious  processions  so  common  in  Roman 
Catholic  countries,  in  which  what  is  called  the  Host  is  conducted  with  great 
pomp  through  the  principal  streets,  attended  by  numerous  priests  and  others 
in  full  costume,  with  lighted  candles,  the  swinging  of  censers,  and  all  the 
rich  display  of  Romish  ecclesiastical  ceremony. 

This  young  man  on  seeing,  for  the  first  time,  perhaps,  this  singular  exhibi- 
tion of  what  to  him  seemed  nothing  but  an  insult  to  true  Christianity,  and  mak- 
ing, perhaps,  not  sufficient  allowance  for  differences  of  opinion  and  religious 
belief,  and  for  the  sincerity,  however  mistaken,  of  those  of  another  faith 
than  his  own,  conceived  the  idea  of  showing  his  contempt  for  such  pageant- 
ry. He  accordingly  placed  himself  conspicuousl)'^  in  the  way  of  the  proces- 
sion, and  refused  to  take  off  his  hat  when  the  Host  passed.  This  act,  if  un- 
willing, from  conscientious  motives,  to  perform,  he  might  have  easily  avoided 
by  turning  away  and  passing  down  another  street.  Many  Protestants  in 
Romish  countries  do  so.  The  young  man,  however,  did  not  act  in  this  very 
obvious  and  simple  manner,  by  which  he  might  have  readily  saved  his  con- 
science, and  allowed  others  who  differed  from  him  to  act  in  accordance  with 
their  views.  When  the  Englishman  was  observed  purposely  standing  in 
the  way  of  the  procession,  and  covered,  he  was  mildly  requested  by  the 


ENGLISH  CONTEMPT  OF  THE  POKTHGUESE.  349 


priests  to  take  off  his  hat  or  move  away;  hut  so  far  from  complying  with 
this  request,  the  young  enthusiast  pressed  his  hat  closer  on  his  head,  and 
stood  his  ground  like  a martyr.  He  was  now  warned  by  the  armed  police 
I to  uncover  or  to  retire,  but  being  still  obstinate,  notwithstanding  this  sum- 
mons, he  was  arrested  and  taken  to  the  guard-house. 

Here  was  now  a catastrophe,  one  of  her  Majesty’s  subjects  shut  up  in  a 
Portuguese  guard-house.  The  indignation  of  Captain  Keppel,  command- 
' ing  the  British  man-of-war  Dido,  then  at  anchor  in  Macao  roads,  was  greatly 
• aroused,  and  a demand  was  immediately  made  upon  Amaral,  the  Portu- 
guese  governor,  for  an  unconditional  surrender  of  the  Englishman.  The 
: governor  asked  a short  delay,  for  the  purpose  of  consulting  the  ecclesiasti- 
' cal  council.  In  the  meantime,  a regatta  of  boats  belonging  to  the  United 
' States  ship  Plymouth,  and  the  vessel  commanded  by  Captain  Keppel,  who 
had  been  appointed  one  of  the  judges,  was  to  take  place.  Glovernor  Ama- 
ral and  many  of  the  garrison  officers  were  also  to  be  present  on  the  occasion. 
The  day  arrived,  and  Captain  Keppel  quietly  withdrew  himself  from  the 
place,  and  with  a party  of  marines  and  some  volunteer  officers  left  the  outer 
' roads,  the  scene  of  the  regatta,  pulled  on  shore,  and  landed  opposite  the  house 
' of  Mr.  Patrick  Stewart,  and  thence  passing  through  an  unoccupied  house  and 
■ garden,  in  order  to  avoid  the  main  street,  came  suddenly  upon  the  guard  of 
the  garrison,  and  rushing  upon  the  sentinel,  rescued  by  force  the  English- 
man whose  ill-timed  enthusiasm  had  brought  about  this  military  outrage. 

The  second  incident,  to  which  allusion  has  been  made,  was  one  of  equal- 
' ly  surprising  character,  and  resulted  in  the  death  of  the  governor.  It 
appears  that  Amaral  was  a man  of  great  energy,  and  ambitious  of  improving 
the  town  of  Macao  by  opening  carriage  roads  through  and  about  its  limited 
space.  In  the  governor’s  attempts  to  effect  these  improvements,  he  was 
charged  by  the  Chinese  with  desecrating  their  ancient  burial  places.  He 
had  received  several  obscure  hints  to  the  effect  that  his  life  was  in  danger, 
but  paid  little  or  no  attention  to  them.  In  accordance  with  his  usual  prac- 
tice, he  was  riding  in  the  afternoon  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town,  the  com- 
mon resort  of  equestrians,  accompanied  by  his  aid-de-camp.  Lieutenant  Leite, 
also  on  horseback,  while  a number  of  other  horsemen  were  not  far  off,  when, 
as  he  came  to  a part  of  the  road  skirted  by  a few  bushes,  a Chinaman,  or 
perhaps  more,  as  the  number  was  never  exactly  ascertained,  rushed  upon 
him  from  behind  them.  The  governor’s  bridle  was  snatched  from  his  single 
hand,  (for  he  had  only  one  arm,  the  other  having  been  lost  in  battle,)  and 
he  himself  dragged  from  his  horse  behind  the  ambuscade  of  bushes,  and  his 
head  cut  off  and  his  hand  severed,  leaving  nothing  but  his  maimed  and 
lifeless  body  for  the  startled  view  of  the  other  horsemen  who  rode  up,  and 
eagerly  but  in  vain  sought  after  the  assassin.  N o traces  were  ever  discov- 
ered of  the  dastardly  murderer  or  murderers,  and  the  Portuguese  council 
of  Macao,  in  spite  of  the  strictest  investigations,  could  never  get  any  clue 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN, 


3.50 

to  the  authors  of  the  crime.  The  Chinese  authorities,  however,  it  was  sus- 
pected must  have  been  acquainted  with  the  persons  of  the  villains,  as  after 
repeated  summons  of  the  Portuguese  council  of  Macao  the  severed  head  and 
hand  of  the  unfortunate  governor  were  sent  to  the  city.  This  murder 
occurred  only  two  months  after  the  act  of  Captain  Keppel,  which  had  great- 
ly chagrined  the  gallant  Amaral. 

The  engineers  having  reported,  towards  the  latter  end  of  October,  that 
the  machinery  of  the  steamer  Powhatan  was  in  good  working  order,  she  was 
sent  to  take  the  place  of  the  Susquehanna.  This  latter  vessel  had  previous- 
ly relieved  the  Mississippi  at  Whampoa.  Each  steamer  in  turn  dispatched 
an  officer  of  marines  with  a competent  guard  and  one  of  the  boat  howitzers 
to  remain  at  Canton  during  her  stay  at  Whampoa.  The  guard  was  sta- 
tioned on  board  the  Supply,  then  lying  off  the  town,  while  the  oflScer  was  a 
guest  at  the  house  of  some  one  or  other  of  the  American  merchants,  that 
he  might  be  in  readiness  in  case  of  any  disturbance  at  night.  All  this 
time,  however,  there  was  not  the  slightest  incident  that  could  in  any  degree 
justify  an  opinion  that  a revolt  was  seriously  contemplated  by  the  Chinese 
people,  and  up  to  the  day  of  the  departure  everything  remained  as  quiet  in 
Canton  as  at  the  moment  of  first  sending  vessels  and  a guard  to  the  city. 
Nor  had  there  been  any  outbreak,  at  either  of  the  consular  cities,  which  had 
in  the  least  affected  Americans  or  foreigners  of  whatever  nation,  during  the 
presence  of  the  squadron  on  the  Chinese  coast. 

However  the  Chinese  may  have  quarrelled  among  themselves  and  cut 
each  other’s  throats,  not  a foreigner  conducting  himself  properly  had  been 
in  the  least  degree  molested.  Before  leaving  the  Chinese  coast.  Commodore 
Perry  had  succeeded  in  establishing  the  most  cordial  understanding  with 
the  Canton  merchants,  and  in  consideration  of  the  necessity  of  withdraw- 
ing the  Supply  from  that  city  and  the  Powhatan  from  Whampoa,  had 
determined,  at  the  request  of  the  merchants,  to  assume  the  responsibility 
of  hiring  and  arming  a small  steamer  for  the  protection  of  the  American 
residents  during  his  absence.  Conformably  to  this  determination,  the  Com- 
modore chartered  a new  and  very  suitable  vessel,  the  steamboat  Queen,  for 
six  months,  at  five  hundred  dollars  a month,  with  a privilege  of  extending 
the  term  of  engagement  at  the  same  rate  of  hire.  To  this  steamer  was 
assigned  a sufiicient  armament,  and  the  command  was  given  to  Lieutenant 
Alfred  Taylor,  of  the  Mississippi,  with  such  complement  of  officers,  engi- 
neers, sailors,  and  firemen,  as  could  be  spared  from  the  squadrom  The 
Commodore  had  the  satisfaction  of  receiving  from  the  leading  American 
merchants  a communication,  in  which  it  was  stated  that  there  seemed  no 
immediate  danger  of  an  attack,  and  which  contained  an  expression  of  satis- 
faction at  the  provision  made  by  the  Commodore  for  the  protection  of  their 
interests  during  his  absence. 

About  the  close  of  November,  the  French  commodore  in  the  frigate 


DEPARTURE  EOR  LEW  CHEW. 


351 


Constantine,  then  lying  at  Macao,  suddenly  put  to  sea  under  sealed  orders. 
It  was  at  the  time  well  known,  that  in  a day  or  two  he  was  to  have  depart- 
ed for  Shanghai  with  the  French  minister,  Monsieur  de  Bourboulon,  and  wife, 
as  passengers,  but  on  the  arrival  of  the  mail  from  Europe  he  hurried  away 
without  any  one  knowing  in  what  direction.  The  Kussian  admiral,  Pontia- 
tine,  in  the  frigate  Pallas,  and  with  three  other  vessels,  was  at  this  time  at 
Shanghai,  having  just  arrived  from  Nagasaki.  The  Commodore,  suspecting 
that  the  Russians  contemplated  the  design  of  returning  to  Japan  and  of 
ultimately  going  to  Yedo,  which  might  seriously  interfere  with  his  opera- 
tions, and  suspecting  also  that  the  same  place  was  the  destination  of  the 
French  Commodore,  became  very  anxious  for  the  arrival  of  tue  storeship 
Lexington  with  some  articles  for  presents  on  board.  He  determined,  there- 
fore, rather  than  allow  either  the  Russians  or  the  French  to  gain  an  advan- 
tage over  him,  to  encounter  all  the  inconveniences  and  exposure  of  a cruise 
to  Japan  in  mid-winter.  Nor  was  he  to  be  deterred  from  his  purpose  by 
the  terrible  accounts  given  by  writers  of  the  stoi’ms,  fogs,  and  other  dangers 
to  be  met  with  on  the  inhospitable  Japanese  coasts  during  the  inclement 
season. 

It  had  been  originally  the  intention  of  the  Commodore  to  wait  until  the 
spring  had  set  in  before  going  to  the  north,  but  the  suspicion  of  the  move- 
ments of  the  French  and  Russians  induced  him  to  alter  his  plans.  The 
expected  Lexington  having  fortunately  arrived,  after  an  unusually  long 
passage,  she  was  ordered  to  Hong  Kong,  there  to  land  such  part  of  her 
cargo  as  would  not  be  required  for  the  Japan  service,  and  to  take  on  board, 
in  place  of  what  she  might  discharge  there,  four  hundred  tons  of  coal. 
This  being  accomplished,  the  Commodore  sailed  from  Hong  Kong  in  the 
Susquehanna,  on  the  14th  of  January,  1854,  for  Lew  Chew,  in  company 
with  the  Powhatan,  Mississippi,  and  the  storeships  Lexington  and  South- 
ampton, the  two  latter  being  respectively  in  tow  of  the  steamers ; the 
Macedonian  and  Supply,  having  been  a few  days  before  dispatched  for  Lew 
Chew,  there  to  join  the  Vandalia.  The  Plymouth  was  at  Shanghai,  and 
the  Saratoga  had  orders  to  meet  the  squadron  at  Lew  Chew. 

On  the  very  day  and  at  the  precise  hour  of  the  Commodore’s  sailing,  the 
steamer  arrived  with  the  overland  mail,  bringing  precise  instructions  from 
the  Navy  Department  to  detach  one  of  the  steamers  from  the  Japan  expe- 
dition, and  place  her  at  the  disposal  of  the  Hon.  Mr.  McLane,  recently 
appointed  commissioner  to  China,  and  then  soon  expected  to  arrive  from 
the  United  States.  As  these  orders  caused  Commodore  Perry  great  em- 
barrassment, and  would,  if  executed,  sensibly  delay  his  plans  and  interfere 
with  the  success  of  his  mission,  he  determined  not  to  act  upon  them  imme- 
diately and  thus  weaken  his  force,  but  to  wait  until  he  had  made  a prelim- 
inary demonstration  in  Yedo  bay. 

The  Commodore  was  somewhat  surprised  to  learn  from  Sir  George  Bon- 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


ham,  a few  days  prior  to  his  leaving  Hong  Kong,  that  his  visit  to  the  Bonin 
Islands  had  attracted  the  attention  of  the  British  government.  Sir  George 
had  called  on  hoard  the  Susquehanna  to  confer  with  the  Commodore  upon 
the  subject,  stating  that  he  had  been  instructed  by  Lord  Clarendon,  then 
minister  of  foreign  alFairs,  to  ask  of  him  some  explanations  of  his  designs. 
The  Commodore,  in  answer,  declared  his  willingness  to  communicate  to  Sir 
George  Bonham  the  information  he  desired,  and  accordingly  gave  him  ver- 
bally to  understand  his  objects,  but  at  the  same  time  suggested  that  he  would 
prefer  to  have  the  purport  of  their  conversation  put  in  writing.  To  this 
proposition  Sir  George  immediately  assented,  and  the  following  day  he 
wrote  a letter  recapitulating  what  he  had  already  personally  stated,  to 
which  the  Commodore  replied.* 

* SnpERiNTENDENCY  OF  Trade,  Hoxg  Kong,  December  22,  1853. 

Sir  : With  reference  to  my  interview  with  your  excellency,  respecting  your  visit  to  the 
Bonin  Islands,  and  to  your  proposal  that  I should  address  you  oflBcially  on  this  subject,  I 
have  now  the  honor  to  enclose,  for  your  information,  copy  of  a letter  and  its  enclosures  from 
a Mr.  Simpson,  wherein  it  is  stated  that  you  have  purchased  ground  from  a resident  there 
for  a coal  depot,  for  the  use  of  the  government  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

After  our  conversation  yesterday  your  excellency  wiU,  I am  sure,  clearly  understand  that 
it  is  not  my  desire  nor  intention  to  dispute  your  right,  or  that  of  any  other  person,  to  pur- 
chase land  on  the  Bonin  Islands  ; hut  as  it  is  generally  understood  that  this  group  was  some 
time  ago  taken  possession  of  in  the  name  of  the  government  of  Great  Britain,  I think  it  de- 
sirable to  acquaint  your  excellency  therewith,  in  an  official  form,  that  you  may,  should 
you  see  fit,  favor  me  with  an  explanation  of  the  circumstances  referred  to  by  Mr.  Simpson. 

I have  the  honor  to  be,  sir,  your  excellency’s  most  obedient  humble  servant, 

J.  G.  BONHAM. 

His  Excellency  Commodore  Perry,  United  States  navy,  ^c.. 

United  States  Steamship  Susquehanna. 


Beaueet,  Ixvernesshire,  Octeber  1,  1853. 

Mt  Lord  : I observe  it  stated  in  the  pubhc  prints  that  the  officer  commanding  the  Uni- 
ted States  Japan  expedition  had  touched  at  the  Bonin  group — that  he  had  made  purchase 
frjm  a resident  there  of  land  for  a government  coal  depot. 

Permit  me  to  call  your  lordship’s  attention  to  the  fact  that  this  group  of  islands,  so  ad- 
vantageously situated  for  opening  up  intercourse  with  Japan,  really  appertains  to  Great  Bri- 
tain. 

Having  had  some  connexion  with  it  while  acting  temporarily  for  her  Majesty’s  govern- 
ment in  the  South  Seas,  its  importance  was  impressed  upon  my  mind ; and  I respectfully 
bring  under  your  lordship’s  notice  the  particulars  which  will  be  found  narrated  in  the  en- 
closure herewith. 

I have,  &c.. 


True  copy : 

Lord  Clarendon,  &c.,  &c.,  &c. 


ALEX.  SIMPSON. 
H.  N.  LAY. 


THE  BONIN  ISLAND  C O B R E S P 0 N D E N C E . 


353 


The  following  are  the  copies  of  the  letter  of  the  Navy  Department  and 
the  Commodore’s  answer,  which  latter  was  necessarily  hurried,  as  it  was 
written  and  dispatched  by  the  pilot  after  the  squadron  was  fairly  under  way 
and  standing  out  of  port : 

Secretary  of  the  Navy  to  Commodore  Perry. 

Navy  Department,  October  28,  1853. 

Sir  ; For  some  months  past,  the  department  indulged  the  hope  of  being 
able  to  dispatch  a steamer  to  China,  to  be  at  the  service  of  the  commissioner 
representing  our  government,  and  to  afford  him  facilities  for  accomplishing 


Extract  from  a pamphlet  published  by  the  writer  in  1843. 

THE  BONIN  ISLANDS. 

“ WoAHoo,  Sandwich  Islands,  December  27,  1842. 

“ This  small  hut  interesting,  and,  from  its  situation,  valuable  group  of  islands  lies  in 
latitude  27°  north,  longitude  146°  east,  within  five  hundred  miles  distance  from  the  city  of 
Jedo,  in  Japan. 

“ It  appertains  to  Great  Britain,  having  been  discovered  by  an  English  whaling  vessel 
in  1825,  and  formally  taken  possession  of  by  Captain  Beecbey,  of  her  Majesty’s  ship  ‘ Blos- 
som,’ in  1827.  There  were  no  aboriginal  inhabitants  found  on  tbe  islands,  nor  any  trace 
that  such  had  ever  existed. 

“ Their  aggregate  extent  does  not  exceed  two  hundred  and  fifty  square  miles ; but  their 
geographical  position — so  near  Japan,  that  mysterious  empire,  of  which  the  trade  will  one 
day  be  of  immense  value — gives  them  a peculiar  importance  and  interest.  The  climate  is 
excellent,  the  soil  rich  and  productive,  and  there  is  an  admirable  harbor,  well  fitted  for  the 
port  of  a commercial  city. 

“ The  first  colonists  of  this  eastern  group  were  two  men  of  the  names  of  Millichamp 
and  Mazarro,  who,  having  expressed  to  Mr.  Charlton,  tbe  British  cou.sul  at  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  their  wish  to  settle  on  some  uninhabited  island  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  were  by  him 
recommended  to  go  to  this  group,  of  the  discovery  and  taking  possession  of  which  he  had 
been  recently  informed.  They  sailed  accordingly,  in  1830,  took  with  them  some  Sandwich 
Island  natives  as  laborers,  some  live  stock  and  seeds,  and  landing  at  Port  Lloyd,  hoisted 
an  English  fiag  which  had  been  given  to  them  by  Mr.  Charlton. 

“ The  little  settlement  has  been  visited  by  several  whaling  vessels  since  that  period,  and 
also  by  a vessel  from  the  British  China  squadron.  Mr.  Millichamp  returned  to  England, 
and  Mr.  Mazarro,  anxious  to  get  additional  settlers  or  laborers  to  join  the  infant  colony, 
the  whole  population  of  which  only  numbers  about  twenty,  came  to  the  Sandwich  Islands 
in  the  autumn  of  1842  in  an  English  whaling  vessel.  He  described  the  little  settlement  as 
flourishing,  stated  that  he  had  hogs  and  goats  in  abundance  and  a few  cattle ; that  he  grew 
Indian  corn  and  many  vegetables,  and  had  all  kinds  of  tropical  fruits ; that,  in  fact,  he 
could  supply  fresh  provisions  and  vegetables  to  forty  vessels  annually. 

“ Mr.  Mazarro,  who,  in  virtue  of  his  first  arrival,  receives  the  appellation  of  governor, 
finds  the  task  of  governing  even  this  little  colony  no  easy  matter.  He  applied  to  me  for 
assistance  in  this  task,  and  thankfully  received  the  following  document,  which  I drew  up 
for  his  assistance  and  moral  support : — 

“ ‘ I hereby  certify  that  Mr.  Matthew  Mazarro  was  one  of  the  original  leaders  of  the 

23 


354 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


the  great  purposes  of  his  mission,  rendered  much  more  interesting  and  im 
portant  by  the  startling  revolutionary  movements  in  that  country.  The  i 
United  States  steamer  Princeton  was  especially  set  apart  for  that  purpose.  I 
But  the  steamers  Princeton,  San  Jacinto,  and  Alleghany,  have  all  proved  ( 

miserable  failures.  This  accounts,  therefore,  for  the  delay  of  a previous  I 

order  similar  to  this. 

The  President  trusts  that  it  may  not  seriously  incommode  your  operations, 
in  regard  to  Japan,  to  co-operate  with  our  commissioner  in  the  interesting  : 
undertaking  to  bring  about  free  intercourse  with  the  government  of  China; 
to  form  commercial  treaties  of  vast  benefit  to  the  American  people,  and  in- 
troduce a new  era  in  the  history  of  trade  and  commerce. 

The  mission  in  which  you  are  engaged  has  attracted  much  admiration, 
and  excited  much  expectation.  But  the  present  seems  to  he  a crisis  in  the 

expedition  fitted  up  from  this  port,  under  the  protection  of  Richard  Charlton,  Esq.,  her 
Majesty’s  consul,  to  colonize  the  Bonin  Islands  ; and  I vonld  intimate  to  the  masters  of  all 
whaling  vessels  touching  at  that  group,  that  the  said  Mazarro  is  a sober  and  discreet  man, 
and  recommend  them  to  support  him  by  all  means  in  their  power  against  the  troubles  of 
the  peace  of  that  distant  settlement,  recommending,  also,  to  the  settlers  to  receive  Mr. 
Mazarro  as  their  head,  until  some  oflBcer  directly  appointed  by  her  Britannic  Majesty  is 
placed  over  them.’ 

“ALEX.  SIMPSON, 

“ M.  B.  M.  Acting  Consul  for  the  Sandwich  Islands. 

“ God  save  the  queen. 

“ A small  body  of  enterprising  emigrants  would  find  this  group  a most  admirable  place 
for  settlement.  Its  colonization,  indeed,  I consider  to  he  a national  object” 

True  copy  : H.  N.  LAY. 


United  States  Steam  Frigate  Susquehanna, 

Hong  Kong,  December  23,  1853. 

Sir  ; Referring  to  the  conversation  which  I yesterday  had  the  honor  of  holding  with 
your  excellency,  as  also  to  your  written  communication,  with  accompanying  papers,  this 
moment  received,  I beg  to  remark  that  the  account  given  by  Mr.  Simpson  is  far  fix)m  being 
correct. 

That  gentleman  has  forgotten  to  name  all  the  white  persons  who  embarked  in  the  en- 
terprise to  form  a settlement  upon  Peel  Island.  The  names  and  places  of  birth  of  these 
men  may  be  enumerated  as  follows  : — 

Mateo  Mazarro,  the  leader,  a native  of  Genoa ; Nathaniel  Savory,  bom  in  Massachu- 
setts, United  States  ; Alden  B.  Chapin,  also  a native  of  Massachusetts  ; John  MOlechamp, 
a British  subject,  and  Charles  Johnson,  a Dane. 

These  five  men,  accompanied  by  about  twenty-five  or  thirty  natives  of  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  male  and  female,  landed  at  Port  Lloyd  in  the  summer  of  1830.  Of  the  whites, 
Nathaniel  Savory  is  the  only  one  remaining  on  the  island.  Mazarro,  Chapin,  and  John- 
son, are  dead,  as  I am  informed  ; and  MiUeehamp  is  now  reading  at  Guam,  one  of  the  La- 
drone  group. 


THE  BONIN  ISLAND  COEKESPONDENCB,  355 


history  of  China,  and  is  considered  by  many  as  throwing  around  China,  at 
least,  as  much  interest  and  attraction  as  Japan  presents. 

To  have  your  name  associated  with  the  opening  of  commercial  intercourse 
; with  Japan  may  well  excite  your  pride  ; but  to  be  identified,  also,  with  the 
i great  events  that  we  trust  may  yet  transpire  in  connection  with  China, 
may  be  well  esteemed  a privilege  and  an  honor. 

Hoping  that  it  may  not  interfere  seriously  with  your  plan  of  operations, 

I you  will,  on  receipt  of  this  communication,  immediately  dispatch  one  of  the 
war  steamers  of  your  squadron  to  Macao,  to  meet  the  Hon.  E,.  M.  McLane, 

. our  commissioner  to  China,  to  be  subject  to  his  control  until  other  orders 
I reach  you.  Mr.  McLane  will  bear  with  him  further  instructions  to  you. 
In  the  meantime,  however,  you  will  act  as  heretofore  in  the  matter  of  your 
, mission — only  dispatching  the  vessel  as  above  mentioned.  Mr.  McLane  will 
probably  leave  on  the  19th  proximo. 

i It  would,  therefore,  appear,  that  so  far  as  the  nationality  of  the  settlers  could  apply  to 
the  question  of  sovereignty,  the  Americans  were  as  two  to  one,  compared  with  the  three 
I others,  who  were  subjects  of  different  sovereigns. 

I Since  the  first  occupation  of  the  island,  the  early  settlers  have  been  occasionally  joined 
. by  white  persons  landing  from  whaling  ships,  some  few  of  whom  have  remained  ; and,  at 
the  time  of  my  visit  there  were,  I think,  about  eight  whites  in  the  settlement. 

I These  people,  after  my  departure,  met  together  and  established  a form  of  municipal 
il  government,  electing  Nathaniel  Savory  their  chief  magistrate,  and  James  Maitley  and 
I Thomas  H.  Wehh,  councilmen. 

! With  respect  to  any  claim  of  sovereignty  that  may  he  founded  upon  the  right  of  pre- 
I'  vious  discovery,  there  is  abundant  evidence  to  prove  that  these  islands  were  known  to  navi- 
f gators  as  early  as  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century,  and  were  visited  by  the  Japanese 
in  1675,  who  gave  them  the  name  of  “ Bune  Sima.” — (See  enclosed  extracts.) 

In  1823,  three  years  before  the  visit  of  Captain  Beechey,  in  H.  M.  ship  “ Blossom,”  the 
group  was  visited  by  a Captain  Coffin,  in  the  American  whaling  ship  “ Transit.”  * 

Thus  it  is  plainly  shown  that  the  government  of  her  Britannic  Majesty  cannot  claim 
the  sovereignty  upon  the  ground  of  discovery,  and  it  only  remains  to  determine  how  far 
this  right  may  he  derived  from  the  ceremony  performed  by  Captain  Beechey. 

But  these  are  matters  only  to  he  discussed  by  our  respective  governments,  and  I refer 
to  them  now  merely  in  explanation  of  our  conversation  of  yesterday. 

[I  With  respect  to  my  purchase  of  a piece  of  ground  from  Nathaniel  Savory,  though  con- 
! ceiving  myself  in  no  way  bound  to  explain  such  arrangement,  I do  not  hesitate,  in  all  due 
> courtesy,  to  say,  that  the  transaction  was  one  of  a strictly  private  character. 

' In  acquiring  the  fee  of  the  land,  I had  not  the  slightest  idea  of  personal  profit,  but 
: made  the  purchase  for  a legitimate  object,  and  to  withhold  the  only  suitable  position  in  the 
harbor  for  a coal  depot  from  the  venality  of  unprincipled  speculators,  who  might  otherwise 
: have  gained  possession  of  it  for  purposes  of  extortion. 

And  now  let  me  assure  your  excefiency,  that  the  course  pursued  by  me  has  been  influ- 
enced solely  by  a settled  conviction  of  the  necessity  of  securing  ports  of  refuge  and  sup- 

* I have  ascertained  the  name  of  this  vessel  from  a Captain  Morris,  commanding  an  American  whaling 
i ship  now  in  this  port. 

j Since  the  above  was  written,  the  Commodore  has  taken  pains  to  procure  evidence,  that  Coffin  was  bom 
j in  the  United  States.  As  to  the  ship,  he  has  no  further  testimony  than  that  stated  above. 

1 


356 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


Your  very  interesting  dispatches  of  25th  June  last  have  been  received, 
and  the  department  is  much  gratified  with  your  successful  operations  thus 
far,  and  indulges  the  hope,  that  in  regard  to  Japan  and  China  there  is  in 
store  for  you  much  additional  honor  and  fame. 

I am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant. 


J.  C.  DOBBIN. 


Commodore  M.  C.  Perry, 

Commanding  United  States  Squadron,  East  India  and  China  Seas 


Commodore  Perry  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy. 

United  States  Steam  Frigate  Susquehanna, 

Hong  Kong,  January  14,  1855. 

Sir  : On  the  eve  of  getting  under  way  for  Japan,  with  aU  my  arrange- 
ments made  to  leave  in  an  hour,  and  a large  portion  of  my  force  actually 
gone,  I am  placed  in  possession  of  the  letter  of  the  department  of  the  28th 
of  October,  (which  arrived  by  the  mail  of  last  night,)  directing  me,  under 
certain  views  of  the  government  with  respect  to  China,  to  detach  one  of  the 
steamers  of  my  command,  to  be  placed  at  the  disposal  of  Mr.  E.  M.  McLane, 
recently  appointed  Commissioner  to  China. 

Such  an  arrangement,  at  this  moment,  would  be  seriously  inconvenient 
and  highly  injurious  to  my  plans,  the  execution  of  which  has  already  com- 
plies in  the  north  Pacific  for  our  whaling  ships,  and  a line  of  mail  steamers,  which  sooner 
or  later  must  be  estahhshed  between  California  and  China. 

I have  no  special  instructions  from  my  government  upon  the  subject,  and  am  yet  to 
learn  whether  my  acts  will  he  approved. 

The  recognized  sovereignty  of  these  islands  would  only  entail  an  expense  upon  the 
power  undertaking  their  occupancy  and  protection,  and  whether  they  may  ultimately  fall 
under  the  American,  the  Enghsh,  or  a local  flag,  would  he  a question  of  little  importance, 
so  long  as  their  ports  were  open  to  the  hospitable  reception  of  all  nations  seeking  shelter 
and  refreshment. 

And  I may  venture  further  to  remark,  that  it  would  seem  to  be  the  policy,  as  well  of 
England  as  of  the  United  States,  to  aid  in  every  possible  way  in  the  accomplishment  of  an 
arrangement  that  would  fill  up  the  remaining  link  of  the  great  mail  route  of  the  world, 
.and  thus  furnish  the  means  of  establishing  a semi-monthly  communication  around  the  en- 
tire globe. 

With  great  respect,  I have  the  honor  to  he  your  most  obedient  servant, 

M.  C.  PERRY, 

Commander-in-Chief  United  States  naval  forces,  East  India,  China,  and  Japan  seas. 

His  Excellency  Sir  I.  George  Bonham,  Bart., 

n.  B.  M.  Chief  Superintendent  of  Trade,  Eong  Kong. 


ARRIVAL  OF  PRESENTS. 


357 


menced ; indeed,  it  could  not  be  done  at  this  time  without  deranging  the 
operations  of  the  squadron — so  intimately  are  the  steamers  connected  with 
each  other ; and  I feel  assured  that,  if  the  department  could  be  made  ac- 
quainted with  the  true  state  of  things,  and  the  importance  of  my  carrying 
the  three  steamers  with  me  to  Japan,  as  it  now  knows  of  the  events  of  my 
former  visit  to  that  Empire,  it  would  at  once  revoke  the  order ; but,  as  it 
is  my  duty  to  obey,  though  it  cannot  be  done  at  this  moment  without  serious 
consequences  to  the  success  of  my  mission,  I will  detach  one  of  the  steamers 
from  the  Bay  of  Yedo,  and  send  her  to  Macao,  where  she  can  only  be  of 
use  in  contributing  to  the  convenience  of  the  commissioner,  as  her  great 
draught  of  water  will  render  it  impossible  to  ascend,  for  any  useful  purpose, 
the  rivers  in  China. 

My  various  letters  to  the  department  will,  I think,  demonstrate  the 
correctness  of  this  assertion.  However,  I have  no  alternative,  though  I 
cannot  but  express  the  deep  disappointment  and  mortification  to  which  I am 
subjected. 

Although  Mr.  McLane  may  not  find  a steamer  waiting  for  him  at  Macao 
when  he  arrives,  I will  order  her  to  the  coast  of  China  the  moment  I can 
do  so  consistently  with  the  public  interests. 

I am  sure  the  department  will  not  object  to  the  exercise  of  this  discre- 
tion— no  possible  inconvenience  can  arise  from  the  delay.  Mr.  McLane  may 
probably  be  detained  some  time  in  Europe,  and  the  steamer  may  be  back  in 
time  to  meet  him,  and  before  he  will  be  prepared  to  act. 

I must  confess  that  this  order  has  damped  my  hopes  very  much,  but  I 
will  do  the  best  I can. 

I am,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

M.  C.  PEKKY, 

Commander-in-chief  of  United  States  Naval  Forces 

in  the  East  India,  China  and  J apan  Seas. 

Hon.  James  C.  Dobbin, 

Secretary  of  the  Navy,  Washington. 

The  English  mail-steamer,  which  had  arrived  just  before  the  departure 
of  the  squadron,  had  brought  the  cases  and  packages  expected  from  Paris, 
containing  presents  for  the  Japanese,  but  too  late  to  be  taken  on  board  any 
of  the  ships.  They  were  therefore  passed  over  to  the  care  of  some  com- 
mercial friends  at  Canton,  who  were  requested  to  send  them  to  Shanghai  by 
Her  Majesty’s  steamer  the  Battler,  to  sail  for  that  place  two  days  after  the 
Commodore’s  departure,  and  on  board  of  which  they  were  to  be  received  by 
the  polite  permission  of  Admiral  Pellew.  They  were  to  be  shipped  then  in 
the  Saratoga,  which  would  carry  them  to  Lew  Chew,  where,  we  may  add, 
they  were  duly  received  in  time  for  the  second  expedition  to  J apan. 

The  squadron  having  set  sail  from  Hong  Kong,  the  course  was  directed 


358 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


through  Lymoon  passage.  It  was  thought  desirable  to  get  well  to  the  north- 
ward before  striking  over  for  the  south  end  of  Formosa.  The  northeasterly 
current,  which  is  constantly  setting  with  great  rapidity  round  the  south  end 
of  this  island,  and  with  decreased  velocity  along  its  eastern  coast,  was 
especially  noticed  during  the  voyage,  and  careful  observations,  the  results 
of  which  will  he  given  in  a future  chapter,  were  made  upon  its  force,  direct 
tion,  and  other  characteristics,  which  resemble  remarkably  those  of  the  gulf 
stream  on  our  own  coast.  The  monsoon  fortunately  not  having  been  very 
strong,  a very  favorable  passage  was  made,  with  the  two  store  ships  in  tow, 
as  far  as  the  northeastern  point  of  Formosa,  when  they  were  cast  off,  with 
orders  to  follow  the  steamers  to  Napha,  where  the  latter  arrived  on  the  20th 
of  January,  and  the  former  on  the  twenty-fourth  of  the  same  month.  Here 
were  found  the  Macedonian,  Vandalia,  and  Supply.  The  Saratoga,  however, 
had  not  yet  made  her  appearance. 


View  on  the  Pack-shan  River. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Increased  cordiality  and  friendly  intercourse  on  the  part  of  the  Lew  Chewans. — Second  visit  of  the  Com- 
modore to  the  palace  at  Shui. — Entertainment  by  the  Regent. — No  metallic  coin  of  Lew  Chew  to  be 
obtained. — Rev.  Mr.  Jones’  second  exploration  in  search  of  coal. — Finds  it  at  Shah  bay. — The  mineral 
not  valued  by  the  natives. — Additional  geological  observations  in  Lew  Chew. — Remarkable  salubrity 
of  the  island. — Tenure  of  lands. — Agriculture. — Rice,  potatoes,  sugar,  cotton,  wheat,  barley,  millet, 
sago,  beans,  peas,  tobacco,  edible  roots,  fruits,  trees,  flowers,  etc. — Sugar  mills. — Grain  mills  and  gra- 
naries.— Population. — Ethnology. — Costume. — Politeness  of  manner. — General  intelligence. — Archi- 
tecture.— Rude  attempts  in  painting  and  sculpture. — Amusements. — Government. — Religion. — Fu- 
neral rites. — Japanese  spies  in  Lew  Chew. — Departure  for  the  bay  of  Tedo. 

IX  months  had  passed  since 
the  Commodore’s  last  depar- 
ture from  Lew  Chew,  and 
now,  on  his  fourth  visit  to 
that  interesting  island,  he 
observed  a very  marked 
change  in  the  conduct  of  the 
Lew  Chewans  towards  the 
Americans.  The  authorities 
readily  furnished  whatever 
was  required,  and  received  a 
due  price  for  it,  seemingly  as 
a matter  of  course,  while  the 
people  had  evidently  thrown 
off  somewhat  of  their  reserve, 
and  were  more  disposed  to 
a friendly  intercourse.  The 
men  in  the  street  grew  quite 
familiar  with  the  sight  of  the  strangers,  and  did  not  avoid  them,  while  the 
women,  even,  no  longer  fled  from  the  market  places,  hut  remained  in  charge 
of  their  stalls,  apparently  unmindful  of  the  foreign  intruders. 

The  Commodore,  soon  after  his  arrival,  gave  notice  to  the  regent  that  it 
was  his  intention  before  leaving  Napha  to  visit  the  palace  of  Shui  for  the 
second  time,  thinking  it  not  amiss,  as  the  Lew  Chewans  seemed  to  he  gradu- 


360 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


ally  yielding  to  American  intercourse,  to  weaken  by  repetition  tbe  very 
strong  opposition  at  first  evinced  to  opening  the  gates  of  the  royal  residence 
to  foreign  visitors.  The  regent,  however,  still  exhibited  a very  decided  aver- 
sion to  the  admission  of  the  Commodore  within  the  sacred  walls  of  the 
palace,  and  in  a courteous  communication,  expressed  a willingness  to  receive 
him,  but  a very  strong  preference  for  Napha  as  the  place  of  reception.  The 
Commodore,  however,  holding  to  his  original  intention,  declared,  in  answer, 
that  it  would  be  far  more  respectful  toward  the  empire  of  Lew  Chew  to  go 
to  the  royal  palace,  and  added  that  he  would  expect  .hat  horses,  kagos,  and 
kago-bearers  should  be  in  readiness  to  carry  him  and  his  attending  party  on 
the  day  proposed  for  the  visit. 

The  regent  was  prepared  to  meet  this  demand  with  all  the  usual  variety 
of  objections,  in  accordance  with  the  crooked  Lew  Chewan  policy,  but  they 
were  answered  by  the  Commodore’s  repetition  of  his  original  resolve. 

The  regent  accordingly  put  the  best  face  possible  on  the  matter,  and 
made  all  the  necessary  preparations  ; and  when  the  Commodore,  on  the  3rd 
of  February,  carried  his  intentions  into  execution,  he  was  received  with  all 
proper  respect  and  the  usual  courtesies.  He  paid  his  first  visit,  as  on  a 
previous  occasion,  to  the  palace,  accompanied  by  a military  guard  and  a 
suite  of  ofiBcers,  and  was  received  with  the  same  formal  ceremonies.  Imme- 
diately after,  as  on  a former  visit,  the  party  proceeded  to  the  regent’s  house, 
where  they  found  a handsome  feast  in  preparation,  to  which  the  Americans, 
having  now  somewhat  accustomed  their  palates  to  the  Lew  Chewan  cookery, 
succeeded  in  doing  better  justice  than  on  the  previous  occasion.  In  the 
course  of  the  entertainment  the  Commodore  informed  the  regent  that  he  was 
desirous  of  obtaining  for  the  United  States  mint,  in  exchange  for  American 
coinage  of  equal  value,  all  coins  in  use  on  the  island ; as  it  was  well  known 
that  the  imperial  money  of  Japan  was  in  circulation  in  Lew  Chew,  although 
it  had  hitherto  been  carefully  concealed.  Both  the  regent  and  the  pe-ching 
or  treasurer  declared  that  there  were  no  coins  in  the  island,  except  a few  in 
the  possession  of  the  Japanese  residents,  who  would  not  part  with  them. 
This  declaration  the  Commodore  was  inclined  to  believe  to  be,  like  most  of 
their  very  positive  assertions,  false,  and  he  therefore  urged  upon  them  a com- 
pliance with  his  request,  and  left  with  them  a certain  number  of  American 
coins,  of  about  fifty  dollars  in  value.  The  Commodore,  at  the  same  time, 
stated  that  he  should  expect  to  receive  a number  of  Japanese  or  Lew  Chew 
coins  in  exchange  before  his  departure.  The  subject  was  then  dropped;  but 
just  on  the  eve  of  the  squadron’s  sailing,  a formal  communication  was  re- 
ceived from  the  authorities  in  the  name  of  Shang-Hyung-Hiun,  superintend- 
ent of  affairs  in  the  Middle  Hill  prefecture,  in  the  kingdom  of  Lew  Chew, 
high  minister,  and  Ma-Liang-tsai,  treasurer,  in  which  document  it  was  stated, 
that  on  several  occasions  demands  had  been  made  for  an  exchange  of  Japan 
coins  for  American,  but  that  it  was  impossible  to  comply. 


FARTHER  EXPLORATION  OF  LEW  CHEW.  SCI 


The  reasons  given  were  that  all  the  commercial  transactions  between  Lew 
Chew  and  Japan  were  carried  on  by  the  interchange  of  commodities,  and  not 
by  the  use  of  coin.  That  all  the  gold  and  silver  used  by  the  Lew  Chewans 
themselves  for  their  hair  pins  were  obtained  from  China.  That  although 
every  effort  had  been  made  to  obtain  Japanese  coins  by  careful  investigations 
among  those  in  Lew  Chew  engaged  in  trade  with  Japan,  it  had  been  in  vain, 
as  the  Japanese  strictly  forbade  by  law  the  exportation  of  their  money,  and 
that  none  could  accordingly  be  brought  into  the  island.  With  this  docu- 
ment the  authorities  returned  the  American  coin  that  had  been  deposited 
with  them,  but  as  the  Commodore  refused  to  receive  it,  it  was  left  in  their 
possession. 

At  the  end  of  the  regent’s  banquet  each  of  the  guests  was  presented,  on 
leaving  the  hall,  with  a red  card,  which  was  understood  to  entitle  the  holder, 
at  Napha,  to  refreshments  and  other  privileges.  This  was  a curious  prac- 
tice, the  object  of  which  seemed  to  extend  the  entertainment,  and  was  a very 
creditable  picture  of  Lew  Chewan  hospitality,  as  it  appeared  to  give  it  an 
indefinite  duration. 

Exploring  parties  had  been  early  dispatched  to  make  further  investiga- 
tions of  the  condition  and  resources  of  the  island.  These  investigations 
were  directed  chiefly  to  the  examination  of  the  geological  formation,  the 
nature  of  the  soil,  and  the  mineralogical  and  agricultural  resources  of  Lew 
Chew.  The  officers  selected  for  the  various  duties  were  Chaplain  Jones  and 
several  of  the  surgeons,  whose  studies  and  tastes  were  supposed  to  fit  them 
especially  for  making  those  observations,  which  had  more  or  less  a scientific 
bearing. 

The  chaplain  concentrated  his  investigations  upon  the  resources  of  the 
island  in  regard  to  coal,  and  the  result  seemed  to  prove  the  interesting  and 
important  fact  of  the  existence,  at  Shah  bay,  of  that  combustible,  a supply 
of  which  might  be  readily  obtained  by  proper  mining.  The  natives  do  not 
seem  conscious  of  the  presence  of  this  valuable  mineral  in  their  island ; they 
remain,  probably,  totally  unacquainted  with  its  uses. 

In  the  geological  features  of  the  island  of  Lew  Chew,  the  first  peculiar- 
ity that  strikes  the  eye  are  the  great  masses  of  coral  rock  abounding  every- 
where, even  on  the  tops  of  the  highest  mountains,  four  or  five  hundred  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  steep  promontories  along  the  coast  are 
generally  composed  of  gneiss,  while  in  the  interior  some  of  the  loftier  emi- 
nences show  strata  of  slate.  The  base  of  the  island  is  of  the  two  combined, 
upon  which  the  coral  zoophite  has  built  its  structures,  which  by  some 
internal  convulsion  have  been  upheaved  to  their  present  height.  The  soil  on 
the  surface  is  composed  of  the  detritus  of  coral  and  decomposed  vegetable 
and  animal  remains.  As  the  streams  are  free  of  lime,  it  is  conjectured  that 
their  springs  take  their  origin  from,  and  their  currents  flow  through,  those 
strata  which  are  below  the  coral  formation. 


362 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


The  soil  varies  in  accordance  -with  the  face  of  the  country,  being  riel 
and  fertile  in  the  valleys  and  plains,  and  comparatively  poor  upon  the  moun- 
tain tops  and  their  acclivities.  The  climate  is  generally  favorable  to  culture, 
though  droughts  are  said  occasionally  to  occur,  and  the  island  must  suffer  from 
the  typhoons,  being  in  the  direct  range  of  their  ordinary  occurrence.  The 
climate  is  undoubtedly  highly  favorable  also  to  health,  as  may  be  inferred, 
not  only  from  the  condition  of  the  inhabitants  hut  the  topographical  charac- 
teristics of  the  island.  The  entire  absence  of  marshes,  together  with  the 
pure  air  constantly  wafted  over  the  land  in  the  breezes  from  the  surrounding 
sea,  must  exempt  it  from  all  miasmatic  disease.  Although  situated  near  the 
tropics,  the  heat  is  so  tempered  by  the  sea  winds  and  the  elevation  of  the 
land,  that  it  is  never  excessive. 

All  the  land  in  Lew  Chew  is  held  by  government  and  rented  to  large 
tenants,  who,  in  their  turn,  sub-let  it  to  smaller  ones,  who  are  the  direct 
cultivators  of  the  soil.  The  system  of  cultivation  is  rnde  and  primitive, 
being  performed  by  the  hands  of  men  and  women,  with  the  occasional  aid, 
however,  of  the  horse  and  bull.  A rude  kind  of  plough,  chiefly  made  of 
wood  but  tipped  with  an  iron  point,  and  of  the  old  Koman  model,  is  used. 
They  have  harrows,  hoes,  sickles,  and  axes,  but  all  of  simple  and  awkward 
construction.  They  have  but  small  supplies  of  iron  and  evidently  employ  it 
with  a very  strict  regard  to  economy. 

As  rice  is  one  of  the  chief  products  of  Lew  Chew  and  requires  abundant 
supplies  of  water,  a very  extensive  system  of  irrigation  is  carried  on.  The 
ground  is  arranged  in  a series  of  terraces  which  succeed  each  other,  from  the 
acclivities  of  the  hills  down  to  the  bottoms  of  the  valleys,  and  the  water  of 
the  neighboring  streams  is  directed  into  them  from  the  sides  by  means  of 
ditches  and  conduits.  There  are  no  dams,  properly  so  called,  but  the  irriga- 
tion is  so  graduated  by  means  of  the  terrace-like  arrangement  of  the  land 
that  the  supply  of  water  is  gradual,  and  never  in  such  excess  as  to  produce 
any  of  the  ill  effects  of  flooding  or  surface  washing.  The  land,  generally,  is 
divided  into  small  allotments  appropriated  to  single  individuals,  so  that  the 
surface  of  the  country  has  rather  the  appearance  of  being  divided  into  highly 
cultivated  gardens  than  overspread  with  fertile  fields.  In  preparing  the  land 
for  the  cultivation  of  rice  it  is  first  overflowed,  and  then  the  laborer,  who 
goes  to  work  knee  deep  into  the  mud  and  water,  hoes  it  into  furrows.  The 
plough  is  used  subsequently  for  further  loosening  the  soil,  and  is  followed  by 
the  application  of  the  harrow.  All  this  process  is  carried  on  while  the  land 
is  overflowed,  and  although  this  is  considered  by  our  agriculturists  as  the 
very  worst  kind  of  farming,  it  seems  very  well  adapted  to  Lew  Chewan 
husbandry  with  its  inferior  implements.  The  rice  is  not  sown  broad-cast 
over  the  fields,  but  first  grown  in  plots  and  then  transplanted  by  hand.  The 
water  was  observed  always  covering  the  fields,  but  it  was  not  ascertained 
whether  it  was  ever  drawn  off,  probably,  however,  not  until  the  harvest, 


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iiWw>AilMt»'*l!l',it?^^di'.3»-lfc  . s< , ,*rt  li*»i#j 


AGRICULTUEE  OF  LEW  CHEW. 


363 


which  takes  place  before  the  rice  is  “ dead  ripe.”  When  this  occurs  the 
plants  are  cut,  gathered  into  bundles,  and  then  spread  out  to  dry  in  the  air 
and  sun.  The  product  gives  something  like  twenty  bushels  to  the  acre,  and 
the  head  of  the  grain  is  remarkably  large  and  full,  in  consequence,  probably, 
of  the  mode  of  growth  by  transplantation.  The  rice  fields  probably  yield 
two  crops  annually,  with  an  alternation  of  a supply  of  taro  or  sweet  potatoes, 
both  of  which  are  extensively  cultivated.  Sugar  cane,  wheat,  cotton,  barley 
in  small  quantities,  tobacco,  several  varieties  of  millet,  sago,  beans,  peanuts, 
turnips,  peas,  radishes  of  very  large  size,  some  being  three  feet  in  length  and 
twelve  inches  in  circumference,  egg-plants,  onions,  and  cucumbers,  are  all 
found  growing  in  the  island.  Of  fruits  there  are  the  peach,  the  watermelon,  the 
banana,  the  wild  raspberry,  and  the  fig.  Grass  is  not  cultivated,  but  some 
wild  and  coarse  varieties  are  occasionally  seen.  It  might  be  supposed  by  the 
casual  observer,  from  the  beautiful  aspect  presented  by  the  rich  growth  of 
the  island,  that  the  variety  of  the  vegetable  kingdom  is  very  great.  Close 
investigation,  however,  proves  the  reverse,  for  there  is  a remarkable  same- 
ness pervading  nearly  the  whole  country  from  north  to  south.  The  flora  in 
some  respects  present  a tropical  appearance,  but  not  so  much  so  as  might  be 
expected  from  the  position  of  the  island  as  compared  with  some  others  hav- 
ing a higher  latitude.  The  trees  that  are  most  abundant,  are  the  pine  and 
the  banyan,  (ficus  indica,)  but  as  these  are  found  growing  in  regular  lines  along 
the  highways,  forming  beautiftil  avenues,  leading  to  the  tombs  and  villages, 
it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  they  have  been  planted.  The  banyan  is 
particularly  abundant  and  is  much  used  for  hedges,  being  planted  on  the 
tops  of  the  coral  walls  which  surround  the  houses,  and  pruned  and  cut  into 
symmetrical  forms.  The  vegetable  ivory  tree,  the  ebony,  the  mulberry, 
several  varieties  of  the  palm,  the  orange,  the  lemon,  and  the  banana,  are  all 
found,  but  many  of  them  are  evidently  not  indigenous.  Of  flowers  there  is 
the  camelia,  which  grows  wild  and  bears  a beautiful  pink  blossom,  the 
dahlia,  the  morning  glory,  the  marsh  mallow,  the  hibiscus,  and  some  few 
others. 

The  bamboo,  which  grows  abundantly,  is  of  the  greatest  use  to  the 
inhabitants,  supplying  them  with  food,  with  material  for  clothing  and  for 
building,  and,  when  in  its  natural  stateliness  of  growth,  with  a beautiful 
shade  for  their  houses  and  villages.  The  ferns  are  exceedingly  fine  upon 
the  island,  and  some  of  them  are  of  the  large  and  spreading  tree  variety. 
The  agriculture  of  the  island,  though  of  the  simplest  character,  as  we  have 
seen,  yet  seems  to  answer  its  purpose  admirably.  Of  the  five  hundred 
thousand  acres,  embraced  by  the  whole  area  of  Great  Lew  Chew,  one  eighth 
at  least  is  under  cultivation,  producing,  it  is  supposed,  about  two  hundred 
thousand  bushels  of  rice,  fifty  thousand  bushels  of  wheat,  with  the  additional 
product  of  thirty-five  thousand  acres  of  sweet  potatoes,  two  thousand  acres 
of  sugar  cane,  and  a considerable  number  of  acres  of  beans,  taro,  and  other 


/ 


364 


EXPEDITION 


TO  JAPAN. 


kinds  of  grain  and  vegetables.  The  implements  of  labor,  as  has  been 
observed,  are  rude  in  construction,  but  are  handled  with  great  skill  and 
effect.  The  agricultural  machinery  is  simple  in  principle  but  generally  effec- 
tive. The  sugar  mills  consist  of  three  cylinders  of  hard  wood,  supported  in 
an  upright  position  by  means  of  a wooden  frame.  The  cylinders  are  about 
a foot  in  diameter,  and  are  arranged  in  a row,  with  a mortice  heeween  them 
to  regulate  the  approach  and  their  pressure  upon  the  cane.  The  central  one 
has  a wooden  axle  or  shaft  extending  through  the  frame  which  supports  it,  to 
which  is  attached  a curved  lever  of  fifteen  feet  in  length,  by  which  the  mill 
is  readily  worked.  This  central  cylinder  has  a row  of  cogs  of  hard  wood 
near  the  upper  end,  which  play  into  mortices  cut  into  each  of  the  two  other 
cylinders.  A single  bull  or  horse  is  generally  used  to  work  the  mill,  and 
the  animal  moves  in  a circuit  of  about  thirty  feet  in  diameter.  The  cane  is 
placed  first  between  the  central  and  right  cylinders,  and  before  its  escape  it 
is  caught  by  the  hand  of  the  workman  and,  being  twisted  like  a rope,  is  thrust 
in  between  the  central  and  left  cylinders,  by  which  it  is  completely  crushed 
and  its  juice  expressed,  which  flows  through  gutters  into  a tub,  placed  in  a 
hole  near  by.  The  juice  is  then  conveyed  to  neighboring  houses,  tempo- 
rarily constructed  for  the  purpose,  and  there  boiled  in  iron  pans  containing 
about  eight  or  ten  gallons.  What  use  is  made  of  all  the  sugar  it  is  difficult 
to  understand,  as  the  common  beverage,  which  is  tea,  is  never  sweetened. 

It  probably  is  kept  as  a delicacy  for  the  palates  of  the  higher  classes,  who 
delight  in  sweetmeats  and  other  confections  of  sugar,  or  sent  as  an  export  or 
tribute  to  Japan.  In  spite  of  an  abundant  product,  sugar  is  evidently  a 
scarce  article  among  the  common  people,  for  one  of  the  interpreters  begged 
some  from  the  Americans,  as  if  he  esteemed  it  a rare  luxury.  The  refuse 
cane,  after  being  pressed,  (baggass,  as  we  call  it,)  is  carefuUy  dried  and  used 
as  fuel.  The  Lew  Chewans  have  also  mills  for  the  grinding  of  grain.  These 
are  made  of  excellent  millstones,  and  are  worked  by  hand.  The  flour,  how- 
ever, remains  unbolted,  but  makes  a good  and  sweet  bread.  The  gi-anaries  are 
marked  objects  in  every  village  throughout  the  island.  They  are  generally 
constructed  of  either  woven  cane  or  wood,  and  in  a square  form,  increasing  in 
width  from  their  base,  which  is  supported  upon  posts  placed  upon  stones,  to 
their  tops,  which  is  covered  with  a rice  straw  thatch.  They  have  the  advan- 
tage of  being  well  ventilated  and  protected  from  vermin,  of  which,  especially 
of  rats,  there  is  a great  abundance.  These  granaries  often  contain  as  much 
as  five  hundred  bushels,  and  as  they  are  grouped  together  in  numbers, 
amounting  sometimes  to  nearly  a score,  they  are  supposed  to  be  the  property 
of  the  government. 

The  population  of  Great  Lew  Chew  must  amount  to  between  one 
hundred  and  fifty  and  two  hundred  thousand,  since  there  are  two  large 
cities,  those  of  Napha  and  Shui,  and  some  thirty-six  towns  beside,  with  an 
average  of  about  six  thousand  people  each.  The  island  seems  to  be  peopled 


ORIGIN  OF  LEW  CHEWANS. 


365 


Iby  two  distinct  races,  the  Japanese  and  the  Lew  Chewan,  properly  so  called. 
They  both  have  originally  sprung,  however,  from  the  same  stock.  It  has 
been  supposed  by  some  that  the  Lew  Chewan  people  are  chiefly  allied  to  the 
Tagallas,  a race  which  is  spread  over  the  Phillipine,  Marian,  and  other  Pa- 
cific islands,  and  which  originally  sprang  from  the  Malays.  There  is,  how- 
ever, no  affinity  between  the  Lew  Chew,  Malay,  and  Tagalla  languages,  nor 
are  the  relations  of  their  physical  peculiarities  such  as  to  favor  the  opinion 
of  a common  origin.  From  the  discovery,  during  the  exploration  of  the 
island,  of  some  remains  of  ancient  Hindoo  worship,  it  was  surmised  that  the 
Lew  Chewans  might  possibly  have  been  originally  a colony  from  southern 
Asia.  Whether  these  remains  are  the  relics  of  a people  living  in  Lew  Chew 
previous  to  the  present  races,  or  only  the  vestiges  of  a religion  once  held  by 
one  of  the  present  existing  races,  but  now  supplanted  by  the  wide-spreading 
Buddhism,  it  is  not  easy  to  decide.  Dr.  Fahs,  however,  (to  whom,  together 
with  his  associate.  Dr.  Green,  we  are  indebted  for  the  principal  facts  of  this 
chapter,)  inclines  to  the  belief  that  the  Hindoo  idolatry  was  introduced  di- 
rectly by  means  of  priests  coming  from  India  as  missionaries,  or  through  the 
medium  of  the  commercial  intercourse  which  has,  in  all  ages,  existed  between 
eastern  nations. 

The  Japanese  and  the  Lew  Chewans  differ  slightly  from  each  other,  the  lat- 
ter being  more  effeminate  and  somewhat  less  intelligent,  but  this  may  be 
owing  to  their  simple,  retired  life,  upon  a remote  island,  where  their  wants 
are  few,  and  nature  is  generous.  They  have,  however,  such  strong  resem- 
blances that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  resist  the  conviction  of  their  sameness 
of  origin.  They  have  both  the  same  height,  and  very  similar  features.  In 
both,  the  head  is  oval,  approaching  in  form  that  of  the  European,  the  frontal 
bones  rounded,  and  the  forehead  high,  the  face  oval,  and  the  general  expres- 
sion mild  and  amiable,  the  eyes  large  and  animated,  though  more  so  in  the 
Japanese  than  in  the  Lew  Chewans,  the  irides  in  both  are  dark  brown  or 
black,  the  lashes  long,  and  the  eyebrows  rather  heavy  and  arched. 

The  long  angular  form  of  the  internal  canthus  of  the  eye  is  seldom  seen, 
either  in  the  Japanese  or  Lew  Chewan.  The  nose  in  each  is  generally 
handsome,  and  well  proportioned  to  the  other  features ; the  root  of  it  is  not 
depressed,  as  in  the  Chinese  or  Malay,  and  the  nostrils  are  not  so  widely  di- 
lated. The  cheek  bones  are  not  very  prominent,  and  consequently  there  is  a 
want  of  that  squareness  of  face  which  is  so  remarkable  in  some  eastern  races. 
The  mouth  is  rather  large,  the  teeth  broad,  very  white  and  strong,  and  the 
chin  neatly  cut.  One  mark  the  Japanese  and  Lew  Chewans  have  in  common 
to  distinguish  them  from  the  Malay  or  Chinaman ; it  is  the  possession  of  a 
strong  black  beard,  which  both  the  latter  are  destitute  of  to  any  extent.  In 
other  parts  of  the  body  the  same  conformity  of  organization  exists  in  the  Lew 
Chewan  and  Japanese. 

But  it  is  not  in  mere  physical  conformity  that  we  trace  the  same  origin 


1 


366  EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 

of  both  races.  The  identity  of  the  two  races  is  proved  by  the  more  satisfac- 
tory testimony  of  affinity  of  language.  Dr.  Fahs,  while  preparing  his  report 
upon  the  ethnology  of  Lew  Chew,  gave  as  much  attention  as  his  opportunities 
afforded  to  the  study  of  the  language,  and  prepared  the  following  vocabularies, 
in  which  some  Lew  Chewan  and  Japanese  words  are  plaeed  side  by  side.  It 
will  be  observed  there  is  such  a similarity  between  the  two,  that  no  doubt 
can  be  entertained  of  the  words  being  the  same,  with  the  difference  only 
which  may  be  reasonably  attributed  to  peculiarity  of  dialect. 


Lew  CheAD. 

Japanese. 

Lefo  Chew. 

Japanese. 

Water, 

Mizee, 

Mi-dsoo. 

Rice,  Kumee, 

Ko-me. 

Tea, 

Chaa, 

Ts-ga. 

Sweet  potato,  Karaemu, 

Ka-ran-da-imo. 

Sun, 

Fee, 

Fi. 

Pan,  Nudee, 

Ko-na-be. 

Fire, 

Fiee, 

Fi. 

Wine,  Sakee, 

Sa-kee. 

Moon, 

Sichee, 

Ts’ki. 

Tobacco,  Tohako, 

Ta-ba-ko. 

Star, 

Huzee, 

Ho-si. 

Basket  chair,  Kagoo, 

Ka-go. 

Wind, 

Hadzee, 

Ka-zee. 

Silver,  Nauzee, 

Si-ro-goone. 

Chicken, 

Nuatuee, 

Ne-wa-ts-ri. 

Iron,  Titzee, 

Tets’. 

Egg, 

Tom  ague. 

To-ma-go. 

Cap,  Hachee-machee,  Ba-oosi. 

Sea, 

Oomee, 

Oo-mi. 

! Looking-glass,  Ka-ga-me, 

Ka-ga-mL 

Eye, 

Mee, 

Jle. 

Book,  Soomuzee, 

S’yo-mots. 

Hand, 

Tee, 

Te. 

Chair,  Tee, 

ICyokTrokf. 

Nose, 

Hanaa, 

Ha-na. 

Stone,  Ezaa, 

I-sL 

Mouth, 

Koochee, 

Koo-tse. 

Swine,  Boobaa, 

Boo-ta. 

Tree, 

Kee, 

Ki. 

1 

1 


It  will  be  observed  that  two-thirds  of  the  words,  at  least,  in  the  compara- 
tive vocabularies,  are,  with  the  slight  differences  of  spelling,  almost  exactly  the 
same.  The  orthography  of  a language  employed  by  a foreigner  depends  more 
or  less  upon  his  capricious  estimate  of  the  sounds  that  the  strange  words 
seem  to  his  ear  to  possess,  and  accordingly  different  observers  will  necessarily 
employ  a variety  of  spelling.  In  these  words  in  the  comparative  lists,  which 
seem  to  differ,  there  will,  on  investigation,  be  found  considerable  affinity, 
and  they  will  almost  invariably  show  a common  derivation  from  the  same 
root.  This  lexical  comparison  is  all  we  can  here  make.  Unfortunately,  we 
have  no  Lew  Chew  grammar  to  eompare  with  that  of  Japan. 

Allusion  has  already  been  made  to  the  full  beard,  as  a distinctive  mark 
between  the  Lew  Chewans  or  Japanese,  and  Chinese  and  Malayan.  The  men 
in  Lew  Chew  in  youth  have  almost  invariably  a rich  jet  black  beard,  which  in 
age  becomes  as  white  as  snow.  The  higher  classes  allow  their  beards  to 
grow  of  great  length,  and  cultivate  them  with  great  care  and  pride,  while 
the  inferior  people  are  obliged  by  law  to  eut  theirs.  The  moustache  is  also 
generally  worn,  but  seldom  grows  very  luxuriantly.  The  hair  is  ordinarily 
of  a deep  black,  and  is  allowed  to  grow  in  long  looks  behind  and  at  the  sides 
of  the  head,  while  the  middle  of  the  pate  is  shaved  elean.  The  hair  being 
well  oiled  and  gathered  up  from  the  sides  and  back,  is  formed  into  a large 


CHAKACTERISTICS  OF  LEW  CHEW  AN  S.  367 


knot  and  affixed  to  the  bald  place  in  the  head  with  pins  either  of  gold,  silver, 
or  brass,  according  to  the  rank  of  the  wearer. 

The  Lew  Chewan  male  has  generally  a well  proportioned  figure,  with 
broad  and  largely  developed  chest,  narrow  hips,  and  a slim  waist  and  neck. 

A deformed  person  is  a very  rare  sight  in  Lew  Chew.  The  costume  is  neat, 
graceful,  and  suitable  to  the  climate,  and  its  fiowing  outline  is  particularly 
becoming  to  the  aged,  who,  with  their  long  white  beards,  have  quite  a patri- 
archal look.  Their  dress  is  a loose  robe,  with  very  wide  sleeves,  which  Mis 
nearly  to  the  ankles,  and  is  gathered  in  at  the  waist  with  a girdle  of  silk  or 
grass  cloth,  to  which  is  attached  the  invariable  pouch  containing  the  pipe 
and  a supply  of  tobacco.  The  cap  worn  by  the  higher  classes,  and  called  in 
the  Lew  Chewan  tongue  a hachee-macliee^  is  of  cylindrical  form,  and  seems 
to  be  made  of  two  bauds  crossing  each  other  in  a figure  of  eight  form.  The 
laboring  people  go  invariably  barefooted,  but  the  better  classes  wear  a white 
stocking,  to  which,  when  they  go  out,  a straw  sandal  is  added.  A band 
from  the  front  passes  between  the  great  and  next  toe,  as  is  seen  in  ancient 
statues.  The  peasants  in  the  country  go  bareheaded  as  well  as  barefooted, 
and  are  scantily  clothed  in  a coarse  cotton  shirt,  or  with  a mere  cloth  about 
the  loins. 

The  women  are  kept  so  secluded,  particularly  those  of  a higher  rank,  that 
it  is  difficult  for  a stranger  to  obtain  a sufficient  opportunity  to  investigate 
their  peculiarities  very  thoroughly.  They  are  generally  short  of  stature, 
and  by  no  means  handsome,  having  a great  squareness  of  face,  and  more  de- 
pressed noses  than  the  men.  Some  of  the  ladies  of  distinction,  the  exclusive 
few,  are  described  as  being  tolerably  good  looking,  and  of  fair  complexion. 
The  women  wear  a robe  very  much  like  that  worn  by  the  men,  though  with- 
out the  girdle,  while  the  hair,  none  of  which  is  shaved,  is  dressed  in  the  same  ) 
style,  except  that  the  top  knot  is  rather  more  in  front,  and  somewhat  to  the  I 
side  of  the  head.  Woman  is  by  no  means  as  high  in  the  social  scale  in  Lew  | 
Chew  as  she  should  be,  being  regarded  as  a mere  slave  or  chattel,  and  al-  ' 
ways  slighted  by  the  men,  who  seem  hardly  to  notice  her,  either  in  the  houses  < 
or  in  the  streets,  although  the  females  in  their  deportment  toward  strangers  . 
show  apparently  much  modesty  and  amiability. 

The  Lew  Chewans  are  a remarkably  courteous  people  in  their  ordinary 
intercourse  with  each  other,  and  in  their  occasional  relations  with  foreigners. 
Their  usual  form  of  obeisance  is  preposterously  polite,  they  clasp  their  hands 
with  a spasmodic  earnestness  of  courtesy,  and  pressing  them  to  their  forehead, 
bow  so  low  that  it  is  a marvel  how  they  preserve  their  centre  of  gravity.  The 
ordinary  bending  of  the  body,  which  seems  to  be  to  the  utmost  extent  of  sup- 
pleness of  back,  is  still  further  extended  on  coming  into  the  presence  of  those 
of  very  high  rank,  when  the  polite  but  inferior  Lew  Chewan  bows  so  low  as 
literally  to  touch,  if  not  to  fall  upon  the  ground. 

The  people  of  Lew  Chew  are  naturally  among  the  most  intelligent  of  the 


368 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


eastern  nations,  but  they  are  kept  in  general  ignorance  by  their  rulers.  The 
higher  classes  are  well  instructed  in  the  learning  of  China,  whither  the  lite- 
rati and  professional  men,  and  especially  the  physicians,  are  sent  to  finish  their 
education.  The  literature,  whatever  they  may  possess,  is  derived  from  the 
Chinese  and  Japanese. 

The  occupation  of  the  Lew  Chewans  is  chiefly  agricultural,  although  they 
have  some  little  commerce  with  China  and  Japan,  to  which  they  send  annu- 
ally a few  junks,  which  carry  such  articles  of  clothing  and  provisions  as  can 
be  spared,  and  bring  back  in  exchange  the  productions  of  those  countries. 
They  have  apparently  no  currency  of  their  own,  but  in  spite  of  their  protesta- 
tions to  the  contrary,  they  are  evidently  familiar  with  money,  particularly  with 
the  Chinese  copper  coin  termed  cash.  Their  manufactures  are  few,  and  consist 
of  sugar  of  a coarse  kind,  salt  of  an  inferior  quality,  large  vats  for  making 
which  are  found  extending  along  the  bay  of  Napha,  Sakee,  a spi^  distilled 
from  rice,  cotton  and  grass  cloth  of  rude  texture,  anTnferior  style  of  lacquered 
ware,  pottery,  hair  pins,  junks,  agricultural  tools,  and  a limited  variety  of  other 
articles  needed  for  their  own  simple  life. 

In  the  higher  arts,  the  Lew  Chewans  have  not  made  much  progress, 
although  there  are  specimens  among  them  of  rude  paintings  and  sculpture, 
particularly  of  the  latter,  in  the  coarse  figures  of  their  idols,  with  which  they 
adorn  their  tombs  and  temples.  In  their  architecture  there  is  more  evidence 
of  advance  than  in  the  other  branches  of  the  fine  arts.  The  ruins  of  the  cas- 
tles in  Ihe-irorlIiern^nd~southern  parts  of  the  island,  and  the  structure  of  the 
palace  of  Shui,  with  the  various  bridges,  viaducts  and  roads  throughout  the 
country,  show  considerable  architectural  skill.  In  the  arches  and,  massive 
masonery  of  the  fortresses,  and  walls  of  stone,  there  are  marks,  not  only  of 
artistic  design,  but  of  skilful  workmanship.  Their  town  houses  are  all  con- 
structed of  wood,  roofed  with  earthen  tiles,  surrounded  with  verandahs  of 
bamboo,  and  enclosed  within  high  walls  of  coral.  The  cottages  in  the 
country  are  generally  thatched  with  rice  straw,  and  surrounded  by  either  stone 
walls  or  bamboo  picket  fences^  within  which  there  is  not  only  the  house,  hut 
the  usual  farmer’s  concomitants  of  stable,  pig  pen,  and  poultry  hutch.  The 
furniture  is  of  the  simplest  kind,  consisting  of  thick  mats  spread  upon  the  plank 
SoorTui^ 'wEich^lhe^atives  sit  crosslegged,  a few  stools,  a table,  and  a 
teapot  with  a supply  of  cups.  The  food  of  the  people  is  simple,  being  mostly 
rice  and  sweet  potatoes.  Animal  food  is  but  rarely  used  by  the  lowest 
classes,  and  consists,  when  enjoyed,  chiefly  of  pork.  The  higher  ranks  have  a 
more  elaborate  cookery,  and  succeed  in  spreading  occasional  banquets,  which 
were  found  quite  appetising.  A great  variety  of  soups,  with  various  sweet- 
ened confections,  and  vegetable  concoctions  of  dififerent  kinds,  are  the  chief 
elements  of  the  recherche  Lew  Chewan  cuisine  of  the  best  tables. 

The  Lew  Chewans  are  a hard-working  people,  and  enjoy  but  little  relax- 
ation from  labor.  They  have  certain  festivals,  but  of  not  frequent  occurrence, 


GOVERNMENT  OF  LEW  CHEW. 


369 


for  the  celehration  of  religiou^ndjaationaLholidays.  Of  their  amusements 
little  could  he  observed,  although  it  was  inferred  from  the  existence  of  large 
level  spaces,  handsomely  bordered  with  spreading  pines,  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  towns  and  villages,  apparently  adapted  for  racing,  wrestling  and  other 
athletic  sports,  that  the  Lew  Chewans  occasionally  indulge  in  such  exercises 
and  amusements.  In  the  markets  there  are  frequently  found  for  sale  certain 
large  balls,  adorned  with  bright  colored  threads,  supposed  to  be  used  in  a 
, game  like  that  of  our  football. 

Captain  Basil  Hall,  in  his  interesting  but  not  very  authentic  account  of 
the  Lew  Chewans,  states  that  they  were  unacquainted  with  war ; and  Jn 
relating,  during  an  interview  with  Napoleon,  at  St.  Helena,  his  experiences 
of  travel,  startled  that  great  soldier  with  this  unique  characteristic  of  the 
Lew  Chewans,  which  drew  from  him,  as  he  shrugged  his  shoulders,  the  re- 
mark, “ No  wars ; it  is  impossible!”  Hall’s  statement  would  seem  to  be 
confirmed  by  the  apparent  absence  of  all  arms  or  ammunition,  or  even  the 
rudest  weapons  of  attack  and  defence,  such  as  bows  and  arrows.  The  ruins 
of  fortresses  and  the  walled  defences  of  Shui,  however,  seem  to  indicate  that 
the  island  has  not  always  enjoyed  this  blessed  condition  of  peace,  and  the 
Japanese  histories  record  the  fact  of  ancient  intestine  and  foreign  wars.* 

The  government  of  Lew  Chew  seems  to  be  an  absolute  despotism,  with  a 
system  of  administration  like  that  of  J apan,  to  which  the  island  is  tributary. 
The  present  king  is  said  to  be  a youth  of  some  eleven  year#of  age,  under  the 
immediate  personal  guardianship  of  a queen  mother,  while  his  government, 
during  the  minority,  is  delegated  to  a regency,  composed  of  a regent  and 
three  chief  ofiicers,  entitled  or  treasurers.  As  the  policy  ^f  the 

government  is  to  keep  all  foreigners  in  an  absolute  ignorance  of  its  character, 
and  as  every  kind  of  deception  is  resorted  to  for  the  purpose,  it  is  difihcult 
to  acquire  a full  knowledge  of  its  nature.  The  very  existence  of  % young 
king  is  doubted,  since  from  the  time  of  the  visit  of  Basil  Hall,  nearly  forty 
years  ago,  to  that  of  Commodore  Perry,  the  same  story  has  been  told  about 
the  minority  of  the  ruling  prince,  and  unless  he  is  endowed  with  perpetual 
childhood,  or  there  has  been  a succession  of  juvenile  kings,  it  is  difficult  to 
reconcile  the  experiences  of  the  various  travellers  who  have  visited  Lew  Chew 
in  the  long  intervals  of  scores  of  years.  The  literati,  as  in  China  and  Japan, 

* Our  well  known  and  deservedly  distinguished  counti-yman,  Doctor  John  W.  Francis, 
of  New  York,  knew  Captain  Basil  Hall  personally,  while  he  was  in  the  United  States,  and 
has  furnished  the  compiler  with  the  following  memorandum  : “ On  the  occasion  of  an  as- 
semblage of  literary  men,  at  some  entertainment  given  to  Captain  Hall,  inquiries  were 
put  hy  several  of  the  gentlemen  as  to  the  literal  accuracy  of  various  circumstances  related 
by  the  Captain  in  his  hook  on  Lew  Chew.  They  wished  to  know  whether  they  were  to 
understand  his  statements  literally.  In  my  hearing,  he  made  this  general  remark,  hy  way 
of  answer  to  all  these  interrogatories  : ‘ If  I were  to  rewrite  the  book,  I should  make  of  it 
a difierent  story.’  ” 


24 


370 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


compose  the  higher  and  ruling  classes,  and,  as  in  those  countries,  are  pre- 
pared for  official  position  hy  a diligent  study  of  the  doctrines  of  Confucius 
and  Mencius.  In  fact,  the  young  men  belonging  to  families  of  rank  are 
ordinarily  sent  to  China  to  complete  their  education,  and  fit  them  for  then- 
positions  as  officers  of  the  government.  The  exclusive  policy  of  Japan  is 
that  also  of  Lew  Chew,  and  was  rigidly  adhered  to  until  dissolved  hy  the 
intercourse  of  the  Americans  under  Commodore  Perry.  The  system  of  es- 
pionage pervades  the  whole  government  from  the  administration  of  the 
highest  to  the  lowest  official.  Most  of  the  higher  classes  seem  to  have  little 
else  to  do  than  to  watch  every  word  and  movement  of  the  people,  and  form 
a large  body  of  indolent  non-producers,  who  live  idly  upon  the  hard  tasked 
laborers  of  the  lower  classes,  who  are  treated  with  all  the  rigor  of  social 
servitude.  The  country  is  supposed  to  have  been  conquered,  centuries  ago, 
by  a Japanese  prince  of  Satsuma,  to  the  successor  of  whom  it  is  believed  to 
be  tributary,  although  there  are  some  relations  not  well  understood  with 
China. 

The  religion  of  Lew  Chew  is,  as  we  have  before  stated,  the  generally 
prevalent  Buddhism  of  the  east,  with  a mixture  of  various  idolatries  pecu- 
liar to  the  island  ; there  are,  however,  not  many  temples  in  Lew  Chew,  and 
those  which  exist  do  not  attract  a very  large  or  a very  devoted  class  of  wor- 
shippers. As  in  China  and  Japan,  a general  skepticism  or  religious  indif- 
ference seems  to  exist,  particularly  among  the  literati,  or  higher  classes. 
The  Bonzes,  or  priests,  however,  are  treated  with  greater  reverence  in  Lew 
Chew  than  in  most  oriental  countries,  though  they  have  the  same  forlorn 
look,  and  go  about,  with  their  shaven  crowns  and  fusty  garments,  like  sim- 
ilar  miserable  mendicants  in  China. 

Great  reverence  is  paid  to  the  dead  in  Lew  Chew,  where  they  are  put  in 
coffins  in  a sitting  posture,  and,  being  followed  by  the  friends  and  relations 
and  a procession  of  women  in  long  white  veils  which  cover  their  heads  and 
faces,  are  interred  in  well  built  stone  vaults,  or  tombs  constructed  in  the 
sides  of  the  hills.  After  the  body  has  been  interred  for  a period  of  seven 
years  and  all  the  flesh  is  decayed,  the  bones  are  removed  and  deposited  in 
stone  vases,  which  are  placed  upon  shelves  within  the  vaults.  The  poor 
people  place  the  remains  of  their  dead  in  earthen  jars,  and  deposit  them  in 
the  crevices  of  the  rocks,  where  they  are  often  to  be  seen  broken  and  disar- 
ranged. Periodical  visits  are  paid  by  the  surviving  friends  and  relations  to 
the  burial  places,  where  they  deposit  offerings  upon  the  tombs.  On  the  first 
interment  of  the  rich  dead,  roast  pigs  and  Hither  articles  of  food  are  offered, 
and  after  being  allowed  to  remain  for  a short  time,  are  distributed  among 
the  poor. 

During  the  explorations  of  the  island  of  Lew  Chew,  which  were  so  effec- 
tively prosecuted  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Jones,  Mr.  Taylor,  Drs.  Fahs,  Greene,  and 
others,  under  the  direction  of  the  Commodore,  and  which  resulted  in  the  obtain- 


SQUADEON  LEAVES  FOE  TEDO. 


371 


ing  of  so  much  new  information  in  regard  to  a singular  people,  of  whom  little 
has  been  previously  known  to  the  world,  there  were  many  specimens  obtained 
of  their  various  fabrics  and  of  their  natural  productions,  and  particularly  of 
their  botany,  which  have  been  brought  to  the  United  States  for  the  investiga- 
tion of  the  scientific  and  the  interest  of  the  curious. 

The  purposes  of  the  Commodore  in  regard  to  the  island  had  been  so  far 
effectively  carried  out.  The  building  for  the  storing  of  coal  had  been  com- 
pleted, the  temple  appropriated  for  the  accommodation  of  the  sick  and  others 
of  the  squadron,  whose  duties  made  it  necessary  for  them  to  reside  on  shore, 
had  been  secured,  and  those  supplies  obtained  which  were  necessary  for  the 
squadron.  With  an  occasional  faint  demur  on  the  part  of  the  authorities, 
they  continued  to  accept  payment  for  the  various  articles  needed,  and  with 
their  growing  willingness  to  sell  came  an  increased  demand  for  higher  prices. 
The  friendly  intercourse  of  the  Americans  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  island 
had  undoubtedly  greatly  contributed  to  their  advantage.  The  most  scrupu- 
lous regard  had  been  observed  toward  the  rights  of  the  authorities  and  other 
classes,  and  they  all  were  becoming  less  reserved.  It  was  not  an  unreasonable 
inference,  from  the  favorable  disposition  of  the  Lew  Chewan  people  toward 
relations  with  a higher  civilization,  and  from  a seeming  sense  on  their  part 
of  the  oppressive  tyranny  of  their  absolute  rulers,  that  they  would  rejoice 
in  being  placed  in  a political  position  that  might  render  them  independent  of 
Japanese  despotism. 

A more  demonstrative  indication  of  the  friendly  feeling  of  the  Lew 
Chewans  for  their  foreign  visitors  would  have  been  shown  probably  had  it 
not  been  for  the  numerous  Japanese  agents  and  spies  who  were  ever  on  the 
watch  to  notice  and  report  to  the  imperial  government  every  event  that 
transpired,  and  to  make  those  who  manifested  any  friendship  toward  the 
Americans  accountable  at  some  future  time. 

The  Commodore,  being  detained  at  Napha  in  negotiations  with  the  au- 
thorities, thought  it  advisable  to  dispatch  some  of  the  sailing  vessels  of  the 
squadron  to  Yedo  bay,  with  the  intention  of  following  soon  after  with  his 
steamers.  He  expected  to  arrive,  with  the  advantages  of  steam  in  his 
favor,  in  Japan  at  about  the  same  time  with  those  who  had  preceded  him  in 
their  departure. 

Accordingly,  Captain  Abbot  sailed  on  the  first  of  February  in  the  Ma- 
cedonian, in  company  with  the  Vandalia,  Lexington,  and  Southampton. 
The  Commodore  followed  on  the  seventh  of  February,  with  the  steamers 
Susquehanna,  Powhatan,  and  Mississippi.  The  storeship  Supply  had  been 
got  ready,  and  was  ordered  to  sail  on  the  next  day  after  the  Commodore’s 
departure  for  Shanghai,  there  to  take  on  board  a cargo  of  coal  and  some  live 
stock,  and  proceed  to  join  the  squadron  in  Yedo  bay. 

It  had  been  arranged  that  Dr.  Bettleheim,  who  had  been  superseded  by 
another  English  missionary,  a Mr.  Moreton,  should  have  a passage  for  him- 
self and  family  in  the  Supply  to  Shanghai. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 


Letter  from  Butch  Governor  General  of  India  announcing  the  death  of  the  Japanese  Emperor.— Com 
modore’s  reply. — Enumeration  of  the  several  objects  in  view. — Prospects  of  their  attainment  hy  the 
mission. — Officers  and  men  left  in  Lew  Chew. — Arrival  of  the  Saratoga. — Run  to  Yedo  Bay. — Oho- 
Sima. — Cleopatra  isles. — Mijako-sima. — All  belong  to  Lew  Chew  group. — ^Entrance  of  gulf  or  outer 
bay  of  Tedo. — Japanese  charts  of  little  value,  made  for  mere  coasting. — AVintry  asi>ect  of  Japan.— 
Macedonian  aground. — Hauled  off  by  the  Mississippi. — Friendly  offers  of  the  Japanese  to  assist  the 
Macedonian. — Squadron  proceeds  up  the  bay  and  anchors  at  the  “American  anchorage.*’ — Japanese 
officials  come  alongside. — Received  by  Captain  Adamson  the  Powhatan,  pursuant  to  the  Commodore's 
orders. — They  attempt  to  prevail  on  the  Commodore  to  return  to  Uraga,  stating  that  the  high  Japa- 
nese functionaries  were  there  awaiting  his  arrival,  by  appointment  of  the  Emperor. — Commodore  de- 
clines on  account  of  safety  of  the  ships. — Visit  on  the  next  day  from  the  officials,  who  reiterate  their 
request,  with  an  assurance,  that  the  commissioners  were  ordered  to  receive  the  Commodore  at  Uraga 
with  distinguished  consideration. — Commodore  again  declines. — Japanese  ask  that  an  officer  maybe 
sent  to  Uraga  to  confer  with  the  commissioners  as  to  a place  of  meeting. — Commodore  consents  that 
Captain  Adams  may  bold  such  a conference,  but  that  the  commissioners  must  come  there  to  bold  it — 
Japanese  become  alarmed  as  to  the  friendly  feelings  of  the  Americans. — Their  fears  allayed. — Survey 
of  the  bay  resumed  without  interruption  by  the  «Tapanese. — Our  boats  forbidden  by  the  Commodore 
to  land. — Japanese  persist  for  several  days  in  desiring  the  Commodore  to  go  to  Uraga  with  the  ships. 
— Commodore  invariably  refuses. — At  length  the  Japanese  are  informed  that  the  Commodore  will  al- 
low Captain  Adams  to  meet  a commissioner  on  shore  near  the  ships,  or  that  he  will  proceed  up  the 
hay  to  Yedo. — Note  from  the  commissioners  to  the  Commodore. — His  reply. — Captain  Adams  sent 
down  to  Uraga  to  communicate  to  the  commissioners  the  Commodore's  reasons  for  declining  to  take 
the  ships  to  Uraga. — Some  of  the  Japanese  accompany  him  in  the  Vandalia. — Interview  of  Captain 
Adams  with  the  commissioners  at  Uraga. — Visit  to  Captain  Adams  from  Yezaiman  on  board  the  Van- 
dalia. — Assures  Captain  Adams  of  the  friendly  disposition  of  the  Emperor. — Vandalia  returns,  and 
perceives  ahead  the  squadron  standing  up  the  bay  toward  Yedo. — The  Japanese  no  longer  urge  going 
to  Uraga,  but  suddenly  propose  Yoku-hama,  where  the  ships  then  were,  about  eight  miles  from  Yedo. 
— Gorntnodore  immediately  assents. — Buildings  constructed  at  Yoku-hama. — A Japane-se  seaman  in 
the  squadron  sends  a letter  to  his  family  ashore,  by  Yezaiman. — YezaTman  desires  an  interviuw'with 
him — ^The  interview. — Ceremonials  settled  as  to  the  conferences  on  shore  for  negotiation. 


REVIOUS  to  leaving  Na- 
pha,  Commodore  Perry  had  re- 
ceived a communication  from 
the  governor  general  of  Dutch 
India,  conveying  information 
of  the  death  of  the  Emperor  of 
Japan,  soon  after  the  reception 
of  the  President’s  letter.  The 
Japanese  government  (so  said 
the  communication)  had  re- 
quested the  Dutch  superintend- 
ent to  communicate  the  fact 
to  the  American  government, 
as  this  event,  according  to  the 
laws  and  customs  of  Japan 


DEATH  OF  THE  EMPEEOE. 


373 


made  certain  ceremonies  of  mourning  and  arrangements  for  succession 
to  the  throne  necessary,  and  the  consequent  postponement  of  all  considera- 
tion of  the  Pi’esident’s  letter  for  the  present.  The  Japanese  authorities 
accordingly  had,  as  was  stated  by  the  governor  general,  repeatedly  re- 
quested the  superintendent  of  the  Dutch  factory  at  Nagasaki  to  express 
the  wish  of  the  government  of  Japan  that  the  American  squadron  would 
not  return  to  the  Bay  of  Yedo  at  the  time  fixed  by  Commodore  Perry, 
lest  his  presence  might  create  confusion.  The  Commodore  answered  the 
communication  of  the  governor  general  of  Dutch  India  with  the  usual  formal 
expression  of  regret  at  the  event  of  the  Emperor’s  death,  and  added  that  he 
hoped  the  present  rulers  of  Japan  were  so  well  satisfied  of  the  intentions  of 
the  President  of  the  United  States,  as  stated  in  his  letter,  that  they  would 
not  be  disposed  to  throw  any  serious  obstacles  in  the  way  of  accomplishing 
friendly  relations  between  the  American  nation  and  the  Japanese.* 

The  Commodore  had  previously  heard,  through  the  officers  of  the  Russian 
squadron,  of  the  reported  death  of  the  Emperor  of  Japan,  and  that  similar 
reasons  to  those  set  forth  in  the  communication  of  the  Dutch  governor  general 
had  been  assigned  to  the  Russian  admiral  for  not  replying  to  the  letter  from 
his  sovereign,  which  had  been  sent  to  Yedo  from  Nagasaki.  The  Commo- 
dore was  disposed  to  suspect,  at  first,  as  nothing  had  been  said  of  the  illness 
of  the  Emperor  of  Japan  during  the  first  visit  to  the  Bay  of  Yedo,  and  as  so 
short  an  interval  had  elapsed  since  then,  that  the  statement  of  the  death  of 
the  Emperor  was  a mere  ruse  to  obstruct  the  American  negotiations. 

* [Translation.] 

Boetenzorg,  December  23,  1853. 

Mr.  Commodore  : The  Dutch  ship  “ Hendrika,”  master  Admiral,  which  sailed  for  Japan 
in  July  last,  has  returned  to  Batavia  on  the  15th  instant. 

She  brings  intelligence  from  the  superintendent  of  our  factory  there,  up  to  November  15, 
1863,  and  information  of  the  death  of  the  Emperor  of  Japan,  soon  after  receiving  the  let- 
ter of  the  President  of  the  United  States. 

The  Japanese  government  has  requested  the  Dutch  superintendent  to  communicate  to  the 
American  government : That  this  event,  according  to  Japanese  laws  and  customs,  makes 
necessary  the  performance  of  many  and  continuing  ceremonies  of  momming,  and  extensive 
arrangements  with  respect  to  the  succession  to  the  throne  ; that  during  the  period  of  mourning 
no  business  of  any  importance  can  he  transacted ; that  the  letter  of  the  President  of  the 
United  States  can  only  be  taken  into  deliberation  when  the  time  of  mourning  is  over ; that 
previous  thereto,  the  opinions  upon  the  subject  have  to  be  obtained  from  all  the  governors 
(lords)  in  Japan ; that  for  that  purpose  the  governors  have  to  repair  to  Yedo  in  succes- 
sion, (one  after  the  other ;)  that  all  that  will  take  much  time. 

The  Japanese  authorities  have  repeatedly  requested  the  superintendent  of  our  factory 
that  he  w ould  inform  the  American  government  of  the  wish  of  the  Japanese  government  not 
to  let  the  American  squadron  return  to  Japan  at  the  time  fixed  upon  by  your  excellency,  for 
fear  that  under  the  circumstances  created  by  the  decease  of  the  Emperor,  and  from  the  sev- 
eral and  unavoidable  conferences  with  the  Japanese  authorities,  and  of  those  authorities 
among  themselves,  the  American  squadron  might  create  hroU,  (confusion,)  as  the  Japanese 
authorities  express  themselves. 


374 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


And  even  granting  that  the  Emperor  was  dead,  (which  was  proved  sub- 
sequently to  he  the  fact,)  there  seemed  to  he  no  reason  for  the  delay  in 
public  business.  The  laws  of  China  require  the  eldest  son  of  the  highest 
classes  to  abstain  from  pleasure,  company,  or  business,  for  seven  weeks  in  the 
event  of  the  death  of  an  Emperor,  but  the  successor  to  the  imperial  throne 
assumes  the  government  immediately,  and  public  business  is  never  inter- 
rupted. A similar  custom  was  inferred  to  prevail  in  Japan,  as  none  of  the 
books  describing  the  manners  and  customs  of  that  Empire  allude  to  any 
different  practice  on  such  an  occasion. 

The  Commodore  was  not,  however,  to  be  deterred  from  the  prosecution 
of  his  plans  by  any  unfavorable  intelligence  which  those  who  might  be  dis- 
posed to  obstruct  them  so  carefully  acquainted  him  with. 

It  is  well  to  enumerate  here,  while  the  Commodore  is  on  his  way  to  Japan, 
the  leading  objects  of  his  mission.  He  was  to  demand  explanations  of  the 
Japanese  government  respecting  its  treatment  of  American  citizens  who  had 
been  accidentally  thrown  upon  its  shores,  and  to  make  declaration  that  the 

I believe  it  not  necessary  to  go  beyond  infonning  your  excellency  of  this  wish  of  the 
Japanese  government,  to  be  filed  with  my  letter  of  September  22,  1852,  (No.  131.) 

With  great  respect,  I have  the  honor  to  be,  your  excellency’s  obedient  servant, 

DUYMAER  VAN  TinST, 
Governor  General  of  Netherlands,  India. 

By  order  of  his  excellency  the  governor  general : 

A.  PRINS,  Chief  Secretary. 

His  Excellency  Commodore  Perry, 

Commandant  of  the  United  States  squadron  destined  for  Japan. 


United  States  Steam  Frigate  SrsQtrEH.tNNA, 
Kapha,  Lew  Chew,  January  23,  1854. 

Sir  : I have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  the  letter  of  your  excellency  of  the 
23d  ultimo,  informing  me  of  a communication  you  had  received  from  the  superintendent  of 
the  factory  at  Dezima,  announcing  the  death  of  the  Emperor  of  Japan,  and  detailing  the 
consequences  that  would  result  from  this  event  in  retarding  the  progress  of  the  mission  with 
which  I have  been  charged. 

Allow  me  to  thank  your  excellency  for  the  trouble  you  have  taken  in  conveying  to  me 
this  sad  intelligence.  I trust,  however,  that  the  present  rulers  of  Japan  have  become  so 
well  satisfied  of  the  intentions  of  the  President  in  suggesting  the  propositions  which  I have 
had  the  honor  of  presenting,  that  they  will  not  be  disposed  to  throw  any  serious  obstacles 
in  the  way  of  a friendly  understanding  between  the  two  nations. 

With  great  respect,  I have  the  honor  to  be,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

M.  C.  PERRY, 

Commander-in-chief  United  States  naval  forces.  East  Indies,  China,  and  Japan  Seas. 

His  Excellency  Dcymaer  Van  Twist, 

Governor  General  of  the  Netherlands,  India. 


OBJECTS  OF  THE  MISSION  RECAPITULATED.  375 


United  States  government  will  no  longer  tolerate  such  acts ; to  endeavor  to 
obtain,  at  least,  the  opening  of  one  or  more  Japanese  ports  to  American 
vessels ; and  to  negotiate,  if  possible,  a treaty  with  the  Empire  upon  a basis 
just  and  equitable,  and  if  a general  treaty  could  not  be  made,  to  make  the 
best  that  was  attainable  for  trade.  Of  course,  there  was  much  uncertainty 
in  regard  to  the  successful  issue  of  the  mission  in  this  respect,  and  the 
Commodore  was  resolved  to  do  all  in  his  power  by  firmly  insisting  upon  what 
was  due  to  the  United  States,  and  discreetly  urging  the  establishment  of  those 
relations  which  seemed  desirable  for  the  interests  of  his  country.  There 
would  be  little  difficulty,  he  thought,  in  bringing  about  suitable  explanations 
and  apologies,  with  assurances  of  kind  treatment  to  all  strangers  who  should 
thereafter  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Japanese,  as  also  a friendly  reception 
and  necessary  supplies  to  whaling  ships  anchoring  in  the  ports  of  the 
Empire.  These  results  alone,  it  was  believed,  would  repay  the  United  States 
government  for  all  the  expenses  of  the  expedition.  With  respect  to  the 
accomplishment  of  the  other  objects  there  was  some  doubt,  unless  force  should 
be  resorted  to.  This,  however,  was  an  alternative  that  could  only  be  justi- 
fied by  some  overt  act  of  wrong  or  insult  on  the  part  of  the  Japanese  govern- 
ment, and,  of  course,  was  not  contemplated.  The  Commodore,  though  he 
felt  confident  that  the  purpose  of  his  mission  as  regards  the  demanding  of 
redress  for  ill-treatment  of  American  citizens  would  be  easily  accomplished, 
nevertheless  had  made  provision  against  any  failure.  He  had  arranged,  pro- 
vided the  Japanese  government  refused  to  negotiate,  or  to  assign  a port  of 
resort  for  our  merchant  or  whaling  ships,  to  take  under  surveillance  of  the 
American  flag  the  island  of  Great  Lew  Chew,  a dependency  of  the  Empire 
of  Japan.  This,  if  necessary,  was  to  be  done  on  the  ground  of  reclamation 
for  insults  and  injuries  well  known  to  have  been  committed  upon  American 
citizens.  Previously  to  leaving  Napha,  Commodore  Perry  accordingly  issued 
a proclamation  to  the  effect  that,  as  a question  was  pending  between  the 
United  States  and  Japan  touching  certain  demands  upon  the  Japanese  gov- 
ernment, and  as  it  was  deemed  essential  to  the  security  of  the  just  claims 
of  the  United  States  to  assume,  during  the  pending  negotiations,  limited 
authority  on  the  island  of  Great  Lew  Chew,  he  had,  therefore,  detached  from 
the  squadron  two  master’s  mates  and  about  fifteen  men  to  look  after  the 
United  States  government  property  and  other  intei-ests  during  his  absence. 

These  were  merely  measures  of  precaution,  which  seemed  justified  by 
the  wily  policy  of  the  Japanese,  which  forbade  any  confident  reliance  upon 
its  justice,  and  by  the  probability  of  the  Russians,  French,  or  English,  in 
their  eagerness  to  anticipate  the  Americans,  stepping  in  before  them  and 
seizing  a dependency  like  Lew  Chew,  which  might  so  greatly  further  their 
purposes  in  regard  to  Japan.  It  was  not  proposed  by  the  Commodore  to 
take  Lew  Chew,  or  claim  it  as  a territory  conquei-ed  by,  and  belonging  to, 
the  United  States,  nor  to  molest  or  interfere  in  any  way  with  the  authorities 


376 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


or  people  of  the  island,  or  to  use  any  force,  except  in  self-defence.  In  fact, 
there  was  not  likely  to  be  any  occasion  for  violence,  as  the  Americans  already 
possessed  all  necessary  influence  in  Lew  Chew,  which  had  been  acquired  by 
kindness  and  non-interference  with  the  laws  and  customs  of  the  island. 

The  arrival  of  the  Saratoga  from  Shanghai  had  been  expected  for  some 
days  previous  to  the  Commodore’s  departure  from  Napha,  and,  as  she  had 
not  arrived  before  his  setting  out,  it  was  thought  probable  that  the  squadron 
would  fall  in  with  her  outside  the  harbor.  Accordingly,  the  steamer’s  course 
was  directed  to  the  westward  of  Lew  Chew,  in  view  of  intercepting  the 
track  of  the  Saratoga,  and  it  so  happened  that  the  steamers  had  scarcely 
cleared  the  harbor  when  a sail  was  discovered  standing  toward  the  island, 
which,  on  approaching  nearer,  was  ascertained,  by  signal,  to  be  the  long 
looked-for  ship.  Captain  Walker,  who  was  in  command  of  the  Saratoga, 
soon  came  on  board  the  Susquehanna,  and  received  orders  to  proceed  direct 
to  the  American  anchorage  in  Yedo  Bay.  Upon  his  return  to  his  ship, 
after  sending  some  live  stock  brought  from  Shanghai  for  the  squadron,  and 
three  packages  containing  presents  for  the  Japanese  authorities,  he  bore  away 
with  the  intention  of  taking  the  passage  east  of  Lew  Chew. 

The  passage  of  the  steamers,  until  the  islands  lying  at  the  entrance  of 
the  great  Bay  of  Yedo  were  made,  was  pleasant  and  by  no  means  protracted. 
The  northern  group  of  the  Lew  Chew  chain,  composed  of  the  islands  of 
Oho-sima,  or  as  the  Chinese  call  it  Ta-tao,  Tok-sima,  Ratona-sima,  and 
Kikai-sima,  were  passed  in  full  view.  There  was  an  opportunity,  which  was 
improved,  of  establishing  with  some  accuracy  the  positions  of  several  of  the 
headlands  on  the  western  side  of  Oho-sima  and  the  islets  named  by  Captain 
Guerin,  of  the  French  corvette  Sabine,  Cleopatra  islands.  In  passing  these 
islands,  Commodore  Perry  was  reminded  of  an  order  he  had  received  from 
the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  to  investigate,  and  report  upon,  a question  touch- 
ing the  original  discovery  of  Oho-sima,  by  Commander  Glynn,  in  February, 
1846,  he  being  at  the  time  in  command  of  the  United  States  sloop-of-war 
Preble.  A diligent  investigation  was  accordingly  made,  and  the  results 
embodied  in  a communication  to  the  Navy  Department.  The  island  repre- 
sented to  have  been  seen  in  June,  1849,  and  described  in  Commander  Glynn’s 
letter  to  Commodore  Jones,  dated  February  21,  1850,  as  bearing  in  a south- 
easterly direction  from  the  Preble,  and  as  a new  discovery,  is  called  in  the 
Japanese  charts,  Oho-sima,  and  by  the  Chinese,  Ta-tao.  The  islets  stated 
to  have  been  discovered  at  the  same  time,  and  described  as  bearing  north- 
northwest,  were  examined,  in  1846,  by  Captain  Guerin,  of  the  Sabine,  and 
named  by  him,  “ Cleopatra  Isles.”  The  latter,  as  well  as  others  lying  con- 
tiguous to  Oho-sima,  were  distinctly  seen  from  the  decks  of  the  several  ships 
of  the  squadron,  during  the  present  voyage,  on  February  8,  1854.  Sketches 
of  the  islands  were  taken,  and  their  positions  established  by  cross  bearings 


ARRIVAL  IN  BAT  OF  TEDO. 


377 


taken  from  the  steamer  Susquehanna,  at  noon,  after  good  observations.  The 
results  were  as  follows : 

South  end  of  Cleopatra  Isles,  latitude  28°  48'  N.,  longitude  128°  59' 
30"  E. 

North  end  of  Oho-sima,  latitude  28°  29'  N.,  longitude  129°  30'  E. 

Oho-sima  is  the  principal  of  what  may  be  called  the  northern  group  of 
the  Lew  Chew  chain,  which,  in  connection  with  the  Mijako-sima,  and  other 
islands  commencing  with  the  Cleopatra,  extend  from  near  the  north  end  of 
Formosa  to  Kiusiu,  the  southwestern  extremity  of  Japan  proper.  The 
three  groups  of  Mijako-sima,  Great  Lew  Chew,  or  Okinawa-sima,  and  Oho- 
sima,  should  he  denominated  the  southern,  middle,  and  northern  Lew  Chew 
islands,  the  central  government  being  established  at  the  city  of  Shui,  in  the 
island  of  Great  Lew  Chew.  Of  the  people  and  government  of  these  islands 
little  is  known,  hut  it  is  presumed  that  they  are  all  subject  to  an  interme- 
diate sovereignty  between  Lew  Chew  and  the  Empire  of  Japan,  or  possibly 
the  Japanese  prince  of  Satsuma.  This  potentate  is  stated  by  Von  Siebold 
to  receive  about  2,240,000  guilders,  or  nearly  $900,000,  annually,  from  the 
Lew  Chew  islands.  Oho-sima  is  in  circumference  nearly  one  hundred  and 
fifty  English  miles,  and  bears  in  its  external  aspect,  with  its  mountains  and 
richly  verdant  valleys,  a considerable  resemblance  to  Great  Lew  Chew.  It 
is  represented  by  various  writers  to  be  thickly  populated,  having  all  the 
advantages  of  cities,  towns,  villages,  and  commodious  ports.  It  is  surprising 
that  it  has  never  hitherto  been  visited  by  any  Christian  voyager. 

The  Mijako-sima  islands  have  been  more  than  once  visited  by  foreign 
vessels,  and  during  the  progress  of  the  Japan  expedition,  by  the  Saratoga, 
whose  ofiicers  described  the  inhabitants  as  being  in  language,  manners,  cus- 
toms, and  appearance,  almost  identical  with  the  people  of  Lew  Chew.  And 
it  is  reasonable  to  infer  that  this,  in  common  with  the  other  inhabited  islands 
of  the  chain,  has  been  peopled  for  many  hundreds  of  years.  The  Mijako- 
sima  group  was  ascertained  to  be  governed  by  officers  appointed  by  the  king 
and  council  of  Great  Lew  Chew,  who  are  frequently  changed,  in  conformity 
with  the  policy  practised  throughout  Japan  and  its  dependencies. 

The  Cleopatra  islands  are  only  two  in  number,  lying  in  close  proximity 
to  each  other,  and  are  small  and  uninhabited.  They  are  cone-shaped,  and 
evidently  of  volcanic  origin,  the  craters  being  clearly  visible,  the  larger  one 
of  which  has  been  estimated  at  1,650  feet  in  height.  The  geographical  posi- 
tion of  all  this  chain  of  islands,  extending  from  Formosa  to  Japan  proper, 
would  seem  to  be  so  arranged  as  to  suit  the  convenience  of  the  commerce  of 
the  unskilful  Japanese  navigators,  who  sail  in  their  frail  open-sterned  vessels 
from  island  to  island,  always  being  careful  to  have  a port  under  their  lee, 
into  which  to  escape  on  the  least  approach  of  foul  weather. 

On  entering,  upon  the  11th  of  February,  the  outer  Bay  of  Yedo,  or  as  it 
may  be  more  suitably  termed,  the  Gulf  of  Yedo,  including  the  space  em- 


378 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


braced  between  Cape  Nagatsuro  on  tbe  west,  Cape  Serafama  or  Cape  King 
on  the  east,  and  Wodawara,  Kamakura,  and  Cape  Sagami  on  the  north,  the 
steamers  encountered  a severe  blow  from  the  northward  and  eastward. 
They  were  kept,  however,  during  the  night,  under  the  lee  of  Oho-sima, 
{i.  e.  Great  Island,)  and  thus  avoided  the  greatest  violence  of  the  gale.  On 
the  previous  afternoon  a cluster  of  three  dangerous  rocks,  showing  above  the 
surface  of  the  sea  from  ten  to  twenty  feet,  were  passed  quite  near.  These 
were  supposed  to  be  what  are  called  on  the  charts  the  Broughton  Rocks ; 
and  if  they  were,  their  position  is  evidently  very  erroneously  laid  down,  and 
if  they  were  not,  they  have  escaped  the  observation  of  previous  European 
and  American  navigators.  That  these  rocks  should  have  been  hitherto 
unnoticed  would  not  be  at  all  remarkable,  for  few  ships  have  ever  visited 
the  southern  and  eastern  coast  of  Japan,  and  it  is  not  reasonable  to  expect 
that  the  very  imperfect  charts  which  have  been  compiled  from  the  meagre 
information  furnished  by  Broughton,  Gore,  King,  Krusenstern,  and  the  three 
or  four  American  and  English  vessels  which  have  visited  the  coast  within  a 
few  years  back,  should  be  in  any  manner  correct. 

It  is  true  that  the  Japanese  have  constructed  charts,  but  they  are  on  a 
plan  peculiar  to  themselves,  and  of  little  benefit  to  the  bold  navigators,  with 
their  large  vessels,  of  Europe  and  America.  The  Japanese  charts,  without 
meridian  or  scale,  and  totally  destitute  of  any  record  of  soundings,  are  hardly 
of  any  use,  except  in  their  own  timid  navigation.  The  Japanese  never  ven- 
ture, if  they  can  possibly  avoid  it,  beyond  sight  of  land,  and  always  seize 
upon  favorable  seasons,  weather  and  winds,  for  making  their  longest  runs. 
Their  junks  skirt  the  coast  by  touching  the  land  here  and  there,  and  going 
from  island  to  island,  and  seldom  make  a run  of  a longer  duration  than 
twenty-four  hours.  The  largest  Japanese  junks  seen  did  not  draw  more 
than  eight  feet  of  water,  and,  as  has  just  been  remarked,  they  run  from  port 
to  port,  invariably  seeking  shelter  on  occasions  of  adverse  winds  or  appear- 
ances of  bad  weather.  The  pilots,  familiar  with  every  rock  on  the  coast,  need 
no  charts,  and  conduct  their  vessels,  in  accordance  with  their  cautious  navi- 
gation, with  general  safety.  Every  harbor,  however  small,  is  furnished  with 
conveniences  for  securing  the  Japanese  craft,  holes  being  artificially  made 
through  the  angles  of  the  rocks  for  passing  the  cables,  and  where  this  is  not 
practicable,  upright  pillars  or  posts  are  hewn  or  morticed  in  the  stone,  and 
all  chafings  of  the  moorings  provided  against  by  a careful  rounding  and 
smoothing  of  the  neighboring  projection  or  detached  parts. 

On  the  morning  of  the  12th  of  February  the  weather  became  more  set- 
tled, and  the  steamers  stood  up  the  bay.  The  outlines  of  the  land  were 
recognized  from  the  familiarity  of  the  previous  visit,  but  a change  had  come 
over  the  face  of  the  landscape,  in  consequence  of  the  difiierence  of  season. 
The  lofty  summit  of  Fusi-Tama  was  distinctly  visible  as  before,  but  was  now 
completely  clothed  in  its  winter  garb  of  snow.  The  rich  verdure  of  the  sur- 


MACEDONIAN  AGROUND, 


379 


rounding  land  had  lost  its  cheerful  summer  aspect,  and  looked  withered, 
bleak  and  sombre.  The  rising  uplands  were  no  longer  reposing  in  their  beds 
of  green,  shaded  from  a summer’s  sun  beneath  spreading  groves,  but  were 
bare  and  desolate,  while  the  distant  mountains  stood  chill  in  their  snowy 
drapery  and  frowned  upon  the  landscape.  The  weather  was  cold  and  blus- 
tering. As  the  steamers  approached  the  land,  two  vessels  wore  observed 
close  in  and  apparently  at  anchor.  On  approaching  them  it  was  discovered 
that  they  were  the  Macedonian  and  Vandalia.  The  latter  had  a signal  dis- 
played announcing  that  the  Macedonian  was  aground.  It  was  soon  ascer- 
tained that  Captain  Abbott,  on  the  day  previous,  had  mistaken  the  indenta- 
tion in  the  coast  within  which  his  ship  was  aground  for  the  entrance  to  the 
passage  to  Uraga  and  Yedo.  He  had,  accordingly,  on  venturing  too  near 
the  shore,  grounded  his  vessel  on  a ledge  of  rocks  not,  of  course,  laid  down 
upon  the  imperial  chart  which  he  had ; said  chart  being  nothing  more  than  a 
copy  of  one  of  Von  Siehold’s  maps,  which  had  been  copied  from  the  Japanese 
authorities,  with  a f^  notes  upon  it,  made  during  the  first  visit  of  the 
squadron  to  the  Bay  of  Yedo.  Captain  Abbott,  finding  his  ship  in  this 
dilemma,  adopted  the  usual  means  of  getting  her  afloat  by  starting  the 
water,  making  her  guns  ready  for  throwing  overboard,  and  actually  throwing 
over  the  side  many  miscellaneous  articles.  Commander  Pope  of  the  Van- 
dalia, at  that  time  in  company,  immediately  anchored  and  sent  his  boats  to 
the  assistance  of  his  consort  the  Macedonian. 

The  fortunate  arrival  of  Commodore  Perry  with  his  three  steamers  at 
once  gave  assurance  of  effectual  aid.  Commander  Lee  of  the  Mississippi 
was  accordingly  ordered  to  approach  with  his  steamer  as  near  as  he  could 
safely  venture  to  the  ship  on  shore,  and  run  a couple  of  hawsers  to  her  with 
the  view  of  hauling  her  off  by  the  power  of  steam.  This  duty  he  executed 
with  his  usual  promptitude  and  judgment,  and  before  night  the  Macedonian 
was  towed  into  a safe  anchorage.  Meanwhile  the  other  vessels  were  brought 
to  anchor  for  the  night,  having  been  joined  on  the  same  afternoon  by  the 
Lexington,  which,  it  will  be  recollected,  sailed  from  Napha  in  company  with 
the  Macedonian  and  Vandalia.  In  the  course  of  the  night  a boat  came 
alongside  the  Commodore’s  flag-ship,  having  been  dispatched  by  Lieutenant 
Commanding  Boyle  of  the  Southampton,  which  vessel,  another  of  Captain 
Abbott’s  division,  had  arrived  the  day  before  at  the  American  anchorage  in 
the  Bay  of  Yedo. 

Lieutenant  Boyle  had  received  information  from  the  Japanese  authori- 
ties that  two  ships  had  arrived  off  Kama-kura,  and  that  one  of  them  was 
ashore,  and  very  promptly  and  properly  dispatched  the  launch  of  the  South- 
ampton, with  two  officers  and  a suitable  crew,  to  render  all  practicable  assist- 
ance. 

The  friendly  disposition  of  the  Japanese  toward  the  Americans  was 
handsomely  illustrated  by  their  offers  of  assistance  as  soon  as  the  Macedonian 


380 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


was  observed  ashore.  Such,  too,  was  their  courteous  and  scrupulous  regard 
for  the  interests  and  property  of  their  visitors,  that  they  actually  took  the 
trouble  of  sending  to  the  squadron,  then  at  a distance  of  twenty  miles,  a hogs- 
head of  bituminous  coal,  which  had  been  thrown  overboard  on  lightening  the 
ship,  and  subsequently  washed  ashore. 

Next  morning  (February  13),  after  the  Macedonian  had  been  relieved 
from  her  hazardous  position  in  the  bight  of  Kawatsu,  near  Kama-kura,  the 
whole  squadron  moved  up  the  Bay  of  Yedo,  sailing  in  a line  ahead,  the  Lex- 
ington, Vandalia,  and  Macedonian  being  in  tow  respectively  of  the  Susque- 
hanna, Powhatan,  and  Mississippi.  With  the  experience  of  navigation  ac- 
quired during  the  previous  visit,  there  was  no  occasion  for  the  ships  to  feel 
their  way,  but  they  passed  along  the  magnificent  bay  with  confidence,  bring- 
ing into  view  at  each  turn  various  points  of  the  land  on  either  side,  which 
had  now  the  aspect  of  familiar  ground. 

The  precipitous  coasts  of  Sagami  rose  bleakly  in  the  winter  atmosphere 
on  the  left,  while  far  inland  could  be  seen  the  lofty  ranges  of  the  mountains 
covered  with  snow,  and  the  high  peak  of  Fusi-Yama,  about  the  lofty  summit 
of  which  the  clouds  were  scudding  in  rapid  succession.  There  was  the 
distant  coast  of  Awa,  some  twelve  miles  away  on  the  opposite  side,  and  along 
the  shores  everywhere  were  the  numberless  villages  and  towns,  though  snugly 
reposing  under  the  cover  of  the  high  land  which  rose  behind  them,  yet  look- 
ing desolate  and  exposed,  in  comparison  with  their  former  aspect  of  rural 
comfort  when  nestling  in  the  full-leaved  groves  of  summer.  Abreast  was 
the  town  of  Grorihama,  the  scene  of  the  delivery  of  the  President’s  letter,  and 
in  front  extended  out  from  the  land  the  promontory  of  Uraga,  with  its  harm- 
less forts,  and  as  the  ships  doubled  it  and  came  abreast  the  city,  numerous 
government  boats,  with  their  athletic  oarsmen  sculling  vigorously,  and  their 
little  striped  flags  fluttering  in  the  wind,  pushed  off  to  intercept  the  squadron, 
as  on  the  previous  visit.  , The  Japanese  officials,  however,  who  had  risen  from 
their  places  midships,  and  seemed  to  be  directing  their  boats  towards  the 
squadron,  were  warned  off,  and  the  strangers  moved  majestically  on,  with 
their  train  of  formidable  men-of-war,  without  altering  their  course  a line,  or 
lingering  a moment  in  their  speed  until  they  reached  the  anchorage,  at  three 
o’clock  in  the  afternoon  (February  13).  The  government  boats  were  left  in 
the  distance,  but  were  seen  sculling  rapidly  along  and  following  in  the  wake 
of  the  squadron. 

The  position  in  which  the  three  steamers  and  the  four  ships,  including 
the  Southampton,  which  had  preceded  the  squadron,  had  anchored,  was  named 
in  the'  previous  visit,  the  “ American  anchorage.”  It  is  within  the  bight 
embraced  within  two  bold  headlands,  about  twelve  miles  distant  from  each 
other,  on  the  western  side  of  the  Bay  of  Yedo.  The  anchorage  was  about 
twelve  miles  beyond  the  town  of  Uraga,  and  about  twenty  miles  from  the 
capital  city  of  Yedo.  The  Island  which  had  been  called  Perry’s,  and  which 


JAPANESE  VISIT  TO  THE  SQUADRON, 


381 


presented  such  a picturesque  aspect  during  the  summer  with  its  pleasant 
groves,  was  seen  as  the  squadron  passed  up,  and  the  fort  which  covered  its 
summit  could  he  more  distinctly  traced  through  the  trees,  which  had  been 
stripped  of  their  foliage  by  the  frost  and  winds  of  winter. 

The  villages  of  Otsu  and  Torigasaki,  no  longer  embowered  in  green 
growth,  stood  out  from  the  land  a mile  or  so  distant,  in  all  the  sharpness  of 
outline  and  staring  surface  of  their  peak-roofed  and  boarded  houses.  The  an- 
chorage, though  protected  by  the  bounding  headlands  and  the  curved  shore, 
had  less  of  that  sheltered  look  which  it  had  previously  presented. 

The  squadron  had  hardly  come  to  anchor  when  two  of  the  government 
boats,  which  had  followed  rapidly  in  the  wake  of  the  ships,  came  alongside 
the  Susquehanna.  The  Japanese  officials  requested  to  be  admitted  on  board, 
but  as  the  Commodore  had  caused  the  extra  or  captain’s  cabin  to  be  removed 
from  the  steamer  Susquehanna  to  the  Powhatan,  in  view  of  changing  his 
flag  to  that  ship  preparatory  to  the  return  of  the  former  to  China,  and  as,  in 
accordance  with  the  system  of  exclusiveness  which  it  was  thought  politic  still 
to  continue,  the  Commodore  could  not  admit  them,  as  they  were  of  subordi- 
nate authority,  into  his  own  cabin,  he  directed  Captain  Adams  to  receive  the 
officials  on  board  the  Powhatan. 

Captain  Adams,  having  been  charged  by  the  Commodore  with  precise 
and  special  instructions  to  hear  all  the  Japanese  had  to  say,  but  to  give  them 
no  unnecessary  information,  nor  to  promise  anything,  proceeded  to  the  steam- 
er Powhatan,  accompanied  by  the  interpreters,  Messrs.  Williams  and  Port- 
man,  and  the  Commodore’s  secretary,  Mr.  Perry. 

The  government  boats  followed,  and  the  Japanese  deputation  came  on 
board  the  Powhatan.  It  consisted  of  a high  dignitary,  who  was  announced 
as  Kura-kawa-kahie,  the  two  interpreters  who  had  formerly  officiated,  three 
grey-robed  individuals,  who  seemed  to  be  making  excellent  use  of  their  eyes, 
and  turned  out  to  be  metske  dwantinger,  literally  cross-eyed  persons,  or  those 
who  look  in  all  directions,  in  other  words  spies  or  reporters.  They  were  all 
received  with  one  form  of  ceremony,  and  ushered  into  the  cabin,  where  the 
object  of  their  visit  was  set  forth  at  length.  Some  preliminary  conversation 
took  place,  in  the  course  of  which  inquiries  having  been  made  about  Yezaiman, 
the  governor  of  Uraga,  who  had  taken  so  prominent  a part  in  the  negotiations 
on  the  previous  visit,  the  Japanese  stated  that  that  dignitary  was  unwell, 
but  would  probably  soon  pay  his  respects  to  the  Commodore.  Questions 
were  also  asked  and  answered  in  regard  to  the  ships,  their  number,  their 
names,  and  those  that  were  to  come.  The  usual  compliments,  of  which  the 
Japanese  officials  seemed  never  weary  or  forgetful,  having  passed,  they  stated 
that  their  business  was  to  endeavor  to  induce  the  Commodore  to  return  to 
Uraga,  where,  they  said,  there  were  two  high  Japanese  officials,  in  waiting, 
and  that  more  were  expected,  who  had  been  appointed  by  the  Emperor  to 
meet  and  treat  with  the  Americans.  Captain  Adams  replied  that  the  Com- 


382 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


modore  would  not  consent  to  go  to  Uraga.  And  upon  the  Japanese  rejoin 
ing  that  the  Emperor  had  appointed  that  town  for  the  place  of  negotiation, 
and  that  it  could  in  consequence  be  nowhere  else,  he  was  told  by  Captain 
Adams  that  the  Commodore  was  willing  to  meet  the  commissioners  on 
shore,  opposite  the  present  anchorage  of  the  squadron;  but  if  the  Japanese 
government  would  not  consent  to  that,  the  Commodore  would  move  his  ships 
higher  up  the  bay,  even,  if  it  should  be  deemed  necessary,  to  Yedo  itself. 
The  interview  was  conducted  in  the  most  courteous  and  friendly  manner,  and 
after  the  business  was  over,  the  Japanese  partook  of  some  refreshments,  and 
entered  cheerfully  into  a general  conversation. 

The  Japanese  now  took  their  leave,  and  although  they  had  been  impressed 
with  the  resolute  bearing  of  the  Americans,  departed  with  their  usual 
good  humor  and  polite  expressions  of  friendly  feeling. 

The  next  day  the  Japanese  ofiScials  came  off  again  to  the  Powhatan,  and 
were  received  as  before  by  Captain  Adams,  imder  instructions  from  the 
Commodore. 

The  J apanese  reiterated  their  assurances  of  the  friendly  disposition  of 
the  Emperor,  who  had  given  orders,  as  they  said,  that  the  Americans  should 
be  treated  with  the  greatest  consideration.  The  commissioners,  they  de- 
clared, would  be  ready  to  receive  the  Commodore  in  a few  days,  and  upon 
being  asked  in  what  place,  they  answered  at  Kama-kura.  As  Uraga  had 
been  specified  on  the  previous  day.  Captain  Adams,  with  some  surprise,  de- 
manded how  it  was  that  the  place  had  become  so  suddenly  changed.  The 
Japanese,  with  their  usual  imperturbable  manner,  which  is  schooled  to  cun- 
ning and  deceit,  promptly  answered,  without  the  least  mark  of  emotion  or 
evidence  of  discomposure,  that  the  Emperor  had  named  both  places,  so  that 
if  the  Commodore  should  not  be  satisfied  with  the  one,  he  might  perchance 
with  the  other. 

Kama-kura  is  a town  situated  in  the  outer  Bay  of  Yedo,  about  twenty 
miles  below  Uraga,  at  the  place  where  the  Macedonian  had  grounded.  As 
the  Commodore  had  had  an  opportunity,  when  anchored  off  Kama-kura, 
while  engaged  in  the  extrication  of  the  Macedonian  from  her  perilous 
position,  of  seeing  enough  of  that  place  to  satisfy  him  that  it  would  be  ab- 
surd to  take  the  ships  there,  and  as  he  suspected  some  artful  design  on  the 
part  of  the  Japanese,  when  informed  that  Kama-kura  had  been  specified,  be 
directed  Captain  Adams  to  say  that  it  was  altogether  unsuitable.  Captain 
Adams  then  conveyed  this  information  to  the  Japanese,  with  the  statement  that 
neither  Uraga  nor  Kama-kura  were  proper  places,  as  they  were  so  distant, 
and  so  insecure  as  harbors,  and  that  some  other  locality  must  be  selected. 
The  Japanese  then  proposed  that  Captain  Adams  should  go  down  to  Uraga, 
and  confer  with  the  high  officer  there  about  the  place  of  meeting,  when  they 
were  told  that  it  would  be  necessary  to  receive  the  instructions  of  the 
Commodore  before  a reply  conld  be  given  on  that  point. 


JAPANESE  PERTINACITY. 


383 


The  Commodore’s  secretary,  who  was  present  at  the  interview,  was  then 
dispatched  to  the  Susquehanna.  The  secretary  soon  returned  with  the 
answer  that  the  Commodore  would  neither  go  to  Uraga,  nor  allow  any  of 
his  officers  to  do  so,  hut  that  Captain  Adams  would  he  permitted  to  meet 
any  of  the  high  Japanese  dignitaries  on  the  shore,  near  the  anchorage  of  the 
squadron,  to  confer  upon  the  subject  of  a proper  place  of  meeting,  hut  that 
it  was  an  essential  condition  of  the  Commodore’s  consent  that  the  place 
should  not  he  remote  from  his  present  position. 

The  Japanese  officials,  notwithstanding  the  very  explicit  answer,  which 
was  duly  conveyed  in  Dutch  hy  Mr.  Portman  to  Tatsnoske,  (who,  as  on  the 
first  visit,  was  one  of  the  attendant  interpreters,)  and  hy  him  interpreted  to 
his  superiors,  still  pertinaciously  clung  to  their  original  proposition,  and 
urged  the  necessity  of  making  Uraga  the  place  of  meeting.  As  they  still 
persisted  in  their  wearisome  efforts  to  carry  their  point,  Captain  Adams  cut 
the  matter  short,  hy  telling  them  to  put  in  writing  their  objections  to  hold- 
ing the  interview  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  American  anchorage,  to  which 
the  Japanese  assented,  on  the  condition  that  Captain  Adams  would  answer 
a written  question  which  they  were  about  to  ask.  This  being  granted,  Tok- 
suro,  the  second  interpreter,  having  conferred  for  a moment  with  his  supe- 
riors, wrote  down  in  Dutch  the  proposed  question,  which  was  translated  by 
the  American  interpreter,  Mr.  Portman : “ As  the  President’s  letter  was 
received  at  Gorahama,  near  Uraga,  why  are  you  not  willing  to  receive  the 
answer  there  ? ” Captain  Adams  answered  that  he  did  not  know  precisely 
all  the  Commodore’s  reasons,  hut  the  principal  one  was  that  the  anchorage 
was  very  unsafe. 

The  Japanese  now  seemed  somewhat  troubled,  as  if  they  feared  that 
the  Americans  were  disposed  to  assume  a hostile  attitude,  and  asked,  with 
some  anxiety,  whether  the  Commodore  was  actuated  by  the  same  friendly 
feelings  as  the  Japanese  government.  Captain  Adams  did  all  in  his  power 
to  reassure  them,  and  declared  that  the  Americans  were  actuated  by  no 
other  motives  than  those  of  friendship,  and  that  their  greatest  desire  was  to 
be  in  relations  of  peace  and  amity  with  Japan,  and  that  them  chief  object  in 
refusing  their  assent  to  the  Japanese  propositions  was  the  fear  of  endanger- 
ing the  lives  of  the  officers  and  crews  and  the  safety  of  the  ships  by  resort- 
ing to  an  insecure  place.  The  Japanese  reiterated,  several  times,  that  a 
high  officer  would  come  to  arrange  all  business  with  the  Commodore,  but 
that  he  could  not  arrive  for  several  days.  Upon  its  being  proposed  that  he 
should  come  on  board  the  ships,  the  Japanese  declared  that  that  was  quite 
impossible;  and  then  Captain  A.  suggested  that,  as  it  was  the  custom  to 
transact  all  public  business  at  the  metropolis,  the  Commodore  should  go  to 
Yedo.  This  last  suggestion  was  opposed  by  the  very  emphatic  remark: 

You  cannot  be  received  at  Yedo.” 

The  Japanese  now  requested  that  the  boats  of  the  squadron  should  be 


384 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


prohibited  from  landing,  or  surveying  the  harbor,  and  were  told  that  could 
not  be  promised,  but  that  the  Commodore  should  be  informed  of  the  request. 
After  the  usual  refreshments — tea,  wines,  cakes,  and  segars — of  which  the 
Japanese  always  freely  partook,  and  the  ordinary  interchange  of  compli- 
ments, they  prepared  to  take  their  departure,  saying,  as  they  left,  that  it 
would  take  some  six  or  seven  days,  before  they  could  bring  any  decision 
from  the  high  officer  in  regard  to  the  place  of  meeting,  but  promising  the 
earliest  dispatch. 

A surveying  party  had  been  organized  on  the  second  day  of  the  arrival  of 
the  squadron,  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Maury,  and  ordered  to  com- 
mence operations,  which  were  effectively  carried  out.  There  were  no 
positive  interruptions  on  the  part  of  the  Japanese  authorities,  but  they  evi- 
dently looked  upon  the  proceeding  with  jealous  anxiety;  and  that  the  sub- 
ject was  uppermost  in  their  mind  is  clear,  from  the  constant  allusion  to  it 
in  their  various  conferences  with  the  American  officers.  The  Commodore, 
however,  fully  alive  to  the  importance  of  thoroughly  surveying  the  bay,  not 
only  for  the  convenience  of  the  immediate  purposes  of  the  expedition  but  for 
the  future  interests  of  the  United  States,  and  we  may  add,  those  of  the 
whole  civilized  world,  was  resolved  to  omit  no  opportunity  of  obtaining  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  navigation  of  the  bay,  and  thus  complete  the  hy- 
drogi-aphical  reports  and  charts,  which  are  now  among  the  by  no  means  least 
valuable  results  of  the  expedition.  The  surveying  boats  were  accordingly 
kept  busy  day  after  day,  and  the  protestations  of  the  Japanese  authorities, 
though  courteously  listened  to,  were  always  met  with  the  assertions  of  the 
resolute  determination  of  the  Commodore  to  prosecute  what  he  believed  so 
essential  to  the  full  development  of  the  objects  of  his  mission.  It  was  now 
the  fourteenth  of  February,  a day  which  was  recorded  in  the  logs  as  cold 
and  blustering,  but  with  an  atmosphere  perfectly  clear.  The  land  just  off 
the  ships,  the  promontories  to  the  north  and  south,  and  the  opposite  shore, 
showed  a clear  and  distinct  wintry  aspect,  and  the  view  could  be  readily  ex- 
tended for  a circuit  of  many  miles,  far  back  to  the  snowy  summits  of  the 
mountains,  which  traced  their  irregular  outlines  upon  the  cold  grey  sky. 

Notwithstanding  that  the  Japanese  officials  had  declared  that  it  would 
require  several  days  before  they  could  bring  any  answer  to  the  Commodore’s 
protest  against  moving  his  squadron  to  Uraga,  they  came  on  board  the 
Powhatan  early  the  next  morning,  (February  15.)  Commodore  Perry  had 
suffered  since  his  arrival  from  a severe  indisposition,  of  which  the  Japanese 
had  heard,  and  they  now  made  their  visit  to  inquire,  as  they  said,  after  the 
*Admiral’s  health.  They  also  stated  that  they  had  been  instructed  to  lay 
off  the  squadron  with  their  boats,  in  case  the  Americans  had  anything  to 
communicate,  or  desired  any  supplies.  They  made  an  offer  to  bring  off 

* The  Japanese  officials  always  spoke  of  the  Commodore  as  the  Admiral,  not  being  ac- 
quainted with  the  former  title. 


VISITS  FROM  JAPANESE  OFFICIALS. 


385 


* wood,  water,  or  anything  else  the  ships  might  require ; when  they  were  told 
that  nothing  was  wanted  at  present,  hut  perhaps  some  fish,  eggs,  and  vege- 
I tables  might  be  acceptable  in  a few  days,  and  that  they  would  be  received 
provided  payment  should  be  taken  for  them.  The  J apanese  then  replied, 
that  their  proposed  supplies  were  intended  as  presents,  and  that  they  had  no 
authority  to  receive  money  for  them.  They  seeined  to  be  very  fearful  lest 
some  of  the  boats  should  land,  but  they  were  assured  that  they  would  not  be 
allowed  to  do  so.  Captain  Adams,  in  the  course  of  the  conversation,  al- 
luded to  the  report  of  the  death  of  the  Emperor,  but  was  not  very  explicit 
in  his  question,  as  there  seemed  to  be  some  doubt  of  its  truth.  He  merely 
stated  that  when  the  squadron  had  sailed  for  Japan  he  had  heard  that  a high 
dignitary  had  died,  and  asked  whether  it  was  true.  To  which  the 
Japanese  answered,  “ Yes,  a very  high  man  died  lately.”  Captain  A. — 
“ What  was  his  rank?”  Japanese  ofiBcial. — “ He  was  a prince.”  It  was 
thus  a matter  of  the  greatest  difficulty  to  get  at  the  truth,  the  Japanese 
being  as  indirect  and  evasive  as  possible  in  regard  to  the  simplest  matter  ot 
fact. 

' The  Japanese  dignitaries  repeated  their  official  visits  day  after  day,  sail- 
ing up  in  their  boats  from  the  long  distance  of  Uraga,  and  consumed  the 
' time  with  offering  the  most  puerile  pretexts  for  coming,  and  the  length  of 
! their  negotiations.  Now  they  would  express  the  greatest  solicitude  about 
the  Commodore’s  health,  and  showed  their  courtesy  by  bringing  him  pres- 
ents of  bon-bons  and  confectionary ; again  they  would  offer  provisions  and 
other  supplies;  at  another  time  they  would  enter  into  explanations  about  the 
Americans  going  ashore,  and  on  one  occasion  they  brought  with  them  a 
dozen  or  more  naval  buttons  which  had  been  thrown  into  their  boats,  and 
which  they  returned  with  the  most  formal  ceremony.  They  always  recurred, 
however,  to  the  question  of  the  vessels  going  to  Uraga,  and  never  ceased 
persisting  in  their  pertinacious  solicitations  that  the  Commodore  would 
remove  his  squadron  there,  notwithstanding  the  direct  and  resolute  refusal 
with  which  they  were  invariably  opposed.  On  their  visit  on  the  18th  of 
February  they  announced  that  the  high  officer  had  arrived  at  Uraga,  and  that 
they  had  been  sent  to  request  the  Commodore  to  meet  him  there.  Upon 
being  told  that  it  was  impossible  for  the  Commodore  to  go  to  Uraga,  Captain 
Adams  then  handed  them  the  following  document  from  the  Commodore : 


“ United  States  Steam-frigate  Powhatan, 
“American  Anchorage,  Yedo  Bay,  February  18,  1854. 

“ The  Commodore  expects  to  be  received  at  Yedo,  agreeably  to  the  cus- 
toms of  all  countries. 

“In  consideration  of  the  size  of  our  ships,  and  their  great  value,  he 
cannot  return  to  the  anchorage  at  Uraga,  nor  even  remain  at  this  place 
25 


386 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


much  longer,  but  will  have  to  go  higher  up  the  bay  towards  Yedo,  where  the 
vessels  can  be  more  secure. 

“ If  the  great  man  (chief  commissioner)  will  appoint  an  officer  of  proper 
rank  to  meet  Captain  Adams  on  shore,  near  where  the  ships  are  now  lying, 
to  determine  when  and  where  the  interview  with  the  Commodore  shall  take 
place,  he  must  let  us  know  by  noon  of  Tuesday  next. 

“ The  Commodore  will  be  happy  to  place  a ship  at  the  disposal  of  the 
great  man,  to  bring  him  up  to  the  place  of  interview,  and  take  him  back 
again  to  Uraga,  if  he  wishes  it. 

“ When  the  officer  comes  to  meet  Captain  Adams,  he  had  better  bring  a 
letter  to  show  that  he  has  proper  authority,  and  a person  must  be  sent  to 
conduct  Captain  Adams  to  the  place  of  meeting.” 

The  Japanese^  received  the  dispatch  from  the  Commodore  without  any 
attempt  to  discuss  it,  and  bore  it  away  with  them,  with  the  intention  of  con- 
sulting, doubtless,  with  others  higher  in  authority.  As  they  rose  to  depart, 
they  asked  if  the  Commodore  had  received  a letter,  through  the  Dutch  at 
Nagasaki,  which  had  been  sent  to  him  the  previous  year  by  the  government 
of  Japan.  Captain  Adams,  as  he  had  not  been  authorized  to  make  any 
revelations  on  the  subject,  answered  he  had  no  authority  to  speak  on  the 
topic.  They  then  took  their  departure. 

It  was  on  this  day  (February  18th)  that  the  Commodore  transferred  his 
broad  pennant  to  the  Powhatan.  The  surveying  boats,  as  usual,  were  busily 
occupied  on  duty,  but  had  changed  their  scene  of  operations  further  toward 
Yedo.  The  Southampton  followed  in  their  wake,  in  order  to  facilitate  the 
work  of  the  surveyors,  who  had  hitherto  lost  much  time  by  being  obliged  to 
return,  after  a day’s  labor,  a great  distance  to  the  squadron.  The  surveying 
party  was  now,  by  being  immediately  followed  by  a ship,  enabled  to  go  on 
board  of  her  at  night,  without  losing  time,  which  it  was  necessary  to  econ- 
omise, in  order  fully  to  complete  the  extensive  observations  they  had  in 
view. 

The  next  day  was  Sunday,  (February  19th,)  but  the  Japanese  officials, 
notwithstanding,  came  on  board  the  Powhatan  as  usual.  They  were  told, 
that  it  was  a day  set  apart  by  the  Americans  as  their  Sabbath,  but  that  if 
they  had  anything  to  say,  they  would  be  listened  to,  in  consideration  of  the 
long  distance  and  inclement  weather  through  which  they  had  come.  They 
brought  with  them  a large  quantity  of  vegetables,  oranges,  fowls,  eggs,  and 
various  sweetened  confections,  which  they  courteously  offered  as  a present  to 
the  Commodore,  with  a kind  inquiry  after  his  health.  These  were  received 
upon  their  expressing  a willingness  to  recqjve  something  in  return,  and  they 
accordingly  were  presented  with  some  ship’s  bread  and  a box  of  tea ; the 
Japanese  remarked,  as  they  received  them,  they  had  given  eatables  only,  and 
that  it  was  a Japanese  custom  to  receive  eatables  only  in  return.  Upon 


T 


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0,4  -A  ' 4 

LETTER  FROM  JAPANESE  COMMISSIONERS.  387 


being  asked  whether  the  Commodore’s  propositions  had  been  laid  before  the 
high  oflScer,  the  officials  replied  that  they  had,  and  that  he  desired  to  confer 
about  the  President’s  letter  at  Uraga.  The  Commodore’s  objections  against 
going  to  Uraga  were  again  resolutely  pressed,  but  the  Japanese  merely 
answered,  that  that  place  had  been  selected  by  the  order  of  the  Emperor. 
Captain  Adams  distinctly  declared,  that  if  the  Commodore  did  not  receive  a 
favorable  answer  to  his  request  for  an  interview  with  the  high  officer  near  his 
present  anchorage,  by  the  subsequent  Tuesday,  (February  21st,)  “ he  would 
then  know  what  to  do.”  The  Japanese  official  still  reiterated  that  it  was  the 
Emperor’s  order  that  the  interview  should  be  held  at  Uraga.  The  next  day 
there  was  another  visit,  with  the  usual  ceremonies,  and  a present  of  oysters 
for  the  Commodore. 

The  Japanese  brought  with  them  a short  dispatch  from  the  high  com- 
missioners, addressed  to  the  Commodore,  written  in  Japanese  and  Dutch, 
stating  their  instructions  from  the  government.  The  translation  is  as 
follows : 

“We  are  compelled  by  the  order  of  the  Emperor  to  meet  the  ambassador 
of  the  President  of  the  United  States  of  America  either  at  Kama-kura  or 
Uraga. 

“ In  the  interim  we  shall  talk  about  the  negotiations  of  commerce,  and 
the  influence  it  must  exercise  upon  the  well-being  of  the  Japanese  and 
American  nations.  It  is  out  of  the  question  now.  This  is  all  according  to 
truth.” 

This  document  having  been  laid  before  the  Commodore,  he  submitted  the 
following  answer  : 

“ The  Commodore,  for  the  reasons  before  given,  cannot  return  to  Uraga. 
His  instructions  are  to  receive  the  answer  of  the  Emperor  to  the  President’s 
letter  at  Yedo.” 

The  Japanese  having  received  and  perused  the  answer  attentively,  con- 
ferred with  each  other,  and  then  promised  that  it  should  be  submitted  to  the 
high  officer.  Captain  Adams  now  informed  them  that  it  was  his  intention, 
under  orders,  to  go  down  to  Uraga  the  next  day,  to  declare  in  person  to  the 
high  officer  what  had  just  been  delivered  in  writing  from  the  Commodore. 
The  Japanese  seemed  very  anxious  to  know  if  he  would  be  accompanied  by 
a very  large  party,  and  seemed  quite  tranquillized  when  told  that  there  would 
be  a few  officers  only.  They  promised  that  a boat  should  be  in  readiness,  and 
all  other  preparations  made  for  the  reception.  In  the  course  of  a general 
conversation,  they  were  told  that  the  following  Wednesday  would  be  the 
anniversary  of  Washington’s  birthday,  and  that  a salute  would,  in  consequence, 
be  flred.  They  seemed  perfectly  acquainted  with  the  name  of  the  great  father 
of  our  country,  and  expressed  a desire  to  participate  in  celebrating  the  occa- 
sion, asking  to  be  permitted  to  come  off  to  see  the  guns  fired.  They  were, 
of  course,  politely  invited,  and  requested  to  bring  their  ladies  with  them ; 


388 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN 


the  latter  part  of  the  invitation  they,  however,  jeered  at,  as  a very  amusing 
but  quite  an  impracticable  joke. 

On  Tuesday,  the  21st  day  of  February,  the  Japanese  boat  came  alongside 
the  Powhatan,  and  the  officials,  on  being  received  aboard,  stated  that  they 
had  come  to  show  Captain  Adams  the  landing  at  Uraga.  They  were  then 
invited  to  accompany  him  on  board  the  Vandalia,  which  ship  immediately 
set  sail,  and  moved  down  the  bay.  Captain  Adams  was  the  bearer  of  the 
following  note  from  the  Commodore  to  the^Japanese  authorities : 

“United  States  Flag-ship  Powhatan, 

“ American  Anchorage,  Yedo  Bay,  February  20,  1854. 

“ The  undersigned  is  highly  gratified  to  learn,  through  the  officers  of  his 
Majesty  who  have  visited  the  flag-ship,  that  the  imperial  court  has  come  to 
the  conclusion  to  respond,  in  the  most  cordial  manner,  to  the  propositions  of 
the  President  of  the  United  States  which  the  undersigned  had  the  honor  to 
present  in  July  last. 

“ Inasmuch  as  the  anchorage  at  Uraga  is  unsafe  and  inconvenient,  and 
considering  the  great  size  and  value  of  the  steamers  composing  a part  of 
the  command  of  the  undersigned,  he  does  not  consider  himself  justified  in 
removing  to  that  place ; on  the  contrary,  he  deems  it  necessary  to  seek  a 
more  commodious  harbor  higher  up  the  bay ; and  as  his  instructions  direct 
him  to  present  himself  at  Yedo,  it  is  desirable  that  he  should  approach  as 
near  as  possible  to  that  city,  as  well  for  the  better  convenience  of  communi- 
cation as  with  reference,  also,  to  the  arrangement  and  exhibition  of  the  various 
presents  sent  by  the  President  to  his  Imperial  Majesty. 

“ As  the  mission  of  the  undersigned  is  of  a most  friendly  character,  he  is 
not  prepared  to  anticipate  any  objection  to  his  reception  at  the  seat  of  gov- 
ernment, conformably  to  the  usages  of  all  the  nations  of  Europe  and  Amer- 
ica, and  he  hopes  that  when  the  steamers  shall  have  reached  the  vicinity  of 
the  city,  and  secured  more  suitable  moorings,  he  may  have  the  honor  of 
receiving  on  board  his  ship  such  distinguished  members  of  the  imperial  court 
as  may  be  desirous  of  viewing  the  steamers  and  witnessing  the  working  of 
the  machinery. 

“ This  communication  will  be  presented  by  Commander  H.  A.  Adams, 
captain  of  the  fleet,  who  is  empowered  to  receive  any  written  proposition 
addresed  to  the  undersigned,  and  place  at  the  disposal  of  the  commissioners 
of  his  Imperial  Majesty  one  of  the  vessels  of  the  squadron. 

“ With  the  highest  respect, 

“M.  C.  PERRY. 

“ Commander-in-chief  U.  S.  Naval  Forces 

“Fast  India,  China,  and  Japan  Seas.'' 

It  was  calm  in  the  morning,  but  before  the  Yandaba  had  reached  Uraga, 


1{1';('E1"I'10-S  OF  Dlil'LTA  llON  AT  riiAr.A. 


2NTEEVIEW  WITH  COMMISSIONEES. 


389 


a strong  gale  from  the  southwest,  and  directly  ahead,  prevented  her  from 
reaching  the  port,  and  made  it  necessary  for  her  to  anchor  under  Point 
Rubicon.*  Captain  Adams,  accordingly,  was  not  enabled  to  land  until  the 
succeeding  day.  It  being  the  twenty-second  of  February,  Washington’s 
birthday,  the  V andalia  commenced  at  noon  firing  a salute  in  honor  of  the 
occasion,  and  amidst  this  salvo  of  artillery  Captain  Adams  left  the  ship, 
accompanied  by  a score  of  oflacers  and  attendants,  and  landed  at  Uraga, 
where  they  were  met  by  a large  party  of  Japanese  officials,  who  conducted 
them  to  a wooden  pavilion,  which  evidently  had  been  but  lately  constructed. 

Captain  Adams  and  his  suite  were  ushered  into  a large  hall,  some  fifty 
feet  long  and  forty  wide.  The  fioor  was  spread  with  soft  mats  of  very  fine 
texture,  and  at  a distance  of  several  feet  from  the  walls,  on  either  side,  were 
arranged  long  settees  covered  with  what  appeared  to  be  a red  felt ; in  front 
of  them  were  tables  spread  with  a silken  crape. 

The  Americans  were  invited  on  entering,  to  take  their  seats  on  the  left 
hand,  which  is  esteemed  by  the  Japanese  the  place  of  honor;  this  they  had 
no  sooner  done  than  the  Japanese  prince,  accompanied  by  two  other  high 
dignitaries,  entered  the  hall,  through  a curtained  opening  which  led  into  an- 
other compartment.  As  soon  as  these  dignitaries  presented  themselves,  the 
governor  of  Uraga,  the  interpreters,  and  various  Japanese  subordinates,  who 
had  accompanied  the  Americans,  dropped  at  once  upon  their  knees — a posi- 
tion they  retained  throughout  the  interview — and  bowed  their  heads  to  the 
ground.  The  prince  and  his  two  associates  took  their  seats  on  the  right,  op- 
posite to  the  American  officers,  and  a file  of  Japanese  soldiers,  amounting  to 
half  a hundred,  marched  in  and  ranged  themselves,  on  their  knees,  behind 
the  three  dignitaries,  in  the  space  between  their  backs  and  the  wall. 

The  prince,  with  his  robes  of  richly  embroidered  silk,  his  fine  presence? 
his  benevolent  and  intelligent  face,  and  his  courtly  manners,  made  quite  an 
imposing  appearance. 

He  first  addressed  Captain  Adams,  rising  as  he  spoke,  and  expressed  his 
pleasure  at  seeing  him.  His  interpreters  translated  his  Japanese  into  Dutch, 
which  was  then  repeated  in  English  by  the  American  interpreter,  Mr.  Port- 
man.  The  audience  then  commenced  in  form,  and  was  conducted  throughout 
with  the  most  friendly  expression  of  feeling  on  both  sides. 

Captain  Adams  commenced  by  stating,  that  it  was  quite  evident  that 
Uraga  was  not  a proper  place  for  the  ships,  since  the  anehorage  was  so  much 
exposed.  The  Japanese  replied,  that  it  had  been  ordered  by  the  Emperor 
to  receive  the  Admiral  there,  and  to  deliver  the  answer  to  the  President’s 
letter  there.  Captain  Adams,  without  at  the  moment  pushing  this  subject 

* Point  Rubicon  is  a headland,  in  the  bay,  which  had  received  that  name  from  the 
Commodore,  because  it  was  just  abreast  of  it  when  the  surveying  boats,  on  the  first  visit  to 
Yedo  Bay,  had,  in  spite  of  some  show  of  opposition  on  the  part  of  the  Japanese,  persisted  in 
carrying  on  the  operations  with  success,  and  thus  passed,  as  it  were,  the  Rubicon. 


390 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN 


further,  handed  his  card  to  the  prince,  and  requested  his  in  return. 
He  was  told  that  he  should  have  it  in  a few  minutes,  when  the  Japanese 
prince,  requesting  to  be  excused  for  a few  moments,  retired  through  the  cur- 
tained door  into  an  adjacent  apartment.  In  the  meantime  the  attendants 
handed  round  tea,  in  small  China  cups  handsomely  adorned,  and  home  upon 
wooden  trays  beautifully  lacquered.  The  Japanese  interpreters  apologized 
for  the  meagreness  of  the  repast,  and  entered  into  an  informal  conversation, 
in  the  course  of  which  they  asked  for  the  names  of  the  American  officers  who 
were  present,  and  inquired  whether  they  were  satisfied  with  Uraga  as  a pro- 
per place  for  the  reception  of  the  President’s  letter. 

This  subject  was  uppermost  in  their  minds,  and  they  seemed  resolved  to 
press  it  on  all  occasions,  as  they  were  very  desirous  of  preventing  any  nearer 
approach  of  the  squadron  toYedo;  being  instructed,  no  doubt,  to  attempt 
to  accomplish  this  purpose  at  all  hazards.  They  were  told  that  Captain 
Adams  had  a letter  upon  the  subject  from  the  Commodore,  and  were  remind- 
ed of  the  severe  weather  to  which  the  Vandalia  had  been  exposed,  and  how 
impossible  it  was  to  place  the  squadron  in  a position  so  little  protected  against 
the  stormy  season  then  prevailing. 

The  prince  now  entered,  and  his  card  was  handed  to  Captain  Adams,  upon 
which  was  recorded  his  full  name  and  title,  thus  : Hayashi-Daigaku-no-kami, 
i.  e.,  Hayashi,  prince  of  Daigaku. 

Captain  Adams  now  handed  the  Commodore’s  letter,  which  has  already 
been  given  in  full,  to  the  prince,  accompanying  it  with  a statement  in  regard 
to  the  insecure  anchorage  at  Uraga,  and  the  necessity  of  having  shelter, 
space,  and  smooth  water,  for  mooring  the  squadron,  and  repairing  one  of  the 
ships  which  had  become  leaky.  He  also  emphatically  declared  that  it  was 
quite  impossible  for  the  Commodore  to  come  to  Uraga,  but  that  he  would  be 
very  happy  to  send  one  of  his  steamers  to  convey  the  prince  up  the  bay  to  a 
place  of  meeting,  near  the  anchorage  of  the  American  ships. 

The  prince  and  his  coadjutors  now  retired  to  consider  the  Commodore’s 
letter.  In  the  meantime  refreshments  were  presented,  consisting  of  tea,  of  a 
cake  resembling  our  sponge  cake,  candy,  various  fruits,  and  their  saki. 

A general  conversation  ensued  in  regard  to  the  building  which  the  J apan- 
ese  said  had  been  especially  constructed  for  the  meeting  with  the  Commo- 
dore, the  depth  of  the  harbor,  and  other  points  of  no  material  interest. 

The  Japanese  interpreters,  in  answer  to  the  objections  urged  against  the 
security  of  the  port  of  Uraga,  insisted  that  it  was  perfectly  safe,  and  request- 
ed Captain  Adams  to  make  a survey  of  it,  in  order  to  convince  himself ; and 
again  and  again  earnestly  urged  upon  him  to  entreat  the  Commodore  to 
bring  his  ships  there,  and  meet  the  J apanese  high  officers,  who  had  been  ap- 
pointed to  treat  with  him ; saying  that  if  he  would  come,  the  whole  treaty 
might  be  arranged  before  night.  Capt.  Adams,  in  answer,  said  that  he  would 
inform  the  Commodore,  when  the  conversation  was  interrupted  by  the  re- 


VISIT  OF  TEZAIMAN,  AT  URAGA. 


391 


appearance  of  the  three  Japanese  high  dignitaries.  Upon  entering,  they  an- 
nounced that  they  had  carefully  perused  the  Commodore’s  letter  three  or 
four  times,  hut  were  not  prepared  to  give  an  answer,  as  they  would  be  obliged 
to  consult  the  other  high  officers  appointed  by  the  Emperor,  and  who  were 
now  in  waiting  at  Uraga.  On  being  asked  when  the  answer  would  be  ready, 
they  appointed  the  third  day  after  the  interview.  Captain  Adams  strove  to 
impress  upon  them  the  necessity  of  dispatch,  in  consequence  of  the  insecurity 
of  the  ship,  in  the  prevailing  stormy  weather  at  Uraga,  and  of  explicitness 
in  their  answer,  as  the  Commodore  was  anxious  to  bring  matters  to  a con- 
clusion, and  to  send  to  America  one  of  his  ships  to  report  progress  in  the 
negotiations,  and  prevent  others  from  coming  out.  The  conference  now 
being  at  an  end,  the  prince  and  his  coadjutors  bowed  politely  and  retired. 

The  weather  being  stormy  and  the  water  in  the  bay  very  rough,  the  Ameri- 
can officers  delayed  their  return  to  the  V andalia,  and  occupied  the  interval  in 
strolling  about  and  viewing  the  neighborhood.  Hardly  anything  could  be  seen, 
however,  of  the  town  and  the  people,  as  the  Japanese  authorities  had,  in  accord- 
ance with  their  usual  custom,  hemmed  in  the  shore,  on  both  sides  of  the  au- 
dience hall,  with  cotton  screens  of  some  eight  feet  in  height,  which  excluded 
the  houses  from  the  sight  of  the  strangers.  Crowds  of  men,  women,  and 
children  could  be  observed,  however,  in  the  distance,  thronging  upon  the  sur- 
rounding hills,  and  gazing  eagerly  at  the  Americans.  When  the  storm  had 
somewhat  abated.  Captain  Adams  and  his  party,  having  been  presented,  in 
accordance  with  Japanese  practice,  with  paper  parcels  containing  the 
remains  of  the  refreshments  which  had  been  left  upon  their  plates  or  salvers, 
returned  to  their  ship  lying  oil'  the  harbor.  Some  went  back  in  the  Vanda- 
lia’s  boats,  while  others  accepted  the  offers  of  the  Japanese  officials,  and  put 
off  in  their  craft.  The  superior  excellence  of  the  Japanese  boats,  in  a sea, 
was  admirably  proved,  by  the  fact  that  those  on  board  of  them  reached  the 
ship  with  dry  jackets,  while  the  others  were  wet  through  and  through  by  the 
dashing  spray.  The  use  of  the  scull  instead  of  the  oar  may  partially  account 
for  this  advantage  of  the  Japanese  boats,  although  their  construction  has 
something  to  do  with  it.  The  sculls  never  leave  the  water,  while  the  oars 
are  constantly  in  and  out,  dipping  up  considerable  spray,  which  at  every 
stroke  is  blown,  in  case  of  a high  wind,  all  over  the  persons  in  a boat  of  our 
usual  construction. 

On  the  next  morning  (February  23)  the  Vandalia  was  still  lying  off 
Uraga,  when  our  old  acquaintance,  Yezaiman,  the  governor  of  Uraga,  present- 
ed himself.  This,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  the  dignitary  who  had  figured 
so  conspicuously  during  the  first  visit  of  the  squadron  to  the  Bay  of  Yedo. 
His  absence  hitherto  had  created  great  surprise,  and  it  was  naturally  feared 
that  his  conduct  on  the  previous  occasion  had  not  been  approved  of  by  his 
government,  and  that  he  had  fallen  into  disgrace,  or  possibly  had  been  re- 
duced to  the  disagreeable  necessity  of  disembowelling  himself.  He  however 


1 


392  EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 

explained  his  long  absence  on  the  score  of  illness,  and  the  immense  pressure 
of  public  business.  He  expressed  great  pleasure  in  seeing  his  old  acquaint- 
ances, and  proved  himself  the  same  affable,  courteous  gentleman,  as  on  all  pre- 
vious occasions.  Yezaiman  explained  the  object  of  his  visit  by  presenting  a 
letter  from  himself,  in  which  he  informally,  as  he  stated,  though  undoubtedly 
with  the  connivance  of  the  government,  repeated  the  assurances  of  the  friendly 
disposition  of  the  Emperor,  and  earnestly  solicited  Captain  Adams  to  use  his 
influence  with  the  “ Admiral  ” to  prevail  upon  him  to  concede  the  point  in 
regard  to  Ui’aga.  Everything,  of  course,  was  referred  to  Commodore  Perry, 
although  the  belief  was  expressed  that  he  would  resolutely  adhere  to  his 
original  determination.  Yezaiman  having  promised  that  the  answer  of  the 
high  officers  to  the  Commodore’s  letter  should  he  brought  on  hoard  the  next 
day,  took  his  departure. 

Accordingly  early  the  next  morning  (February  24)  the  Japanese,  having 
brought  the  dispatch  in  answer  to  the  Commodore’s  letter,  and  having  taken 
the  occasion  of  urging  their  views  about  Uraga,  for  their  first  and  last  word 
was  perpetually  Uraga!  Uraga!  the  Vandalia  got  underway  to  join  the 
squadron  at  the  American  anchorage.  The  ship,  however,  had  not  proceeded 
far  when  the  steamers  and  sailing  vessels  were  observed  in  the  distance 
ahead,  standing  up  the  bay. 

The  Commodore,  having  little  hope  of  any  favorable  result  from  the  visit 
of  Captain  Adams  to  Uraga,  had  determined  to  put  his  threat  into  execution, 
and  had  actually  removed  the  squadron,  during  the  absence  of  the  Yandalia, 
to  a spot  whence  Yedo  might  be  seen  from  the  mast-head.  So  near,  indeed, 
did  he  approach  to  that  capital,  that  the  striking  of  the  city  bells  during  the 
night  could  be  distinctly  heard.  As  a measure  of  precaution,  the  surveying 
boats  always  sounded  in  advance  of  the  ships,  and  when  the  Yandalia  was 
seen  to  approach  with  Captain  Adams  on  board,  bearing  the  dispatch  of  the 
high  officers  at  Uraga,  the  surveying  party  was  absent  engaged  in  further 
explorations  towards  Yedo.  Next  morning  (February  25),  while  the  squad- 
ron was  anchored  off  the  town  of  Kanagawa,  one  of  the  Yandalia ’s  boats  ar- 
rived, and  came  alongside  the  flagship,  bringing  Captain  Adams,  who  handed 
the  Commodore  the  following  letter  from  the  high  officer  : 


“ To  Admiral  M.  C.  Perry ; 

“ The  undersigned,  ambassadors  of  the  Emperor  of  J apan,  have  perused 
and  understood  the  letter  of  the  Lord  Admiral,  and  in  reply  may  remark ; 

“ The  Lord  Admiral  is  right  in  going  up  to  Yedo,  to  he  received  there 
according  to  the  custom  in  Europe  and  America.  According  to  the  Japan- 
ese custom  ambassadors  are  commissioned,  and  a building  erected,  for  the 
reception  of  ambassadors  from  foreign  countries  in  a friendly  manner,  and 
with  high  consideration. 

“ The  Emperor  has  sent  us  to  Uraga  to  receive  the  Admiral  with  the 


TEZAIMAN  PROPOSES  TOKU-HAMA 


393 


highest  honor,  and  to  extend  the  Japanese  hospitality  towards  him,  and  have 
the  interview  at  that  place  in  compliance  with  the  order  of  the  Emperor,  re 
gardless  of  the  customs  of  foreign  countries. 

“We  wish  this  to  be  well  understood  : we  desire  the  Admiral  to  come  to 
Uraga,  there  to  have  the  interview  with  us  in  the  building  aforesaid,  and 
would  gratefully  acknowledge  the  friendly  meeting  of  the  Lord  Admiral  in 
complying  with  this  order  of  the  Emperor,  and  our  own  wishes. 

“ Our  best  wishes  for  the  health  of  the  Admiral. 

“ HAYASHI-DAiaAKU-NO-KAMI. 

“ The  21th  Siogoots,  1854. 

The  arrival  of  Captain  Adams  was  soon  followed  by  that  of  Keyama 
Yezaiman,  the  governor  of  Uraga,  who  made  his  appearance  with  the  alleged 
object  of  receiving  a reply  to  the  high  officer’s  letter,  but,  as  it  will  appear,  for  an- 
other purpose.  Yezaiman  commenced  by  inquiring  whether  the  Commodore 
was  still  determined  not  to  return  to  Uraga,  and  being  answered  in  the  af- 
firmative, he  again  offered  supplies,  and  was  again  told  that  wood  and  water 
would  be  received.  Yezaiman  replied  that  these  articles  would  be  cheerfully 
furnished,  but  that  they  could  be  obtained  only  at  Uraga.  He  was  then  in- 
formed that  it  was  a matter  of  indifference  whence  they  came,  but  that  the 
Commodore  would  not  go  to  Uraga,  and  if  the  Japanese  did  not  bring  water 
to  the  ships,  the  Commodore  would  send  on  shore  and  procure  it  by  some 
means. 

Finding  that  the  Commodore  was  immovable  in  purpose,  and  evidently 
inclined  to  approach  nearer  to  Yedo,  Yezaiman  suddenly  abandoned  the  pre- 
viously pretended  ultimatum  of  the  Japanese  commissioners,  as  to  the  place  of 
meeting,  and  suggested  a spot  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  the  village 
of  Yoku-hama,  directly  opposite  to  where  the  ships  then  were  anchored. 

Thus,  after  having  interposed  for  the  last  ten  days  all  possible  objections 
to  the  squadron’s  moving  further  up  the  bay,  and  having  used  every 
inducement  to  prevail  upon  the  Commodore  to  return  to  Uraga,  they 
suddenly  abandoned  the  position  from  which  they  had  so  frequently  declared 
they  could  not  possibly  be  moved.  They  had  discovered  that  the  Commo- 
dore was  not  to  be  shaken  from  his  resolution,  and,  finding  that  the  ships  had 
already  approached  within  eight  miles  of  their  capital,  they  thought  it  politic 
to  stop  them  there,  while  it  was  practicable,  by  a conciliatory  concession. 

The  motive  of  the  Commodore  for  thus  persisting,  with  what  may  seem 
obstinacy,  in  his  determination  not  to  go  to  Uraga,  is  best  explained  by  him- 
self. In  his  communication  to  the  honorable  Secretary,  on  this  subject,  he 
thus  writes  : 

“ I was  convinced  that  if  I receded  in  the  least  from  the  position  first  as- 
sumed by  me,  it  would  be  considered  by  the  Japanese  an  advantage  gained ; 
and  finding  that  I could  be  induced  to  change  a predetermined  intention  in 


394 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


one  instance,  they  might  rely  on  prevailing  on  me,  by  dint  of  perseverance, 
to  waver  in  most  other  eases  pending  the  negotiations  ; therefore,  it  seemed 
to  be  the  true  policy  to  hold  out  at  all  hazards,  and  rather  to  establish  for 
myself  a character  for  unreasonable  obstinacy,  than  that  of  a yielding  dispo- 
sition. I knew  that  upon  the  impression  thus  formed  by  them  would  in  a 
measure  hinge  the  tenor  of  our  future  negotiations ; and  the  sequel  will  show 
that  I was  right  in  my  conclusions.  Indeed,  in  conducting  all  my  business 
with  these  very  sagacious  and  deceitful  people,  I have  found  it  profitable  to 
bring  to  my  aid  the  experience  gained  in  former  and  by  no  means  limited 
intercourse  with  the  inhabitants  of  strange  lands,  civilized  and  barbarian ; 
and  this  experience  has  admonished  me  that,  with  people  of  forms,  it  is  ne- 
cessary either  to  set  all  ceremony  aside,  or  to  out-Herod  Herod  in  assumed 
personal  consequence  and  ostentation. 

“ I have  adopted  the  two  extremes — by  an  exhibition  of  great  pomp, 
when  it  could  properly  be  displayed,  and  by  avoiding  it,  when  such  pomp 
would  be  inconsistent  with  the  spirit  of  our  institutions ; and  by  resolving 
never  to  recognize,  on  any  occasion,  the  slightest  personal  superiority,  always 
meeting  the  Japanese  officials,  however  exalted  their  rank,  with  perfect  equal- 
ity, whilst  those  of  comparative  distinction,  of  their  own  nation,  were  cring- 
ing and  kneeling  to  them ; and  from  motives  of  policy,  and  to  give  greater 
importance  to  my  own  position,  I have  hitherto  studiously  kept  myself  aloof 
from  intercourse  with  any  of  the  subordinates  of  the  court,  making  it  known 
that  I would  communicate  with  none  but  the  princes  of  the  Empire.  Up  to 
this  time,  I have  succeeded  far  beyond  my  expectations  in  maintaining  this 
extreme  point  of  diplomacy,  and,  as  I believe,  to  very  great  advantage. 

“ It  is  probable  that  arrogance  may  be  charged  against  me  for  persisting 
as  I did,  and  against  the  judgment  of  aU  about  me,  in  changing  the  place 
of  conference,  and  thus  compelling  four  princes  of  the  Empire  to  follow  the 
squadron,  and  subjecting  the  government  to  the  trouble  and  expense  of  erect- 
ing another  building ; but  I was  simply  adhering  to  a course  of  policy  deter- 
mined on  after  mature  reflection,  and  which  had  hitherto  worked  so 
well.” 

The  Commodore  expressed  a willingness  to  accede  to  the  last  proposition 
of  the  Japanese,  provided  his  officers,  on  examining  the  place  selected, 
should  find  it  suitable.  Captains  Buchanan  and  Adams  accordingly,  having 
visited  the  spot  in  company  with  Yezaiman,  returned  with  a favorable  report. 
The  situation  was  suitable  in  all  respects,  being  near  to  Yedo,  with  safe  and 
commodious  anchorage  at  a mile  distant  from  the  shore,  and  afibrding  abun- 
dant space  for  landing  and  exhibiting  the  presents  intended  for  the  Emperor. 
The  Commodore  accordingly  determined  to  concur  in  the  choice  of  the  place 
now  selected,  and  notified  his  resolution  in  the  following  communication  • 


TBEAT Y HOUSE 


COMMENCED. 


395 


C( 


» 


“United  States  Flag-ship  Powhatan. 

“ Ai  anchor  off  the  town  of  Yohi-hama ; Yedo  Bay,  March  1,  1854. 

“ Your  Excellency  : The  letter  of  your  excellency  from  Uraga  was 
duly  delivered  by  Captain  Adams ; and  shortly  after,  when  it  was  ascertained 
that  I could  not  agree  to  return  to  Uraga,  Keyama  Yezaiman  suggested  that 
the  negotiations  might  be  conducted  at  a village  opposite  the  present  anchor- 
age of  the  squadron. 

“ Being  exceedingly  desirous  of  meeting  the  wishes  of  your  excellency,  in 
every  way  consistent  with  the  honor  and  interest  of  my  country,  and  learn- 
ing that  the  place  pointed  out  was  in  all  respects  convenient  for  the  purpose,  I 
at  once  consented  to  defer  my  visit  to  Yedo  until  after  the  completion  of  the 
negotiations. 

“ I the  more  readily  entered  into  this  arrangement,  as,  on  examination  of 
the  port  by  the  surveying  boats,  it  has  been  found  that  the  ships  can  approach 
near  to  the  city,  where  I propose  at  some  future  time  to  anchor  them,  as 
well  to  do  honor  to  his  Imperial  Majesty  by  salutes,  &c.,  as  to  be  in  fall 
view  of  the  palace,  and  convenient  to  be  visited  by  such  of  the  court  as  may 
desire  to  examine  the  steamers  and  their  machinery,  and  I hardly  need  say 
that  they  will  be  kindly  and  politely  received. 

“ With  the  most  profound  respect, 

“ M.  C.  PEREY, 

“ Commander-in-chief  United  States  Naval  Forces  East  India, 
China,  and  Japan  Seas,  and  Special  Ambassador  to  Japan. 

“His  Highness  Hayashi-Daigaku-no-kami,  &c.,  &c.,  &c.” 

The  surveying  boats  had  been  kept  busy  during  the  progress  of  all  this 
negotiation,  and  immediately  after  the  Commodore  had  signified  his  intention 
of  accepting  the  proposition  of  the  Japanese  offering  Yoku-hama  as  the  place 
of  meeting,  the  party  of  surveyors  returned  to  the  Powhatan,  and  reported 
that  they  had  found  six  fathoms  of  water  within  four  or  five  miles  of  Yedo. 
This  near  approach  to  their  capital  was  supposed  to  be  the  clue  to  the  sud- 
den change  in  the  policy  of  the  Japanese,  as  they  doubtless  feared  that  the 
Commodore  would  proceed  at  once  to  execute  his  threat  of  moving  his  squad- 
ron to  Yedo,  if  the  authorities  still  persisted  in  their  demands  for  him  to 
return  to  Uraga. 

The  J apanese  now  commenced  constructing  at  once  a wooden  building 
for  the  proposed  conference,  and  great  numbers  of  workmen  were  seen  busily 
engaged  in  bringing  materials  and  putting  them  together  in  the  form  of  a 
large  and  irregular  structure.  The  ship’s  boats  were  sent  out  to  examine 
the  anchorage  opposite  the  place,  and  the  Commodore,  after  receiving  a 
favorable  report,  directed  (February  27)  the  squadron  to  be  moored  in  a 
line  abreast,  and  within  a mile  of  Yoku-hama,  covering  with  their  guns  an 
extent  of  shore  of  five  miles.  Captains  Buchanan  and  Adams  went  ashore. 


396 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN 


soon  after  the  anchoring  of  the  ships,  to  see  the  buildings  in  progress  of 
erection,  and  to  instruct  the  Japanese  workmen  how  to  make  the  wharf  for 
the  landing  of  the  Commodore  and  his  party.  Accordingly,  when  Yezaiman 
came  on  board  the  Powhatan,  on  March  3d,  he  alluded  with  some  expression 
of  anxiety  to  the  fact  of  some  of  the  Americans  having  landed,  fearing,  he 
said,  lest  some  trouble  might  ensue,  if  this  should  be  continued,  between 
our  people  and  the  natives.  As  soon,  however,  as  he  was  told  the  purpose 
of  the  visit,  and  of  the  Commodore’s  order  that  no  one  of  his  men  should  be 
allowed  to  land,  he  seemed  satisfied. 

Captain  Adams  now  gave  the  governor  of  Uraga  a letter  which  had 
been  written  to  his  friends  by  a Japanese  who  belonged  to  the  squadron, 
and  was  generally  known  among  the  sailors  by  the  sobriquet  of  Sam  Patch. 
Sam  was  one  of  the  crew,  consisting  of  sixteen  men  of  a Japanese  junk 
which  had  been  driven  off  in  a storm  from  the  coast  of  Japan.  An  Amer- 
ican merchant  vessel,  having  fallen  in  with  the  junk,  took  the  Japanese  on 
board  and  conveyed  them  to  San  Francisco,  where  they  were  removed  to  a 
revenue  cutter.  They  remained  on  the  cutter  twelve  months,  when  they 
were  taken  by  the  United  States  sloop-of-war  St.  Mary’s  to  China,  and  there 
transferred  to  the  Susquehanna.  When  this  steamer  joined  Commodore 
Perry’s  squadron,  bound  to  Japan,  the  Japanese  all  preferred  to  remain  in 
China,  lest  if  they  returned  home  they  should  lose  their  lives,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  Sam  Patch,  who  remained  on  board,  and  being  regularly  shipped 
as  one  of  the  crew,  was  with  the  squadron  on  the  first,  as  he  was  now  on  the 
second  visit  to  Japan.  Upon  his  letter  being  presented  to  Yezaiman,  he 
was  requested  to  deliver  it  in  accordance  with  the  direction,  which  he  prom- 
ised to  do,  but  the  J apanese  seemed  very  much  surprised  at  the  fact  of  one  of 
their  countrymen  being  among  the  crew,  and  expressed  an  earnest  desire  to 
see  him.  Y ezaiman  was  accordingly  promised  that  his  request  should  be 
complied  with  in  the  course  of  a few  days. 

Yezaiman  and  his  interpreters,  to  whom  there  was  now  added  a new  one, 
of  the  name  of  Moryama  Yenoske,  who  spoke  a little  English,  which  he  was 
said  to  have  acquired  from  an  American  sailor  who  had  been  a captive  in 
Japan,  and  was  one  of  those  taken  away  by  the  Preble,  came  OS'  daily  to  the 
ships.  As  the  building  on  shore  was  in  progress,  the  details  of  its  erection, 
and  the  prospective  interview  ashore,  were  naturally  daily  topics  of  conver- 
sation. The  coming  ceremonies  were  spoken  of,  and  the  rank  and  number 
of  those  who  were  to  participate  in  them  discussed.  Yezaiman,  in  accordance 
with  the  request  of  the  Commodore,  submitted  the  names  and  credentials  of 
the  high  commissioners  who  were  to  represent  the  government  of  Japan  at 
the  approaching  conference.  The  following  is  a translation  of  the  letter  of 
credence  of  the  imperial  officers : 


SUPPLIES  THAT  JAPANESE  CAN  FURNISH.  397 


Hayashi  Daigaku-no-kami,  Ido-Tsus-sima-no-kami,  Izawa  Mema-saki-no- 
KAMi,  Udono  Mimbusco  : 

You  are  hereby  empowered  to  hold  interviews  with  his  excellency  the 
American  ambassador  on  his  arrival,  and  to  negotiate  concerning  the  business 
which  has  been  communicated  to  you. 

SioGOOTS.  KA-EI-SILSI-NEU.  [seal  op  the  Emperor.] 

Yezaiman  having  said,  that  now  as  his  government  knew  the  Americans 
better,  and  had  entire  confidence  in  them,  there  would  be  no  Japanese 
soldiers  brought  out  at  the  coming  interview  at  Yoku-hama,  as  before  at 
Gora-hama,  he  was  assured  that  the  guard  that  would  accompany  the  Com- 
modore was  only  intended  to  do  honor  to  the  occasion.  A conversation  then 
ensued  which,  as  it  refers  to  the  important  subject  of  the  resources  of  Japan, 
in  regard  to  coal  and  other  supplies,  it  is  thought  of  sufiicient  importance 
to  give  verbatim,  as  reported  by  the  Commodore’s  secretary.  Captain  Adams, 
it  will  be  observed,  was  still  acting  in  behalf  of  Commodore  Perry,  as  the 
latter  continued  his  policy  of  seclusion. 

Yezaiman  (having  first  alluded  to  the  fact  of  the  President’s  letter 
stating  that  coal  would  be  probably  wanted  by  American  steamers  touching 
on  the  coast  of  Japan)  asked,  “ how  much  will  you  need  annually  ? ” 

Captain  Adams.  “ It  is  quite  impossible  now  to  say  what  amount  will 
be  needed ; ships  will  call  and  get  what  they  want.  The  Commodore,  how- 
ever, will  speak  on  this  point  with  the  Commissioners.” 

Yezaiman.  “We  have  plenty  of  coal,  but  a port  is  asked  for  to  get  it 
from — that  is,  a port  where  a ship  can  take  it  in  conveniently.” 

Captain  Adams.  “ Yes  : a port  lying  along  the  southern  shores  of  Nip- 
pon would  be  most  convenient,  but  the  Commodore  will  arrange  that. 
Where  is  the  best  coal  found  ? ” 

Yezaiman.  “ The  most  abundant  supply  and  the  best  coal  come  from 
Kiusiu.  I do  not  know  how  much  there  is  in  Nippon,  but  there  is  none  in 
Sikok.”  Yezaiman  then  changed  the  subject  by  asking,  “ What  sort  of 
provisions  do  you  want?  We  have  the  greatest  abundance  of  wheat  and 
vegetables  at  Nagasaki.” 

Captain  Adams.  “ Our  ships  will  only  take  such  supplies  as  you  can 
furnish.” 

Yezaiman.  “ Our  principal  supplies  are  pork,  beef,  sheep,  poultry,  and 
vegetables  of  many  kinds,  but  no  Irish  potatoes.”* 

Captain  Adams.  “ Did  you  give  the  Russians  any  coal  ? ” 

Yezaiman.  “Yes;  a little  from  time  to  time,  and  they  said  it  was  very 


* Yezaiman  means  at  Nagasaki,  where  limited  supplies  of  this  kind  are  kept  for  stran- 
gers. The  Japanese,  in  general,  do  not  use  the  meats  here  named. 


398 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN 


good.”  Yezaiman  then  promised  to  bring  a specimen  of  their  coal,  which 
he  said  was  a fuel  seldom  used  by  the  J apanese. 

The  arrival  of  the  Saratoga,  on  the  fourth  of  March,  was  quite  an  event 
to  all  the  officers  and  men  in  the  squadron,  who,  confined  to  the  narrow 
limits  of  an  anchored  ship,  month  after  month,  with  no  variety  in  the  daily 
routine  of  duty,  and  no  change  of  scene  from  the  monotonous  view  of  the 
same  look-out  from  deck,  gladly  welcomed  anything  that  could  break  up  for 
a moment  the  tedium  of  their  life.  The  Saratoga  had  experienced  very 
severe  weather,  which  those  in  the  squadron,  although  sheltered  in  a safe 
anchorage,  could  readily  understand,  for  the  season,  even  in  the  bay,  had 
given  evidence  enough  of  its  rude  inclemency.  Frequently  the  wind  was 
so  high  and  the  waters  of  the  bay  so  disturbed,  that  the  surveying  boats 
were  obliged  to  intermit  their  labors.  The  frequent  recurrence  of  rain, 
alternating  with  an  occasional  snow-storm,  and  a cold  temperature  more 
penetrating  to  the  sensations,  from  its  moisture,  gave  all  a very  disagreeable 
experience  of  a Japan  winter.  The  hard-working  Japanese  boatmen  seemed 
alone  insensible  to  the  weather ; and,  as  they  worked  vigorously  at  their 
long  sculls,  sang  cheei’ily,  as  if  their  half-naked  bodies  were  as  much  proof 
against  cold  wind  and  boisterous  weather,  as  their  taut  built  craft. 

According  to  agreement,  Sam  Patch  was  brought  forward  and  presented 
to  the  Japanese  officials,  and  no  sooner  did  he  behold  these  dignitaries  than 
he  prostrated  himself  at  once,  apparently  completely  awe-stricken.  Sam  had 
been  frequently  laughed  at  during  the  voyage  by  his  messmates,  and  teazed 
by  statements  of  the  danger  to  which  his  head  would  be  exposed  on  his 
arrival  in  his  own  country,  and  the  poor  fellow  possibly  thought  his  last 
hour  had  come.  Captain  Adams  ordered  him  to  rise  from  his  knees,  upon 
which  he  was  crouching  with  the  most  abject  fear,  and  trembling  in  every 
limb.  He  was  reminded  that  he  was  on  board  an  American  man-of-war, 
perfectly  safe  as  one  of  her  crew,  and  had  nothing  to  fear ; but  it  being 
found  impossible  to  reassure  him  while  in  the  presence  of  his  countrjrmen,  he 
was  soon  dismissed.  But  more  of  Sam  hereafter. 

The  eighth  of  March  had  been  appointed  by  the  Commodore  as  the  day  for 
the  conference  ashore;  and,  as  crowds  of  Japanese  laborers  were  kept  busily 
at  work  upon  the  building,  there  seemed  every  prospect  of  its  being  ready 
in  time.  When  the  building  was  finished,  the  usual  Japanese  deputation, 
headed  by  Yezaiman,  came  off  to  the  Powhatan,  and,  announcing  the  fact, 
asked  if  the  Admiral  would  be  ready  to  land  on  the  next  day  (March  8). 
They  were  told  that,  provided  the  weather  should  be  suitable,  the  Commo- 
dore and'  his  party  would  leave  the  squadron  at  twelve  o’clock  on  the  mor- 
row. Y ezaiman  entered  into  some  preliminary  explanations  in  regard  to  the 
ceremonies  on  the  occasion.  He  asked  the  numbers  and  names  of  all  the 
officers  in  the  squadron,  with  the  purpose,  as  he  said,  of  providing  presents 
for  each.  Upon  being  asked  whether  the  chief  of  the  commissioners  ap- 


! 

1 

f NEGOTIATIONS  ABOUT  COMMENCING.  399 

i pointed  to  negotiate  with  the  Commodore  was  next  in  rank  to  the  Emperor, 
Yezaiman  answered  that  he  was,  and  at  the  same  time  corrected  a previous 

1 statement,  saying  that,  instead  of  four  dignitaries  in  addition  to  the  high 
commissioner,  there  would  he  five.  With  the  usual  courtly  assurances  of 
kindly  feeling,  Yezaiman  and  his  suite  took  leave,  saying,  as  he  departed, 
that  he  would  send  a person  on  hoard  next  day  to  conduct  the  Commodore 
and  his  party  to  the  land. 


Toka-hams,  Bay  of  Tedo. 


CHAPTER  XIX 


Ships  anchored  in  Toku-hama  Bay  so  as  to  command  the  shore.— Kanagawa  “treaty  honse.” — Imperial 
barge. — Landing  of  the  Commodore.— Description  of  the  Japanese  commissioners.— Interpreters. — 
Servility  to  superiors. — Negotiations  commenced. — Commodore  submits  a copy  of  the  treaty  of  the 
United  States  with  China  for  consideration. — Death  of  one  of  our  men. — Commodore  proposes  to  buy 
a burial  ground  for  Americans. — Commissioners  propose  to  send  the  body  of  the  deceased  to  Nagasaki 
for  interment. — Commodore  refuses,  and  proposes  to  bury  the  dead  on  Webster’s  island. — Commission- 
ers consent  to  the  interment  at  Yoku-hama. — The  burial  by  Chaplain  Jones. — Interest  of  the  Japa- 
nese in  the  ceremony. — They  afterward  perform  their  own  rites  over  the  covered  grave. — The  Japa- 
nese build  an  enclosure  around  the  spot — Japanese  artists  attempt  the  portraits  of  onr  officers.— 
Answer  to  the  President’s  letter. — Informal  conference  netween  Captain  Adams  and  Tenoske. — Land- 
ing and  delivery  of  the  presents. — Japanese  woramen  assist  the  Americans  in  preparing  for  their  exhi- 
bition.— Negotiations  continued. -^Surprise  and  delight  of  the  Japanese  at  the  telegraph  and  railroad. 
— Curiosity  of  the  Japanese  in  examining  mechanism. — Passion  for  buttons. — Note-taking  of  every 
thing  strange  to  them. — Love  of  pictures. — Drawings. — Common  people  disposed  to  social  intercourse 
with  the  Americans. — Excitement  on  Chaplain  Bittinger’s  attempt  to  reach  Tedo  by  land. — Written 
reply  of  commissioners,  declining  to  make  a treaty  like  that  of  the  United  States  with  China. — Fur- 
ther negotiations. — Accuracy  of  the  Japanese  in  noting  all  the  discussions. — Ports  of  Simoda  and 
Ilakodadi  agreed  to,  but  with  great  difficulty  on  the  part  of  the  Japanese. 


more  formidable  in  aspect  than  in  reality,  for 


LONG-  the  western  side  of 
the  Bay  of  Yedo,  from  its 
mouth,  where  it  opens  into 
the  G-ulf  of  Yedo,  to  the 
capital,  there  is  almost  a con- 
tinuous range  of  towns  and 
villages.  The  only  breaks 
in  this  otherwise  uninter- 
rupted scene  of  populousness 
are  the  projecting  spurs  of 
the  highlands,  which,  pre- 
senting less  advantage  for 
habitation,  naturally  prevent 
the  erection  of  dwelling 
houses.  These  promonto- 
ries, however,  are  covered 
with  batteries,  which  are 
their  guns  are  but  of  small 


TOKU-HAMA  AND  KANAGAWA. 


401 


calibre,  and  the  defences  slight  in  construction.  Yoku-hama  is  one  of  these 
numerous  and  populous  villages,  and  is  situated  at  the  head  of  a bay  called 
on  the  American  charts  “ Yoku-hama  Bay,”  which  is  formed  by  Point 
Hope,  on  the  southeast,  and  the  neck  of  land  extending  northeast  from 
Kanagawa  to  the  subui-b  of  the  city  of  Yedo,  termed  Sinagawa,  and  near 
to  which  the  junks  resorting  to  the  capital  usually  anchor.  At  the  position 
in  front  of  Yoku-hama  there  was  just  sufficient  room  to  anchor  in  a line  of 
battle  the  whole  squadron ; the  guns  of  the  several  ships  commanding  an 
extent  of  shore  equal  to  the  entire  range.  It  was  in  this  position  that  the 
Commodore  had  placed  his  nine  ships — the  steam  frigates,  the  Powhatanj 
which  was  the  flag-ship,  the  Susquehanna,  and  the  Mississippi,  and  the  sail- 
ing ships,  the  Macedonian,  the  Vandalia,  the  Saratoga,  the  Southampton, 
the  Lexington,  and  the  Supply,  the  latter  having  subsequently  joined  the 
squadron.* 

Kanagawa  is  quite  a large  town,  and  was  the  residence  of  the  Japanese 
commissioners  pending  the  negotiations  of  the  treaty,  and  it  would  have 
been  selected  by  Commodore  Perry  for  the  place  of  conference,  had  it  not 
been  for  the  impossibility  of  the  ships  approaching  within  gunshot  of  its 
front  towards  the  bay.  He  therefore  preferred  to  select  Yoku-hama,  to 
conflrm  the  choice  of  Captains  Buchanan  and  Adams,  who  had  been  sent  to 
examine  and  report  upon  the  most  eligible  anchorage  for  the  squadron.  ® 

The  building  erected  for  the  accommodation  of  the  Japanese  commis- 
sioners and  the  Commodore,  and  the  numerous  persons  in  attendance,  and 
which  was  called  by  the  Americans  the  “ treaty  house,”  was  placed  upon  a 
level  plain  near  to  the  shore,  and  contiguous  to  the  village  of  Yoku-hama, 
being  distant  from  Kanagawa  three,  from  the  southern  suburb  of  the  capital 
five,  and  from  Yedo  itself  probably  nine  miles.  The  treaty  house  had  been 
hastily  erected  of  unpainted  pine  wood,  with  peaked  roofs,  and  covered  a 
large  extent  of  ground,  having  a reception  hall  of  from  forty  to  sixtj'  feet 
in  area,  and  several  adjoining  apartments  and  offices.  From  each  side  ex- 
tended yellow  canvas  screens,  divided  into  panel-like  squares  by  black 
painted  stripes.  On  the  exterior  walls  of  the  building  was  spread  a dark 
cloth,  upon  which  was  represented  in  bright  colors  some  device,  which  was 
• said  to  be  the  arms  of  the  third  commissioner,  Izawa,  prince  of  Mimasaki. 

At  an  early  hour  on  the  8th  of  March,  the  day  appointed  for  the  confer- 
ence with  the  Japanese  commissioners,  there  was  an  unusual  stir  ashore 
preparatory  to  the  ceremonies  of  the  occasion.  The  Japanese  workmen 
were  busily  engaged  in  adorning  the  treaty  house  with  streamers  and  other 
gay  paraphernalia.  Two  poles  were  erected,  one  on  either  side  of  the  en- 
trance, to  which  were  hung  long  oblong  banners  of  white  cotton  cloth  with 
a bright  red  stripe  across  the  centre.  On  the  peaked  roof  of  the  building 

* Tile  Supply  arrived  with  coal  and  stores  for  the  squadron  on  the  19th  of  March. 

26 


I 


402  EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN 

was  placed  a tall  staff,  surmounted  with  a circular  ornament,  in  shape  like 
the  upper  part  of  a chandelier,  from  which  was  suspended  a heavy  silken 
tassel.  In  the  preparation  of  the  place  it  had  been  surrounded  by  the  usual 
enclosure  of  cloth,  which  completely  excluded  it  from  the  view  of  those 
without,  and,  in  fact,  seemed  to  enclose  it  within  a sort  of  prison  yard. 
The  Commodore,  who  saw  this  arrangement  from  his  ship  before  he  landed, 
immediately  sent  an  officer  on  shore  to  demand  what  it  meant,  and,  in  an- 
swer to  some  frivolous  pretext  about  preventing  intrusion  and  doing  honor 
to  the  occasion,  informed  the  Japanese  that  he  would  forego  the  honor,  and 
that,  until  it  was  completely  removed,  he  could  not  think  of  landing.  It 
was  immediately  taken  down  by  the  Japanese. 

Bands  of  flag-bearers,  musicians,  and  pikemen  manoeuvred  in  order,  here 
and  there,  glistening  with  their  lacquered  caps,  bright  colored  costumes, 
crimson  streamers,  showy  emblazonry,  and  burnished  spears.  There  was  no 
great  military  display  as  on  the  first  visit  at  Gora-hama,  and  the  few  who 
had  the  look  of  soldiers  were  merely  a small  body-guard,  composed  of  the 
retainers  of  the  various  high  dignitaries  who  were  to  officiate  on  the  occa- 
sion. Crowds  of  people  had  gathered  from  the  neighboring  towns  and  vil- 
lages, and  were  thronging  with  curious  eagerness  on  either  side  of  a large 
open  space  on  the  shore,  which  was  kept  free  from  intrusion  bj'  barriers, 
within  which  none  of  the  spectators  were  allowed  to  enter.  Two  or  three 
officials  were  seen  busily  moving  about,  now  directing  the  workmen,  and 
again  checking  the  disorder  among  the  Japanese  multitude. 

Soon  a large  barge  came  floating  down  the  bay,  from  the  neighboring 
town  of  Kanagawa.  This  was  a gaily  painted  vessel,  which,  with  its  decks 
and  open  pavilion  rising  high  above  the  hull,  had  very  much  the  appearance 
of  one  of  our  western  river  steamboats,  while  streamers  floated  from  its 
three  masts,  and  bright  colored  flags  and  variegated  drapery  adorned  the 
open  deck  above.  This  barge  bore  the  Japanese  commissioners,  and  when 
it  had  reached  to  within  a short  distance  of  the  shore,  these  dignitaries  and 
their  suites  disembarked  in  several  boats  and  hurried  to  the  land.  An  im- 
mense number  of  J apanese  craft  of  all  kinds,  each  with  a tassel  at  its  prow 
and  a square  striped  flag  at  its  stern,  gathered  about  the  bay.  The  day  was 
fresh  and  clear,  and  every  thing  had  a cheerful  aspect,  in  spite  of  the  lin- 
gering wintry  look  of  the  landscape. 

The  Commodore  had  made  every  preparation  to  distinguish  the  occasion 
of  his  second  landing  in  Japan  by  all  necessary  parade,  knowing,  as  he  did, 
the  importance  and  moral  influence  of  such  show  upon  so  ceremonious  and 
artificial  a people  as  the  Japanese.  He  had,  accordingly,  issued  orders  to 
the  effect  that  all  the  marines  who  could  be  spared  from  duty  should  appear 
on  the  occasion  in  full  accoutrement,  that  the  bands  of  music  from  the  three 
steamers  should  be  present,  and  all  the  officers  and  sailors  that  could  ptossi- 
bly  leave.  The  officers  were  to  be  in  undress  uniform,  frock  coats,  cap  and 


IMPERIAL  BARGE,  A^OKU'HAMA. 


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LANDING  TO  NEGOTIATE. 


403 


epaulets,  and  equipped  with  swords  and  pistols.  The  sailors  were  to  be 
armed  with  muskets,  cutlasses  and  pistols,  and  dressed  in  blue  jackets  and 
trowsers  and  white  frocks.  The  musicians  were  each  to  be  supplied  with 
cutlass  and  pistol,  and  every  man  of  the  escort  provided  with  either  musket 
or  pistol  cartridge  boxes. 

At  half-past  eleven  o’clock  the  escort,  consisting  of  about  five  hundred 
officers,  seamen  and  marines,  fully  armed,  embarked  in  twenty-seven  boats, 
under  the  command  of  Commander  Buchanan,  and  forming  a line  abreast, 
pulled  in  good  order  to  the  shore.  When  the  escort  had  landed,  the  ma- 
rines were  drawn  up  in  a hollow  square,  leaving  a wide  open  space  between 
them,  while  the  naval  officers  remained  in  a group  at  the  wharf.  The  ship’s 
boats  were  arranged  in  two  separate  divisions  of  equal  numbers  on  either 
side  of  the  landing,  with  their  bows  pointing  in  regular  order  from  the 
shore.  The  Commodore  now  embarked  from  the  Powhatan  in  his  barge, 
under  a salute  from  the  Macedonian  of  seventeen  guns.  The  Commodore, 
on  landing,  was  received  by  the  group  of  officers,  who,  falling  into  a line, 
followed  him.  The  bands  now  struck  up  a lively  tune,  and  the  marines, 
whose  orderly  ranks  in  complete  military  appointment,  with  their  blue  and 
white  uniforms,  and  glistening  bayonets,  made  quite  a martial  and  effective 
show,  presented  arms  as  the  Commodore,  followed  in  procession  by  his  im- 
mediate staff,  his  guard  of  fine-looking  sailors  and  a number  of  his  subordi- 
nate officers,  proceeded  up  the  shore.  A group  of  richly  costumed  Japanese 
guards,  or  retainers,  with  banners,  flags  and  streamers,  were  gathered  on 
each  side  of  the  entrance  of  the  treaty  house.  As  the  Commodore  and  his 
party  passed  up  between  these,  they  were  met  by  a large  number  of  J apa- 
nese  officials  who  came  out,  and  uncovering,  conducted  them  into  the  inte- 
rior of  the  building.  As  they  entered,  by  a preconcerted  arrangement, 
howitzers  which  had  been  mounted  on  the  bows  of  the  larger  ships’  boats, 
that  were  floating  just  by  the  shore,  commenced  firing  in  admirable  order  a 
salute  of  twenty-one  guns  in  honor  of  the  Emperor,  which  were  succeeded 
by  a salute  of  seventeen  for  Hayashi  Daigaku-no-kami,  the  high  commis- 
sioner, and  the  hoisting  of  the  Japanese  striped  flag  from  the  masthead  of 
the  steamer  Powhatan  in  the  bay. 

The  apartment  into  which  the  Commodoi’e  and  his  officers  first  entered 
was  a large  hall,  arranged  in  a manner  similar  to  that  at  Gori-hama.  Thick 
rice-straw  mats  carpeted  the  floor,  long  and  wide  settees,  covered  with  a red 
cloth,  extended  along  the  sides,  with  tables  spread  with  the  same  material 
arranged  in  front  of  them.  The  windows  were  composed  of  panes  of  oiled 
paper,  through  which  a subdued  and  mellow  light  illuminated  the  hall,  while 
a comfortable  temperature  was  kept  up  (for,  although  the  spring'  which  is 
early  in  Japan,  had  already  opened,  the  weather  was  chilly)  by  copper  bra- 
ziers of  burning  charcoal,  which,  supported  upon  lacquered  wooden  stands, 
were  freely  distributed  about.  Hangings  fell  from  the  walls  around,  with 


• 404 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


paintings  of  trees,  and  representations  of  various  animals  and  birds,  partic- 
ularly of  the  crane,  with  its  long  neck  in  every  variety  of  strange  involu- 
tion, 

The  Commodore  and  his  officers  and  interpreters  had  hardly  taken  their 
seats  on  the  left,  the  place  of  honor,  and  the  various  Japanese  officials,  of 
whom  there  was  a goodly  number,  theirs  on  the  right,  when  the  five  com- 
missioners entered  from  an  apartment  which  opened  through  an  entrance  at 
the  upper  end  of  the  hall.  As  soon  as  they  presented  themselves  the  sub- 
ordinate Japanese  officials  prostrated  themselves  on  their  knees,  and  remained 
in  that  attitude  during  their  presence. 

The  commissioners  were  certainly  august-looking  personages,  and  their 
grave  but  courteous  manners,  and  their  rich  flowing  robes  of  silk,  set  them 
ofiP  to  the  highest  advantage.  Their  costume  consisted  of  an  under  gar-  ' 
ment  somewhat  similar  to  the  antique  doublet,  and  a pair  of  very  wide  and 
short  trowsers  of  figured  silk,  while  below,  the  legs  were  encased  in  white  j 
cotton  or  woollen  socks,  laced  to  some  distance  above  the  ankles.  The  socks 
were  so  contrived  that  the  great  toe  was  separated  from  the  other  four,  for 
the  passage  of  the  band  which  attached  to  the  sandal,  and  joined  another 
from  the  heel  at  the  ankle,  where  the  two  were  tied  together.  Over  the 
doublet  and  trowsers  a loose  gown  of  embroidered  silk,  something  in  the 
shape  of  the  clerical  robe,  with  loose  sleeves,  was  worn.  This  was  secured 
to  the  waist  by  a sash,  in  which  are  usually  thrust  the  two  swords  which 
mark  the  dignitaries  of  higher  rank.  The  three  princes  alone,  of  all  the 
commissioners,  were  observed  to  wear  a white  inner  shirt,  or  vest,  which 
was  exposed  at  the  breast.  This  was  a mark  of  the  very  highest  rank,  and 
belongs  exclusively  to  princes  and  the  loftiest  dignitaries  of  the  Empire. 

Hayashi  Daigaku-no-kami,  prince  councillor,  was  evidently  the  chief 
member  of  the  commission,  for  all  matters  of  importance  were  referred  to 
him.  He  was  a man  of  about  fifty-five  years  of  age,  was  handsomely  formed, 
and  had  a grave  and  rather  saturnine  expression  of  face,  though  he  had  a be- 
nevolent look  and  exceedingly  courtly  manners.  Ido,  Prince  of  Tsusima,  was 
probably  fifty,  or  thereabout,  and  was  corpulent  and  tall  in  person.  He  had 
a rather  more  vivacious  expression  than  the  elder  Hayashi.  The  third  and 
youngest  of  the  princes  was  the  Prince  of  Mima-saki,  who  could  hardly  be 
much  beyond  forty  years  of  age,  and  was  by  far  the  best-looking  of  the  three. 
He  was  quite  gay,  fond  of  fun  and  frolic,  and  had  the  reputation  of  being  a 
Lothario.  According  to  the  interpreters,  Mima-saki  entertained  more  lib- 
eral views  with  respect  to  foreign  intercourse  than  any  of  his  coadjutors,  and 
seemed  to  be  a great  favorite  with  the  Japanese,  as  he  certainly  was  with 
all  the  Americans.  His  gaiety  of  heart  manifested  itself  very  apparently  in 
his  fondness  for  the  music  of  the  bands  of  the  squadron,  and  he  could  not  keep 
his  hands  and  feet  quiet  whenever  they  struck  up  a lively  air. 

Udono,  who,  though  not  a prince,  was  a man  of  high  station,  and  was 


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i 


COMMISSIONERS  AND  INTERPRETERS.  405 


known  by  the  title  of  Mimbu-shiyoyu,  or  member  of  the  board  of  revenue, 
was  a tall,  passable  looking  man,  but  his  features  were  prominent  and  had 
much  of  the  Mongolian  caste.  The  fifth  and  last  one  of  the  five  commis- 
sioners was  Matsusaki  Michitaro,  whose  rank  and  title  were  not  discovered. 
His  precise  business  in  the  commission  it  was  difficult  to  fathom ; he  was 
always  present  at  the  Ponference,  but  took  his  seat  constantly  at  rather  a 
remote  distance  from  the  other  dignitaries,  on  the  further  end  of  the  sedan. 
By  him  there  was  continually  crouched,  upon  his  knees,  a scribe,  who  was 
constantly  employed  in  taking  notes  of  what  was  passing,  and  occasionally 
under  the  promptings  of  his  superior.  Matsusaki  was  rather  an  equivocal 
character,  difficult  to  understand.  He  had  not  originally  been  mentioned 
as  a member  of  the  commission,  and  his  accession  to  the  diplomatic  force 
seemed  to  have  been  a second  thought,  since  the  presence  of  a fifth  commis- 
sioner was  not  alluded  to  until  a day  or  two  previous  to  the  conference. 
He  was  a man  of  sixty  years  of  age  at  least,  had  a long,  drawn-out  meagre 
body,  a very  yellow  bilious  face,  an  uncomfortable  dyspeptic  expression, 
which  his  excessive  short-sightedness  did  not  improve,  for  it  caused  him,  in 
his  elforts  at  seeing,  to  give  a very  wry  distortion  to  a countenance  naturally 
not  very  handsome. 

Moryama  Yenoske  was  the  principal  interpreter  who  officiated  on  the 
occasion ; the  same  man  who  figured  so  conspicuously  during  the  visit  of 
Captain  Glynn  in  the  Preble.  As  soon  as  the  Commissioners  had  taken 
their  seats,  Yenoske  took  his  position  on  his  knees,  at  the  feet  of  Hayashi, 
the  chief,  and  humbly  awaited  his  orders.  The  J apanese  are  never  forgetful 
of  the  respect  which  they  think  due  to  rank,  and  graduate  their  obeisance 
according  to  its  degrees.  From  the  Emperor  to  the  lowest  subject  in  the 
realm  there  is  a constant  succession  of  prostrations.  The  former,  in  want 
of  a human  being  superior  to  himself  in  rank,  bows  humbly  to  some  Pagan 
idol,  and  every  one  of  his  subjects,  from  prince  to  peasant,  has  some  per- 
son before  whom  he  is  bound  to  cringe  and  crouch  in  the  dirt.  One  is  re- 
minded, as  he  looks  upon  a universal  nation  on  their  knees,  “ in  suppliance 
bent,”  of  a favorite  amusement  of  childhood,  where  a number  of  blocks  are 
placed  on  end  in  a row,  one  shoves  the  other,  and  the  first  being  knocked 
down,  topples  over  the  second,  and  so  on  in  succession  until  all  are  tumbled 
upon  the  ground.  The  crouching  position  in  which  an  inferior  places  him- 
self, when  in  the  presence  of  his  superior  in  rank,  seems  very  easy  to  a 
Japanese,  but  would  be  very  difficult  and  painful  for  one  to  assume  who  had 
not  been  accustomed  to  it.  The  ordinary  mode  pursued  is  to  drop  on  the 
knees,  cross  the  feet,  and  turn  up  the  heels,  with  the  toes,  instep,  and  calves 
of  the  legs  brought  together  into  close  contact. 

Sometimes  it  is  mere  squatting  down  with  the  soles  firm  upon  the  ground, 
the  knees  bent,  and  the  body  crouched  low.  Yenoske  was  quite  an  adept  in 
these  manoeuvres,  as  were  his  coadjutors,  and  especially  the  prefect,  Kura- 


406 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


kawa-kahei,  who  was  one  of  the  subordinate  functionaries  present  during 
the  conference.  They  all  showed  a wonderful  elasticity  of  muscle  and 
suppleness  of  joint  which  could  only  have  been  acquired  by  long  practice, 
and  reminded  one  of  those  skilful  contortionists  or  clowns,  who  exhibit  their 
caoutchouc  accomplishments  to  the  wonderment  of  the  spectators.  These 
worthies,  humble  as  they  were  in  the  august  presence  of  the  commissioners, 
had  their  worshippers  in  turn,  who  were  more  humble  still,  and  who  outdid 
them,  even,  in  their  bowings  and  prostrations.  Every  Japanese  is  thus  by 
turns  master  and  slave,  now  submissively  with  his  neck  beneath  the  foot  of 
one,  and  again  haughtily  with  his  foot  upon  the  neck  of  another.  The 
commissioners,  after  a momentary  silence,  spoke  a word  to  the  prostrate 
Y enoske,  who  listened  an  instant,  with  downcast  eyes,  and  then  by  a skilful 
manoeuvre,  still  upon  his  knees,  moved  towards  the  commissioners’  inter- 
preter, and  having  communicated  his  message,  wEich  proved  to  be  merely 
the  ordinary  compliments,  with  an  inquiry  after  the  health  of  the  Commo- 
dore and  his  officers,  returned  with  an  appropriate  answer  to  his  former 
position.  An  interchange  of  various  polite  messages  having  been  thus  borne 
backward  and  forward  for  several  minutes,  through  the  medium  of  the 
humble  but  useful  Yenoske,  refreshments,  consisting  of  the  invariable  pipe, 
tea  in  porcelain  cups,  served  on  lacquered  trays,  cakes,  and  some  confec- 
tionary were  handed  round. 

It  was  now  proposed  by  the  commissioners  that  an  adjournment  should 
take  place  to  another  room,  which  they  stated  would  accommodate  comfort- 
ably about  ten  persons.  Accordingly,  the  Commodore  having  assented,  he, 
accompanied  by  the  captain  of  the  fleet,  his  two  interpreters  and  secretary, 
was  conducted  into  another  and  much  smaller  room,  the  entrance  to  which 
was  only  separated  from  the  principal  hall  by  a blue  silk  flag,  ornamented 
in  the  centre  with  the  embroidered  arms  of  J apan.  On  entering,  the  com- 
missioners- were  found  already  seated  on  the  right,  they  having  withdrawn 
previously  to  the  Commodore,  and  aiTanged  themselves  in  rank  upon  one  of 
the  red  divans,  which  extended  along  the  sides  of  the  apartment. 

The  Commodore  and  his  party  took  their  seats  on  the  left,  and  business 
commenced,  the  commissioners  having  preliminarily  stated  that  it  was  a 
Japanese  custom  to  speak  slowly.  They  were  evidently  very  anxious  to 
proceed  with  deliberation,  and  weigh  every  word  with  the  exactness  of  cau- 
tious diplomatists. 

The  chief  commissioner  now  handed  the  Commodore  a roll  of  paper,  which 
proved  to  be  an  answer  to  the  President’s  letter,  delivered  on  the  previous 
visit  at  Grori-hama  in  July. 


NAMOUKA  3d  INTEPPIiETER,  YOKEIIAMA 


■a<.r 


i.,ji  i 4mn  I o>r  » > * 

*•»  ^ • 

! I 

v_j^  Ai  %sai^^,  <-  .1  iffi,  tx 

ir  |bt'4^j 


S*-'"  aSTi  «»i'sftti^,  vii?  ii  i</M[irf  rjj 


• ''iiyj*  *'^'1  '*^^— — , yjycx  - ' ' j ' 

J>9fraf^im,^'  .t  u-fTKfSi 

^0p^ium  *'  • •»!  r" 

'"*■  ^ 

y>?  Ap.  i^jiliiV  ,.4<|  aj>^il|||‘'fivf‘f  « 

,-te*  .■.4»„a 


^■.  •■‘h’ Vi*  •'A'yjy-^tj  ,i^<jf.'^  ' "ir,  ! Itii<!uil  f^d  t ' 

(1^  '-  •‘jy  ■■'(#/  *V1 


■'.If  «..^<*WWif . j!f(jf^ , . , . „ 4 ►. « ,■>.* 

»,^iijllpV<>«  ■•Ii**.?'  J 

'^‘' ' “,(•  2di 

>->S‘r^f'u,  ..f 

4 '•'  ■•'■■■.f  ' '..j  ■■*f,.l-».,  ; Mf*  :J ,.,. 

f<W.  ♦;}*  J»'rtl£Hij 

' :m^imr  A^Himm  ^|j 


ANSWER  TO  president’s  LETTER. 


407 


Translation  of  answer  to  the  letter  of  the  President  to  the  Emperor  of 

Japan. 

“ The  return  of  your  excellency,  as  ambassador  of  the  United  States  to  this 
Empire,  has  been  expected  according  to  the  letter  of  his  Majesty  the  Presi- 
dent, which  letter  your  excellency  delivered  last  year  to  his  Majesty  the 
Emperor  of  this  Empire. 

“ It  is  quite  impossible  to  give  satisfactory  answers  at  once  to  all  the  pro- 
posals of  your  government,  as  it  is  most  positively  forbidden  by  the  laws  of 
our  Imperial  ancestors ; but  for  us  to  continue  attached  to  the  ancient  laws, 
seems  to  misunderstand  the  spirit  of  the  age ; however,  we  are  governed  now 
by  imperative  necessity. 

“ At  the  visit  of  your  excellency  last  year  to  this  Empire,  his  Majesty 
the  former  Emperor  was  sick,  and  is  now  dead.  Subsequently,  his  Majesty 
the  present  Emperor  ascended  the  throne  ; the  many  occupations  in  conse- 
quence thereof  are  not  yet  finished,  and  there  is  no  time  to  settle  other  busi- 
ness thoroughly.  Moreover,  his  Majesty  the  new  Emperoi’,  at  the  accession 
to  the  throne,  promised  to  the  princes  and  high  officers  of  the  Empire  to  ob- 
serve the  laws.  It  is  therefore  evident  that  he  cannot  now  bring  about  any 
alteration  in  the  ancient  laws. 

“ Last  autumn,  at  the  departure  of  the  Dutch  ship,  the  superintendent  of 
the  Dutch  trade  in  Japan  was  requested  to  inform  your  government  of  this 
event,  and  a reply  in  writing  has  been  received. 

“ At  Nagasaki  arrived  recently  the  Russian  ambassador  to  communicate 
a wish  of  his  government.  He  has  since  left  the  said  place,  because  no  an- 
swer would  be  given  to  any  nation  that  might  communicate  similar  wishes. 
However,  we  admit  the  urgency  of,  and  shall  entirely  comply  with,  the  pro- 
posals of  your  government  concerning  coal,  wood,  water,  provisions,  and  the 
saving  of  ships  and  their  crews  in  distress.  After  being  informed  which  har- 
bor your  excellency  selects,  that  harbor  shall  be  prepared,  which  preparation 
it  is  estimated  will  take  about  five  years.  Meanwhile  a commencement  can 
be  made  with  the  coal  at  Nagasaki  by  the  next  Japanese  first  month, 
(Siogoots,)  (16th  of  February,  1855.) 

“ Having  no  precedent  with  respect  to  coal,  we  request  your  excellency 
to  furnish  us  with  an  estimate,  and  upon  due  consideration  this  will  be  com- 
plied with,  if  not  in  opposition  to  our  laws.  What  do  you  understand  by 
provisions,  and  how  much  coal  ? 

“ Finally,  anything  ships  may  be  in  want  of  that  can  be  furnished  from 
the  production  of  this  Empire  shall  be  supplied.  The  prices  of  merchandise 
and  articles  of  barter  to  be  fixed  by  Kurakawa  Kahei  and  Moryama  Yenoske. 
After  settling  the  points  before  mentioned,  the  treaty  can  be  concluded  and 
signed  at  the  next  interview. 

“ Seals  attached  by  order  of  the  high  gentlemen. 

“MORYAMA  YENOSKE.” 


408 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


The  Commodore  having  returned  the  document,  requesting  it  should  he 
signed  by  the  high  commissioner,  and  delivered  to  him  next  day,  entered  at 
once  upon  the  subject  which  was  uppermost  in  his  mind,  the  negotiation  of  a 
treaty.  He  remarked  that  it  would  be  better  for  the  two  nations  that  a 
treaty  similar  to  the  one  between  the  United  States  and  China  should  be 
made.  He  had  been  sent,  he  continued,  by  his  government  to  make  a treaty, 
and  if  he  did  not  succeed,  the  United  States  would  probably  send  more  ships 
to  make  one ; but  he  hoped  that  everything  would  be  soon  settled  in  an  ami- 
cable manner,  and  that  he  would  be  enabled  to  send  two  of  his  ships,  as  he  de- 
sired, to  prevent  others  from  coming.  A copy  of  the  Chinese  treaty,  written 
in  English,  Chinese,  and  Dutch,  accompanied  by  two  notes  from  the  Commo- 
dore, and  a letter  in  answer  to  one  sent  by  the  high  commissioner  from 
Uraga,  were  now  handed  to  the  Japanese,  when  they  asked  for  time  to  have 
the  documents  translated  into  their  own  language. 

Notes  handed  to  First  Commissioner  on  Wednesday,  March  8,  1854. 

The  American  ambassador  learns  with  pleasure  that  the  Japanese  gov- 
ernment is  disposed  to  enter  into  some  friendly  arrangement  with  the  United 
States.  As  such  is  happily  the  case,  it  would  be  much  more  advantageous 
to  both  nations,  and  especially  to  Japan,  if  a treaty  is  agreed  upon,  even  if  it 
be  of  short  duration ; for  reason  that  the  citizens  and  subjects  of  both  the 
contracting  powers  would  be  mutually  bound  by  law  to  conform  to  all  its 
stipulations,  and  thus  prevent  mistakes  and  consequent  disputes. 

This  is  the  practice  with  all  other  nations  ; and  such  is  the  present  condi- 
tion of  the  world,  that  these  treaties  have  become  necessary  to  avert  conten- 
tion and  war.  The  obligations  to  conform  to  them  are  enjoined  as  well  by 
considerations  of  honor,  as  the  preservation  of  the  peace  and  prosperity  of  the 
respective  countries  ; and  it  would  be  impossible  for  the  western  nations  to 
preserve  friendly  intercourse  if  it  were  not  for  similar  treaties. 

Although  we  have  abundance  of  prepared  provisions  in  the  squadron,  it 
would  be  desirable  to  obtain  daily  supplies  of  fresh  meat,  vegetables,  &c.,  for 
which  we  would  pay  the  prices  demanded.  W ood  and  water  will,  of  course, 
be  wanted,  and  for  a supjjly  of  which  we  shall  be  thankful. 

The  health  of  the  olBcers  and  men  requires  that  they  should  have  exercise 
on  shore;  and  though  I have  hitherto,  out  of  respect  to  the  Japanese  laws, 
forbidden  any  one  to  land  except  for  purposes  of  duty,  I feel  assured  that 
some  arrangement  will  be  made  to  admit  of  some  reasonable  intercourse  with 
the  neighborhood. 

Copies  of  the  surveys  which  the  officers  are  employed  in  making  will  be 
presented  to  the  Imperial  government ; and,  to  make  them  more  perfect,  it 
will  be  necessary  to  place  signal-jjoles  at  some  points  on  shore  by  which  to 
measure  the  angles ; therefore  it  is  requested  that  the  officers  landing  for  such 
purposes  may  not  be  molested. 


commodore’s  letter  to  commissioner.  409 


It  is  thought  that  the  business  of  the  negotiation  would  be  facilitated 
by  submitting  the  several  questions  and  replies  that  may  arise  in  writing. 

M.  C.  PEKRY. 

United  States  Flag-ship  Powhatan, 

Yedo  Bay,  off  the  town  of  Yohu-hama,  March  1,  1854. 

Your  Excellency  : In  presenting  for  the  consideration  of  your  high- 
ness the  accompanying  draught  of  a treaty,  which,  in  all  its  essential  features, 
is  identical  with  that  at  present  subsisting  between  the  United  States  and 
China,  I again  venture  to  urge  upon  the  Imperial  government  of  Japan  the 
importance  of  establishing  a friendly  understanding  with  the  nation  which  I 
have  the  honor  on  this  occasion  to  represent. 

It  would  be  needless  in  me  to  reiterate  the  arguments  already  advanced 
in  support  of  a measure  so  fraught  with  the  best  interests  of  the  two  nations, 
and  so  necessary  to  the  peace  and  prosperity  of  Japan. 

I have  in  a former  communication  remarked  that  the  President  of  the 
United  States  entertains  the  strongest  desire,  and  cherishes  a most  fervent 
hope,  that  the  mission  which  he  has  intrusted  to  my  charge  may  result  in 
the  accomplishment  of  a treaty  mutually  beneficial,  and  tending  to  avert,  by 
timely  negotiation,  the  consequences  that  would  otherwise  grow  out  of 
collisions  certain  to  arise,  should  the  present  undefined  relations  between  the 
two  countries  much  longer  continue. 

In  the  increasing  number  of  American  ships  almost  daily  passing  and 
repassing  the  territories  of  Japan,  the  President  is  apprehensive  of  the  oc- 
currence of  some  further  act  of  hostility  towards  the  unoffending  citizens  of 
the  United  States  who  may  be  thrown  by  misfortune  upon  your  shores,  and 
hence  his  wish  to  establish  a treaty  of  friendship,  which  shall  give  assurance 
of  the  discontinuance  of  a course  of  policy,  on  the  part  of  the  Japanese, 
altogether  at  variance  with  the  usages  of  other  nations,  and  no  longer  to 
be  tolerated  by  the  United  States. 

As  an  evidence  of  the  friendly  intentions  of  the  President,  and  to  pay 
the  highest  honor  to  his  Imperial  Majesty,  he  has  sent  me  in  command  of  a 
number  of  ships — to  be  increased  by  others  which  are  to  follow — not  only  to 
bear  to  his  Majesty  the  letter  which  I have  already  presented,  but  to  evince, 
by  every  suitable  act  of  kindness,  the  cordial  feelings  entertained  by  him 
towards  Japan. 

That  there  might  be  sufficient  time  allowed  for  a full  consideration  of  the 
just  and  reasonable  demands  of  the  President,  I took  upon  myself  to  with- 
draw the  ships  in  July  last  from  the  coast ; and  have  now,  after  an  absence 
of  seven  months,  returned,  in  the  full  expectation  of  a most  satisfactory 
arrangement. 

Another  proof  of  the  friendly  disposition  of  the  President  has  been  given 
in  his  sending  for  exhibition  to  the  Imperial  court,  three  of  the  magnificent 


410 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


steamers  of  the  United  States,  of  which  there  are  many  thousands,  large  and 
small,  in  America ; and  he  has  also  sent,  for  presentation  to  the  Emperor, 
many  specimens  of  the  most  useful  inventions  of  our  country. 

Therefore,  after  all  these  demonstrations  of  good  will,  it  would  he 
strange  if  the  Japanese  government  did  not  seize  upon  this  very  favorable 
occasion  to  secure  a friendly  intercourse  with  a people  anxious  to  pre- 
vent, by  wise  and  prudent  foresight,  all  causes  of  future  misunderstanding  and 
strife. 

It  will  be  observed  that  there  is  no  western  nation  so  intimately  connected 
with  the  peace  and  welfare  of  Japan  as  the  United  States,  a part  of  whose 
territory  lies  opposite  the  Imperial  coast,  and  whose  commerce  covers  the 
Pacific  ocean  and  Japan  seas;  not  less  than  five  hundred  large  ships  being 
engaged  exclusively  in  those  regions  in  pursuit  of  whales,  the  crews  of  many 
of  which  suffer  for  want  of  water  and  other  refreshments ; and  it  would  seem 
nothing  more  than  common  humanity  to  receive  those  who  may  seek  shelter 
in  the  ports  of  Japan  with  kindness  and  hospitality. 

The  government  of  China  has  derived  much  benefit  from  its  treaty  with 
the  United  States.  The  purchase  of  teas  by  the  Americans  during  the  pres- 
ent year  will  amount  to  three  million  six  hundred  thousand  (3,600,000)  taels, 
and  of  raw  and  manufactured  silks  to  nearly  three  millions  (3,000,000)  of 
taels. 

Nearly  thirty  thousand  subjects  of  the  Emperor  of  China  have  visited 
America,  where  they  have  been  kindly  received,  and  permitted  by  the  Amer- 
ican laws  to  engage  in  whatever  occupation  best  suited  them.  They  have 
also  been  allowed  to  erect  temples,  and  to  enjoy  in  all  freedom  their  religious 
rites.  All  have  accumulated  money,  and  some  have  returned  to  China,  after 
a short  absence,  with  sums  varying  from  300  to  10,000  taels. 

I have  adverted  to  these  facts  merely  to  show  the  advantages  that  would 
grow  out  of  such  a treaty  as  I now  propose,  and  to  remark  again  that  some 
amicable  arrangement  between  the  two  nations  has  become  positively  neces- 
sary, and  for  reasons  already  explained. 

Indeed,  I shall  not  dare  to  return  to  the  United  States  without  carrying 
with  me  satisfactory  responses  to  all  the  proposals  of  the  President,  and  I 
must  remain  until  such  are  placed  in  my  possession. 

With  the  most  profound  respect, 

M.  C.  PEKKT. 

Commander-in-chief  United  States  Naval  Forces  East  India, 
China,  and  Japan  Seas,  and  special  Ambassador  to  Japan. 

His  Highness  Hayashi-Daigaku-no-kajii,  &c.,  &c. 

One  of  the  marines  belonging  to  the  Mississippi  had  died  two  days  pre- 
vious to  the  conference,  and  the  suitable  interment  of  his  body  now  came 
up  in  course  of  discussion.  The  Commodore  proposed  to  buy  a piece 


AMERICANS  ALLOWED  BURIAL  IN  JAPAN.  411 


of  ground  from  the  Japanese  for  the  burial  of  the  man  then  lying  dead,  and 
for  any  other  American  who  might  die.  This  proposition  seemed  to  perplex 
the  commissioners,  and,  after  some  consultation,  they  retired  to  discuss  the 
question  alone,  and,  on  leaving,  invited  the  Commodore  and  his  ofi&cers  to 
partake  of  some  refreshments,  consisting  of  saki,  fruit  and  cakes,  soups  and 
fish,  which  were  immediately  served.  This  invitation  was  accepted,  with  the 
remark  that  it  would  be  more  consonant  with  American  notions  of  hospitality 
if  the  commissioners  would  join  the  Commodore  and  his  officers,  as  the 
breaking  of  bread  together  was,  in  the  United  States,  as  among  many  other 
nations,  considered  an  evidence  of  friendship.  The  Japanese  replied  that 
they  were  unacquainted  with  foreign  eustoms,  but  would  cheerfully  join. 
They  then  all  retired ; but,  shortly  after,  the  second  and  third  in  rank  of  the 
number  returned  and  participated  socially  in  the  repast  that  had  been  served, 
one  of  the  dignitaries  filling  a cup  of  saki  at  once,  drinking  it  off  to  the 
dregs,  and,  turning  it  bottom  upward,  remarked  that  it  was  a Japanese  cus- 
tom for  the  host  to  drink  first. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  whole  board  was  again  in  session,  and  a writ- 
ten reply  to  the  Commodore’s  request  respecting  the  burial  of  the  marine 
presented  by  the  chief  commissioner,  and  to  the  purport  that,  as  a temple 
had  been  set  apart  at  Nagasaki  for  the  interment  of  strangers,  it  would  be 
necessary  to  send  the  body  to  Uraga,  whence  at  a convenient  season,  it 
might  be  conveyed  in  a Japanese  junk  to  the  former  place.  To  this  the 
Commodore  objected  that  undisturbed  resting-places  were  granted  by  all 
nations,  and  then  proposed  to  send  boats  and  inter  the  body  at  Webster  island. 
Webster  island,  as  it  is  named  on  the  American  charts,  is  a small  island 
lying  convenient  to  the  “ American  anchorage;”  and  the  Commodore  had 
determined,  if  the  Japanese  had  persisted  in  forbidding  the  interment  within 
any  of  their  numerous  burial  places,  to  have  effected  it  at  all  hazards  upon 
that  island,  being  perfectly  satisfied  that  the  Japanese  respect  for  the  dead 
would  leave  the  body  undisturbed.  The  commissioners  evinced  strong  ob- 
jections to  the  choice  of  the  spot,  and,  after  considerable  discussion  among 
themselves,  finally  consented  to  allow  the  burial  to  take  place  at  Yoku-hama, 
at  a place  adjoining  one  of  their  temples,  and  in  view  of  the  squadron.  They 
observed,  however,  that,  as  the  novelty  of  the  scene  might  attract  an  incon- 
venient crowd,  the  authorities  would  send  on  board  the  Mississippi,  in  the 
morning,  an  officer  to  accompany  the  funeral  party. 

The  Commodore  now  prepared  to  depart,  having  first  stated  that  he 
would  be  happy  to  see  the  Japanese  dignitaries  on  board  his  vessel  as  soon 
as  the  weather  should  become  warmer.  They  expressed  courteously  the 
pleasure  they  would  have  in  accepting  the  invitation,  and,  bowing,  retired. 
The  subordinate  American  officers  had  been  entertained  with  refreshments 
in  the  large  outer  hall  during  the  conference,  and  amused  with  the  rude 
efforts  of  the  Japanese  at  delineating  their  portraits.  The  Commodore 


412 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


now  passed  out,  followed  by  his  suite'  and  the  procession  of  officers  as 
before,  and  marching  down,  to  the  music  of  the  hands,  between  the  files  of 
marines  on  either  side,  embarked  in  his  barge  and  pulled  for  the  ship. 
The  other  boats  soon  followed,  filled  with  the  numerous  officers,  sailors, 
marines,  and  others,  who  had  shared  in  the  ceremonies  of  the  day. 

Early  next  day,  (Thursday,  March  9,)  as  had  been  arranged,  a Japanese 
official  went  on  board  the  Mississippi,  to  accompany  the  funeral  party  on 
shore,  for  the  purpose  of  pointing  out  the  burial  place  selected  for  the  inter- 
ment of  the  dead  marine.  At  five  o’clock  in  the  afternoon  the  boats  left 
the  ship  with  the  body,  attended  by  the  chaplain,  Mr.  Jones,  Mr.  Williams, 
the  interpreter,  and  a party  of  marines.  The  flags  of  every  vessel  in  the 
squadron  were  hoisted  at  half  mast  as  the  boats  pushed  off.  The  body  was 
borne  to  a very  picturesque  spot  at  the  foot  of  a hill,  at  a short  distance 
from  the  village  of  Toku-hama.  The  chaplain,  Mr.  Jones,  was  robed  in 
his  clerical  gown,  and  on  landing  was  received  in  the  most  courteous  manner 
by  some  of  the  Japanese  authorities,  who  showed  none  of  their  supposed 
repugnance  to  the  Christian  religion  and  its  ministers.  Crowds  of  the  peo- 
ple had  also  gathered,  and  looked  on  with  great  curiosity,  but  with  decorous 
respect,  as  the  funeral  procession  moved  slowly  along  to  the  sound  of  the 
muffled  drum.  The  road  lay  through  the  village,  and  its  inhabitants  came 
out  from  their  houses  and  open  shops  to  behold  the  novel  scene.  The  place 
chosen  for  the  burial  was  near  a Japanese  place  of  interment,  with  stone 
idols  and  sculptured  headstones,  and  as  the  procession  came  up  a Buddhist 
priest,  in  robes  of  richly  embroidered  silk,  was  observed  already  on  the  ground. 
Mr.  Jones  read  the  service  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  church,  and  while  he 
was  officiating  the  Buddhist  priest  sat  near  by  on  a mat,  with  an  altar  before 
him,  on  which  was  a collection  of  scraps  of  paper,  some  rice,  a gong,  a vessel 
containing  saki,  and  some  burning  incense.  The  service  having  been  read, 
the  body  lowered,  and  the  earth  thrown  in,  the  party  retired  from  the  grave. 
The  Buddhist  priest  then  commenced  the  peculiar  ceremonies  of  his  religion, 
beating  his  gong,  telling  his  rosary  of  glass  and  wooden  beads,  muttering  his 
prayers,  and  keeping  alive  the  burning  incense.  He  was  still  going  through 
his  strange  formulary  when  the  Americans  moved  away,  and  crowds  of 
Japanese  continued  to  linger  in  the  neighborhood,  about  the  crests  and  ac- 
clivities of  the  hills  which  bounded  the  scene.  Mr.  Williams,  the  interpre- 
ter, who  had  lived  long  in  China,  and  was  familiar  with  the  Buddhist  wor- 
ship, recognized  its  peculiarities  in  the  precisely  similar  ceremonies  perform- 
ing at  the  grave  by  the  Japanese  priest.  A neat  enclosure  of  bamboo  was 
subsequently  put  up  about  the  American  grave  by  the  authorities,  and  a 
small  hut  was  erected  near,  for  a Japanese  guard  to  watch  the  grave  for  a 
time,  according  to  their  custom. 

On  the  same  day  the  prefect,  Kura-Kawa-Kahei,  and  the  chief  interpre- 
ter, Yenoske,  came  on  board  the  Powhatan  with  a copy  of  the  Imperial 


CONFERENCE  WITH  INTERPRETERS. 


413 


reply  to  the  President’s  letter,  duly  certified  and  signed  by  the  four  commis- 
sioners. The  two  Japanese  ofiicials  subsequently  repaired  to  the  Mississippi, 
where  they  conferred  for  some  time  with  Captain  Adams.  They  appointed 
the  Monday  following  (March  13th)  for  the  reception  of  the  presents,  and 
it  was  arranged  that  those  persons  who  had  the  supervision  of  the  telegraph, 
the  Daguerreotype  apparatus,  and  steam  engine,  should  land  on  the  previous 
Saturday,  to  arrange  a place  for  their  suitable  exhibition.  The  Japanese 
stated  that  two  of  the  commissioners  would  be  in  attendance,  with  a scribe, 
to  receive  and  record  the  various  presents,  and  the  names  of  the  persons  for 
whom  they  were  intended.  Upon  Captain  Adams  saying  that  all  the  pres- 
ents received  by  the  ofiicers  of  the  United  States  were,  by  law,  the  property 
of  the  government,  Yenoske  remarked  that  a similar  law  existed  in  Japan. 
To  the  inquiry  of  the  Japanese  as  to  when  the  Commodore’s  reply  to  the 
answer  to  the  President’s  letter  would  be  ready,  it  was  promised  for  the 
subsequent  Saturday. 

Captain  Adams  now  asked  what  ports  the  commissioners  had  selected  for 
the  trade  of  the  Americans,  and  where  they  were,  and  remarked  that  five 
years,  the  time  appointed  for  the  opening  of  them,  was  deemed  by  the  Commo- 
dore much  too  long,  and  that  he  would  never  submit  to  having  a place  so 
restricted  as  Dezima  for  the  use  of  the  Americans.  The  prefect  waived  all 
immediate  consideration  of  the  subject,  saying  that  it  was  one  upon  which 
the  commissioners  would  negotiate  and  deliberate,  and  that  it  would  neces- 
sarily require  time.  Yenoske,  the  interpreter,  was  then  told  that  he  could 
forward  the  purposes  of  the  expedition,  since  he  was  familiar  with  them  ; he 
promised  to  do  so  to  the  utmost  of  his  power,  but  he  declined,  although  a 
map  was  placed  before  him,  to  name  the  ports  for  American  intercourse 
saying,  as  he  refused,  that  the  whole  matter  was  so  new,  and  so  opposed  to 
the  laws  of  the  Empire,  that  time  would  be  required  to  bring  matters  to  such 
an  issue.  In  regard  to  the  question  of  going  ashore,  which  had  been  sub- 
mitted to  the  commissioners.  Captain  Adams  asked  for  some  explicit  reply, 
stating  that  the  surveying  party,  which  was  at  the  time  at  work  in  the  bay, 
would  require  to  plant  signals  along  the  shore,  but  would  not  go  into  the 
interior.  To  this  the  prefect  answered  that  the  views  of  the  commissioners 
had  not  been  yet  fully  matured,  but  seemed  to  concur  in  the  necessity  of  the 
signals,  if  the  Commodore  had  so  ordered  it.  He,  however,  expressed  his 
fear  of  trouble  and  confusion,  if  the  ofiicers,  engaged  in  their  duty,  should 
enter  the  villages,  and  hoped  they  would  go  down  the  bay,  and  not  north- 
ward. The  subject  of  supplies  was  next  spoken  of,  and  the  question  of  pay- 
ment seemed  to  be  conceded  by  the  Japanese,  who  proposed  that  as  soon  as 
a port  was  selected,  certain  compradors  should  be  appointed  for  the  sale  of 
articles  of  every  kind,  but  in  the  meantime,  they  said  a single  person  would 
be  chosen,  whose  duty  it  would  be  to  supply  what  was  necessary,  and  receive 
in  payment  the  American  coin,  to  be  estimated  weight  for  weight  with  the 


414 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN, 


Japanese  money.  They  would  prefer,  they  said,  that  Nagasaki  should  be  the 
place  for  such  transactions,  but  granted  the  necessity  of  carrying  them  on 
for  the  present  where  they  were.  The  hours  for  the  future  meetings  being 
settled  at  from  eleven  o’clock  to  one,  instead  of  the  previous  irregular  mode, 
the  Japanese  took  their  departure. 

On  the  next  day  (March  11)  a short  conference  was  held  by  Captain 
Adams  with  the  same  Japanese  officials  in  the  treaty  house  on  shore.  He 
also  bore  a communication  of  the  date  of  the  10th  of  March  from  the  Com- 
modore, addressed  to  the  commissioners,  in  which  the  answer  to  the  Presi- 
dent’s letter  was  acknowledged.  The  Commodore,  while  he  expressed  his 
satisfaction  at  the  determination  of  the  Japanese  government  to  alter  its 
policy  in  regard  to  foreign  governments,  at  the  same  time  stated  that  the 
concessions  proposed  were  not  enough,  and  that  a written  compact  or  treaty, 
with  wider  provisions,  was  essential.  The  chief  points  talked  of  were,  the 
answer  to  the  Commodore’s  notes  in  reference  to  the  proposed  treaty,  and 
the  privilege  of  going  ashore.  In  regard  to  the  former,  they  stated  that  a 
reply  was  not  yet  prepared  ; but  as  for  the  latter,  the  interpreter  remarked, 
unofficially,  that  there  would  be  no  objection  to  the  Commodore  and  his 
officers  going  ashore  ; but  that  if  the  permission  should  be  general,  difficulty 
with  the  people  might  ensue.  Some  general  conversation  followed  in  regard  to 
the  necessity  of  dispatch  in  the  negotiations.  Captain  Adams  stating  that  it 
was  the  Commodore’s  intention  to  send  one  of  his  ships  to  the  United  States, 
in  the  course  of  a week  or  so,  to  inform  the  government  at  home  of  the  pro- 
gress of  the  negotiations,  that  it  might  know  whether  it  was  necessary  to 
send  more  vessels  or  not.  The  Japanese  evinced  some  uneasiness  at  this 
statement,  and  asked,  “ Whether  the  Americans  are  friendly  ? ” “ Certainly 

we  are,”  was  the  answer,  and  the  conference  closed  in  the  most  amicable 
manner. 

The  day  agreed  upon  had  arrived  (Monday,  March  13)  for  the  landing  of 
the  presents,  and  although  the  weather  was  unsettled,  and  the  waters  of  the 
bay  somewhat  rough,  they  all  reached  the  shore  without  damage.* 


* The  following  is  a list  of  some  of  the  various  presents  landed  on  the  occasion  : 


1  box  of  arms,  containing — 

5 riall’s  rifles,  I 

3 Maynard’s  muskets, 

12  cai'alry  swords,  I „ 

I ( Emperor, 

b artillery  swords,  , 

1 carbine,  | 

20  army  pistols,  J 

2 carbines,  cartridge  boxes,  and  belts, 

containing  120  cai-tridges. 

10  Hall’s  rifles. 

11  cavalry  swords. 

1 carbine,  cartridge  box  and  belts,  and 
60  cartridges. 


Boxes  of  tea.  Emperor. 

1 box  of  tea,  commissioners. 

2 telegraph  instniments. 

3 Francis’s  life-boats. 

1 locomotive  and  tender,  passenger-car,  and 
rails  complete. 

-1  volumes  Audubon’s  Birds  of  America. 

3  volumes  Audubon’s  Quadrupeds. 

Several  clocks. 

10  ship’s  beakers,  containing  100  gallons 
whiskey. 

S baskets  Irish  potatoes. 

3 stoves. 


DELIVERY  OF  PRESENTS. 


415 


The  presents  filled  several  large  boats,  which  left  the  ship  escorted  by  a 
number  of  officers,  and  a company  of  marines,  and  a band  of  musiCj  all  under 
the  superintendence  of  Captain  Abbott,  who  was  delegated  to  deliver  the 
presents,  with  proper  ceremonies,  to  the  Japanese  high  commissioners.  A 
building  adjoining  the  treaty  house  had  been  suitably  constructed  and  ar- 
ranged for  the  purpose,  and  on  landing  Captain  Abbott  was  met  by  Tezaiinan, 
the  governor  of  Uraga,  and  several  subordinate  officials,  and  conducted  to 
the  treaty  house.  Soon  after  entering,  the  high  commissioner,  Prince  Ha- 
yashi,  came  in,  and  the  usual  compliments  having  been  interchanged,  Captaiu 
Abbott,  with  the  interpreters,  were  led  into  the  smaller  room,  where  a letter 
from  the  Commodore  and  some  formalities  on  the  delivery  of  the  presents 
were  disposed  of.  The  Japanese  commissioner,  after  some  discussion,  fixed 
the  ensuing  Thursday  (March  16)  for  an  interview  with  the  Commodore  on 
shore,  when  they  promised  to  deliver  a formal  reply  to  his  notes  in  regard  to 
the  opening  of  the  various  Japanese  ports  insisted  upon. 

The  presents  having  been  formally  delivered,  the  various  American  ofli- 
cers  and  workmen  selected  for  the  purpose  were  diligently  engaged  daily  in 
unpacking  and  arranging  them  for  exhibition.  The  J apanese  authorities  offered 
every  facility ; their  laborers  constructed  sheds  for  sheltering  the  various; 
articles  from  the  inclemency  of  the  weather ; a piece  of  level  ground  was  as- 
signed for  laying  down  the  circular  track  of  the  little  locomotive,  and  posts 
were  Drought  and  erected  for  the  extension  of  the  telegraph  wires,  the  Japan- 
ese taking  a very  ready  part  in  all  the  labors,  and  watching  the  result  of  ar- 
ranging and  putting  together  of  the  machinery  with  an  innocent  and  childlike 
delight.  The  telegraphic  apparatus,  under  the  direction  of  Messrs.  Draper 
and  Williams,  was  soon  in  working  order,  the  wires  extending  nearly  a mile, 
in  a direct  line,  one  end  being  at  the  treaty  house,  and  another  at  a building 


fiO  hall  cartridges. 

1 box  books,  Emperor. 

1 box  dressing-cases.  Emperor. 

1 box  perfumery,  2 packages,  Emperor. 

1 barrel  whiskey.  Emperor. 

1 cask  wine.  Emperor. 

1 box  for  distribution. 

1 box  containing  11  pistols  for  distribution. 
1 box  perfumery,  for  distribution. 

A quantity  of  cherry  cordials,  distribution. 

A quantity  of  cherry  cordials.  Emperor. 

A number  of  baskets  champagne.  Em- 
peror. 

A number  of  baskets  champagne,  commis- 
sioners. 

1 box  China  ware,  commissioners. 

A quantity  of  maraschino,  commissioners. 

1 telescope.  Emperor. 


Boxes  standard  United  States  balances. 
Boxes  standard  United  States  bushels. 
Boxes  standard  United  States  gallon  mea- 
sures. 

Boxes  standard  United  States  yarda 
1 box  coast  charts. 

4 bundles  telegraph  wires. 

1 box  gutta  percha  wire.s. 

4 boxes  batteries. 

1 box  machine  paper. 

1 box  zinc  plates. 

1 box  insulators. 

1 box  connecting  apparatus. 

1 box  machine  weights. 

1 box  acid. 

1 box  seed. 

Large  quantity  of  agricultural  implements, 
&c.,  &c.,  &c. 


416 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


expressly  allotted  for  the  purpose.  When  communication  was  opened  up  be- 
tween the  operators  at  either  extremity,  the  Japanese  watched  with  intense 
curiosity  the  modus  operandi,  and  were  greatly  amazed  to  find  that  in  an 
instant  of  time  messages  were  conveyed  in  the  English,  Dutch,  and  Japanese 
languages  from  building  to  building.  Day  after  day  the  dignitaries  and 
many  of  the  people  would  gather,  and,  eagerly  beseeching  the  operators  to 
work  the  telegraph,  would  watch  with  unabated  interest  the  sending  and  re- 
ceiving of  messages. 

Nor  did  the  railway,  under  the  direction  of  Engineers  Gay  and  Danby, 
with  its  Lilliputian  locomotive,  car,  and  tender,  excite  less  interest.  All  the 
parts  of  the  mechanism  were  perfect,  and  the  car  was  a most  tasteful  speci- 
men of  workmanship,  but  so  small  that  it  could  hardly  carry  a child  of  six 
years  of  age.  The  J apanese,  however,  were  not  to  be  cheated  out  of  a ride, 
and,  as  they  were  unable  to  reduce  themselves  to  the  capacity  of  the  inside 
of  the  carriage,  they  betook  themselves  to  the  roof.  It  was  a spectacle  not 
a little  ludicrous  to  behold  a dignified  mandarin  whirling  around  the  circu- 
lar road  at  the  rate  of  twenty  miles  an  hour,  with  his  loose  robes  flying  in 
the  wind.  As  he  clung  with  a desperate  hold  to  the  edge  of  the  roof,  grin- 
ning with  intense  interest,  and  his  huddled  up  body  shook  convulsively  with 
a kind  of  laughing  timidity,  while  the  car  spun  rapidly  around  the  circle,  you 
might  have  supposed  that  the  movement,  somehow  or  other,  was  dependent 
rather  upon  the  enormous  exertions  of  the  uneasy  mandarin  than  upon  the 
power  of  the  little  puffing  locomotive  which  was  so  easily  performing  its 
work. 

Although  the  Japanese  authorities  were  still  very  jealous  of  any  inter- 
course on  the  part  of  the  Americans  with  the  people,  and  did  all  they  could 
to  prevent  it,  still  there  was  necessarily  a good  deal  of  intermingling.  The 
ships  of  the  squadron  were  being  daily  supplied  with  water  and  provisions, 
for  which  the  officials  of  the  government  had  now  consented  to  receive  pay- 
ment, but  they  insisted  upon  conducting  all  the  regulations,  and  provided 
their  own  boats  and  laborers  for  the  purpose.  There  was,  however,  what 
with  the  necessary  passing  to  and  from  the  ships  with  the  supplies,  and  the 
arranging  and  working  the  telegraphic  apparatus,  and  the  toy  railway,  almost 
daily  intercourse  between  the  American  officers,  sailors,  and  marines,  and  the 
Japanese  mandarins,  officials  and  laborers. 

The  J apanese  always  evinced  an  inordinate  curiosity,  for  the  gratification 
of  which  the  various  articles  of  strange  fabric,  and  the  pieces  of  mechanism, 
of  ingenious  and  novel  invention,  brought  from  the  United  States,  gave  them 
a full  opportunity.  They  were  not  satisfied  with  the  minutest  examination 
of  all  things,  so  surprisingly  wonderful  as  they  appeared  to  them,  but  fol- 
lowed the  officers  and  men  about  and  seized  upon  every  occasion  to  examine 
each  part  of  their  dress.  The  laced  caps,  boots,  swords,  and  tailed  coats  of 
the  officers;  the  tarpaulins,  jackets,  and  trowsers  of  the  men,  all  came  in  for 


CUEIOSITY  OF  THE  JAPANESE. 


417 


the  closest  scrutiny ; and  a tailor  in  search  of  a new  cut  or  a latest  fashion, 
could  not  have  been  more  exacting  in  his  observations  than  the  inquisitive 
Japanese,  as  he  fingered  the  broadcloth,  smoothed  down  the  nap  with  his 
long  delicate  hands,  pulled  a lappel  here,  adjusted  a collar  there,  now  fathomed 
the  depth  of  a pocket,  and  again  peered  curiously  into  the  inner  recesses  of 
Jack’s  loose  toilette.  They  eagerly  sought  to  possess  themselves  of  anything 
that  pertained  to  the  dress  of  their  visitors,  and  showed  a peculiar  passion 
for  buttons.  They  would  again  and  again  ask  for  a button,  and  when  pre- 
sented with  the  cheap  gift,  they  appeared  immediately  gratified,  and  stowed 
it  away  as'if  it  were  of  the  greatest  value.  It  is  possible  that  their  affection 
for  buttons  and  high  appreciation  of  their  value,  may  be  owing  to  the  rarity 
of  the  article  in  Japan,  for  it  is  a curious  fact,  that  the  simple  convenience 
of  a button  is  but  little  used  in  any  article  of  Japanese  dress;  strings  and 
various  bindings  being  the  only  mode  of  fastening  the  garments.  When 
visiting  the  ships,  the  mandarins  and  their  attendants  were  never  at  rest ; but 
went  about  peering  into  every  nook  and  corner,  peeping  into  the  muzzles  of 
the  guns,  examining  curiously  the  small-arms,  handling  the  ropes,  measuring 
the  boats,  looking  eagerly  into  the  engine-room,  and  watching  every  move- 
ment of  the  engineers  and  workmen  as  they  busily  moved,  in  and  about,  the  gi- 
gantic machinery  of  the  steamers.  They  were  not  contented  with  merely  ob- 
serving with  their  eyes,  but  were  constantly  taking  out  their  writing  materials, 
their  mulberry-bark  paper,  and  their  India  ink  and  hair  pencils,  which  they 
always  carried  in  a pocket  within  the  left  breast  of  their  loose  robes,  and 
making  notes  and  sketches.  The  Japanese  had  all  apparently  a strong  picto- 
rial taste,  and  looked  with  great  delight  upon  the  engravings  and  pictures 
which  were  shown  them,  but  their  own  performances  appeared  exceedingly 
rude  and  inartistic.  Every  man,  however,  seemed  anxious  to  try  his  skill 
at  drawing,  and  they  were  constantly  taking  the  portraits  of  the  Americans, 
and  sketches  of  the  various  articles  that  appeared  curious  to  them,  with  a 
result,  which,  however  satisfactory  it  might  have  been  to  the  artists,  (and  it 
must  be  conceded  they  exhibited  no  little  exultation,)  was  far  from  showing 
any  encouraging  advance  in  art.  It  should,  however,  be  remarked,  that 
the  artists  were  not  professional.  Our  future  pages  will  show  more  artistic 
skill,  than  the  rude  specimens  here  alluded  to  would  have  led  one  to  suppose 
existed  in  Japan.  The  Japanese  are,  undoubtedly,  like  the  Chinese,  a very 
imitative,  adaptative,  and  compliant  people ; and  in  these  characteristics  may 
be  discovered  a promise  of  the  comparatively  easy  introduction  of  foreign 
customs  and  habits,  if  not  of  the  nobler  principles  and  better  life  of  a higher 
civilization. 

Notwithstanding  the  Japanese  are  so  fond  of  indulging  their  curiosity, 
they  are  by  no  means  communicative  about  .themselves.  They  allege,  as  a 
reason  for  their  provoking  reserve,  that  their  laws  forbid  them  to  communicate 
to  foreigners  anything  relating  to  their  counti’y  and  its  institutions,  habits, 
27 


418 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


and  customs.  This  silence  on  the  part  of  the  Japanese  was  a serious  obstacle 
to  acquiring  that  minute  information  about  a strange  people  of  whom  curios- 
ity is  naturally  on  the  alert  to  know  everything.  Much  progress  will,  how- 
ever, never  be  obtained  toward  a thorough  knowledge  of  Japan,  until  some 
of  our  men  of  intelligence  are  established  in  the  country  in  the  character  of 
consular  agents,  merchants,  or  missionaries,  who  may  thus  be  enabled  to 
acquire  the  language,  and  mingle  in  intimate  social  relations  with  the 
people. 

The  common  people  were  found  much  more  disposed  to  fraternize  than 
were  the  Japanese  officials.  It  seemed  evident  that  nothing  but  a fear  of 
punishment  deterred  the  former  from  entering  into  free  intercourse  with  the 
Americans ; but  they  were  closely  watched  by  their  superiors,  as  in  fact  the 
laiter  were  by  their  equals. 

In  Japan,  as  in  Lew  Chew,  probably,  a closer  intimacy  would  have 
ensued,  during  the  visits  of  the  squadron,  with  all  classes,  if  they  had  been 
allowed  to  follow  their  own  natural  inclinations,  and  had  not  been  so  jealously 
guarded  by  the  numerous  spies.  No  one,  even  of  the  highest  dignitaries, 
is  intrusted  with  public  business  of  importance,  without  having  one  or  more 
associated  with  him,  who  is  ever  on  the  alert  to  detect  and  take  note  of  the 
slightest  suspicion  of  delinquency. 

Kura-Kawa-Kahei,  the  prefect,  and  Yenoske,  the  interpreter,  paid  almost 
daily  visits  to  the  ships,  and  had  always  something  to  communicate  in 
regard  to  supplying  the  vessels  with  water  and  fresh  provisions,  the 
arrangements  for  which  were  under  their  especial  care.  When  they  came 
on  board,  as  they  were  subordinate  dignitaries,  they  were  not  received 
by  the  Commodore  himself,  but  by  some  of  his  chief  oflBcers,  who  were 
delegated  for  the  purpose,  and  acted  as  his  medium  of  communication  with 
them.  After  one  of  these  interviews,  (March  14,)  as  Kura-Kawa  and 
Yenoske  were  about  taking  leave,  a Japanese  official  hurried  aboard  from 
Kanagawa,  and,  in  a state  of  considerable  excitement,  reported  that  an 
American  officer  had  passed  through  that  town,  and  was  walking  very  fast 
toward  Yedo.  His  appearance,  so  said  the  messenger,  was  causing  great 
excitement,  and  it  was  feared  that  unpleasant  consequences  might  ensue. 
The  Japanese  officials,  on  hearing  this,  declared  that  the  conduct  of  the 
Amercian  officer  was  in  violation  of  their  laws  and  of  the  promises  made  to 
them  by  the  Admiral.  The  Commodore,  when  informed  of  the  fact,  directed 
guns  to  be  fired  immediately,  and  a signal  made  recalling  all  boats  and 
officers  to  their  resj^ective  ships.  He  also  prepared  written  orders,  which 
were  sent  in  different  directions,  commanding  all  persons  belonging  to  the 
squadron  to  repair  immediately  on  board.  A copy  of  these  orders  was,  on 
the  instant,  dispatched  by  the  Japanese  officials,  then  in  the  Powhatan,  in 
pursuit  of  the  American  officer,  reported  to  be  on  his  way  to  Yedo.  The 


CHAPLAIN  BITTINGEE’S  EXCURSION.  419 


Commodore’s  prompt  action  was  handsomely  acknowledged  by  the  authori- 
ties, who  sent  to  him,  next  day,  a formal  expression  of  their  gratitude. 

The  American  ofiBcer,  whose  intrusion  had  created  so  great  an  excite- 
ment, was  Mr.  Bittinger,  the  chaplain  of  the  steamer  Susquehanna.  While 
taking  a walk  on  shore,  this  gentleman’s  curiosity  prompted  him  to  extend 
his  observations  somewhat  beyond  the  usual  circuit  of  some  four  or  five 
miles,  within  which  the  Japanese  authorities  had  contracted  the  movements 
of  their  visitors.  Starting  from  Yoku-hama,  opposite  to  where  the  squadron 
was  anchored,  the  enterprising  investigator  pushed  on  to  the  town  of  Kana- 
gawa,  some  three  miles  further  up  the  bay,  where  he  was  accosted  by  some 
of  the  Japanese  oflScials  and  the  interpreter,  Gohatsiro,  who  urgently  soli- 
cited him  to  return.  He  was  not,  however,  to  be  so  easily  balked  of  his 
purpose,  and  continued  his  journey,  followed  by  the  Japanese  olEcers,  who 
dogged  his  steps  at  every  turn  until  he  reached  Kamasaki.  Here  there  was 
a river  to  cross,  and  he  tried  to  prevail  upon  the  Japanese  boatmen  to  ferry 
him  to  the  opposite  side,  but  they  refused  in  spite  of  bribes  and  threats,  in 
the  course  of  which  the  chaplain,  if  the  Japanese  accounts  are  to  be  be- 
lieved, drew  his  sword.  He  now  pursued  his  way  higher  up  the  river  with 
the  hope  of  finding  a place  that  might  be  forded,  and  had  just  reached  a 
very  promising  looking  crossing,  the  depths  of  which  he  was  about  trying, 
when  the  messenger,  who  had  hurried  in  rapid  dispatch,  from  the  steamer 
Powhatan,  accosted  him  with  the  written  order  of  the  Commodore.  “ He,” 
thus  reported  the  Japanese  authorities,  with  their  usual  minuteness  of  de- 
scription, “ read  it,  walked  four  steps  further,  read  it  again,  then  suddenly 
returned,  and  intimated  his  intention  of  going  back  to  the  ship.”  The  chap- 
lain, in  the  course  of  his  wanderings,  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  one  of 
the  largest  towns  of  Japan,  that  of  Kanagawa,  which,  with  its  numerous 
wide  streets,  and  its  crowded  population,  had  quite  an  imposing  appearance. 
He  penetrated  into  several  of  the  dwellings  and  temples,  and,  by  his  per- 
tinacious perseverance,  succeeded  in  obtaining,  in  one  of  the  shops,  some 
Japanese  money  in  exchange  for  American  coin.  The  native  authorities 
seemed  particularly  worried  in,  regard  to  this  last  matter,  as  it  was  so  great 
an  offence  against  their  laws.  The  Japanese,  in  their  report  of  the  occur- 
rence, stated  that  the  American  officer  had  gone  into  a shop  by  the  road- 
side and  asked  the  keeper  to  allow  him  to  see  some  coins..  The  Japanese 
shopman  complied  with  the  request,  but  as  he  seemed  somewhat  chary  in  the 
display  of  his  treasure,  the  chaplain  insisted  upon  seeing  more,  which  de- 
mand was  also  granted.  Scales  were  now  asked  for,  which  being  brought, 
the  chaplain  took  out  some  silver  pieces,  and  weighing  them  in  one  balance 
against  the  Japanese  gold  and  silver  coins,  mixed  indiscriminately  in  a heap, 
in  the  other,  transferred  the  latter  to  his  pockets,  and  left  his  American 
coin  to  console  the  shopman  for  the  loss  of  his  Japanese  change.  The 
authorities  further  reported  that  the  chaplain  was  not  content  with  gentle 


420 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


exhortations  and  mild  persuasions,  but  had  used  threatening  gestures,  in 
which  his  drawn  sword  had  figured  conspicuously.  They,  howerer,  mildly 
and  courteously  added  in  their  report,  “ that  they  supposed  that  it  was  with 
no  intention  to  do  harm,  but  for  his  own  amusement.”  There  was  a gen- 
tle and  graceful  charity  in  the  suggestion  of  an  apology  for  the  conduct  of 
the  American  officer,  which  showed  an  example  in  beautiful  accordance 
with  the  precepts  of  the  faith  of  the  intruder,  and  well  worthy  of  imitation. 
On  the  next  day  Yenoske  brought  back  the  sum  of  three  dollars  and  a half 
in  American  silver  coin,  which  had  been  left  in  compulsory  exchange  with 
the  Japanese  shopman,  and  stated  that  six  pieces  of  gold,  six  of  silver,  and 
the  same  number  of  copper,  were  in  possession  of  the  chaplain.  Yenoske 
requested  that  the  Japanese  money  should  be  returned,  and  its  restora- 
tion was  promised. 

The  day  appointed  for  the  conference,  on  shore,  with  the  Commodore 
(March  16),  proved  very  stormy,  and,  accordingly,  the  interview  was  post- 
poned until  the  next  morning.  In  the  mean  time,  a communication  had  been 
received  from  the  commissioners,  in  answer  to  several  notes  of  the  Com- 
modore, in  regard  to  a proposed  treaty  with  Japan,  on  the  basis  of  that  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  China : 

Note  from  the  Japanese  Commissioners  to  Commodore  Perry. 

At  our  personal  interview,  on  the  8th,  you  presented  us  a paper  in  which 
the  President’s  views  were  expressed ; and,  on  the  11th,  we  received  a reply 
to  our  letter,  in  which  the  same  views  were  given  as  at  the  interview  in  rela- 
tion to  the  commerce  your  country  now  has  with  China  ; both  of  which  we 
have  carefully  examined,  and  learn  that  you  wish  to  ascertain  whether  we 
are  ready  to  adopt  the  same  that  the  Chinese  have.  The  burden  of  that 
which  you  presented  on  the  8th  is  similar  to  that  which  was  sought  in  the 
President’s  letter,  and  you  gave  it,  to  learn  whether  we  would  adopt  it  or 
not.  In  our  letter,  it  was  plainly  stated  that  our  Emperor  had  but  lately 
acceded  to  his  throne,  and  all  the  numerous  aflfairs  of  government  required 
to  be  quietly  settled,  and  that  he  had  no  leisure  for  extraneous  negotiations. 
Consequently,  he  last  autumn  sent,  through  the  superintendent  of  the  Dutch 
shipping,  to  make  this  known  to  you,  for  you  to  communicate  it  to  the  Uni- 
ted States. 

Among  those  points  which  you  now  propose  for  adoption,  the  two  items 
of  extending  succor  and  protection  to  the  distressed  and  wrecked  vessels  on 
our  coast,  and  of  furnishing  coal  to  passing  ships  and  supplying  provisions  and 
other  necessaries  to  those  who  may  be  in  need  of  them,  are  founded  in  rea- 
son, and  ought  to  be  granted  without  hesitation.  But  as  to  opening  a trade, 
such  as  is  now  carried  on  with  China  by  your  country,  we  certainly  cannot 
yet  bring- it  about.  The  feelings  and  manners  of  our  people  are  very  unlike 


JAPANESE  DECLINE  THE  CHINESE  TREATY.  421 


those  of  outer  nations ; and  it  will  be  exceedingly  difficult,  even  if  you  wish 
it,  to  immediately  change  the  old  regulations  for  those  of  other  countries. 
Moreover,  the  Chinese  have  long  had  intercourse  with  western  nations,  while 
we  have  had  dealings  at  Nagasaki  with  only  the  people  of  Holland  and  Chi- 
na. Beside  them,  it  mattered  not  for  us  to  trade  with  those  of  any  other 
land ; and  this  has  made  our  exchange  of  commodities  very  small. 

The  ships  of  your  country  must,  therefore,  begin  your  trade  at  Nagasaki 
during  the  first  moon  of  our  next  year,  where  they  can  procure  fuel,  water, 
coal,  and  other  things ; but  as  our  ideas  of  things,  and  what  we  each  like, 
are  still  very  dissimilar,  as  are  also  our  notions  of  the  prices  or  worth  of 
things,  this  makes  it  indispensable  that  we  both  first  make  a mutual  trial 
and  examination,  and  then,  after  five  years,  we  can  open  another  port  for 
trade,  which  will  be  convenient  for  your  ships  when  passing. 

The  points  of  the  treaty  you  have  now  presented  for  our  deliberation, 
and  this  now  given  to  .you,  can  be  retained  by  each  as  evidence  of  our  sepa- 
rate views. 

Kayei,  Itliyear,  2d  moon,  Ylth  day.  {March  15,  1854.) 

HAYASHI. 

IDO. 

IZAWA. 

UDONO. 

The  next  day,  (March  17th,)  the  Commodore,  accompanied  by  his  inter- 
preters, secretary,  and  two  or  three  of  his  officers,  met  the  commissioners 
at  the  treaty  house,  and  after  some  preliminary  compliments  in  regard  to 
the  presents,  he  was  conducted  as  before  from  the  hall  of  reception  to  the 
inner  room  of  conference.  The  Commodore,  on  the  present  occasion,  had 
dispensed  with  the  military  display,  and  much  of  the  ceremony  of  the  for- 
mer visit,  (which,  as  we  have  intimated  in  a previous  chapter,  was  merely 
for  effect,)  as  had  the  Japanese  commissioners,  although  the  negotiations 
were  carried  on  with  the  usual  formalities. 

Hayashi,  the  chief  dignitary,  opened  the  day’s  business  by  asking  whether 
the  Commodore  was  satisfied  with  the  Japanese  propositions  for  a treaty, 
which  had  been  sent  on  the  previous  day,  alluding  to  those  embodied  in  the 
note  printed  above.  The  Commodore  having  replied  that  their  communica- 
tion was  not  accompanied  with  a Dutch  translation,  the  Japanese  presented 
one  immediately,  and  the  discussion  began.  The  various  propositions  of  the 
J apanese,  and  the  answers  have  been  thus  formularised : 


422 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN, 


PROPOSITIONS  OF  JAPANESE  COMMISSIONERS,  WITH  REPLIES  OF  COJDIODOEE 

PERRY. 

First  Japanese  proposition. 

From  the  next  first  month,  wood,  water,  provisions,  coal,  and  other 
things,  the  productions  of  this  country,  that  American  ships  may  need,  can 
he  had  at  Nagasaki ; and  after  five  years  from  this,  a port  in  another  prin- 
cipality shall  be  opened  for  ships  to  go  to. 

Note. — Those  articles  to  be  charged  at  the  same  prices  that  are  charged 
to  the  Dutch  and  Chinese,  and  to  be  paid  for  in  gold  and  silver  coin. 

(Jommodore  Perry's  reply. 

Agreed  to ; but  one  or  more  ports  must  be  substituted  for  Nagasaki, 
as  that  is  out  of  the  route  of  American  commerce ; and  the  time  for  the 
opening  of  the  ports  to  be  agreed  upon  must  be  immediate,  or  within  a 
space  of  sixty  days.  The  manner  of  paying  for  articles  received  shall  be 
arranged  by  treaty. 

Second  Japanese  proposition. 

Upon  whatever  part  of  the  coast  people  may  be  shipwrecked,  those  peo- 
ple and  their  property  shall  be  sent  to  Nagasaki  by  sea. 

Note. — When,  after  five  years  shall  have  expired,  and  another  harbor 
shall  be  opened,  those  shipwrecked  men  will  be  sent  either  there  or  to 
Nagasaki,  as  may  be  most  convenient. 

Commodore  Perry's  reply. 

Agreed  to,  excepting  as  to  the  port  to  which  the  shipwrecked  men  are 
to  be  carried. 


Third  Japanese  proposition. 

It  being  impossible  for  us  to  ascertain  who  are  pirates  and  who  are  not, 
such  men  shall  not  be  allowed  to  walk  about  wherever  they  please. 

Commodore  Perry's  reply. 

Shipwrecked  men  and  others  who  may  resort  to  the  ports  of  Japan  are 
not  to  be  confined,  and  shall  enjoy  all  the  freedom  granted  to  Japanese,  and 
be  subject  to  no  further  restraints.  They  shall,  however,  be  held  amena- 
ble to  just  laws,  or  such  as  may  be  agreed  upon  by  treat}". 

It  is  altogether  inconsistent  with  justice,  that  persons  thrown  by  the 
providence  of  God  upon  the  shores  of  a friendly  nation  should  be  looked 
upon  and  treated  as  pirates,  before  any  proof  shall  be  given  of  their  being 


CONFERENCE  WITH  THE  COMMISSIONERS.  423 


SO ; and  tlie  continuance  of  the  treatment  which  has  hitherto  been  visited 
upon  strangers  will  no  longer  be  tolerated  by  the  government  of  the  United 
States,  so  far  as  Americans  are  concerned. 

Fourth  Japanese  proposition. 

At  Nagasaki  they  shall  have  no  intercourse  with  the  Dutch  and 
Chinese. 

Commodore  Perry's  reply. 

The  Americans  will  never  submit  to  the  restrictions  which  have  been 
imposed  upon  the  Dutch  and  Chinese,  and  any  fui’ther  allusion  to  such 
restraints  will  be  considered  offensive. 

Fifth  Japanese  proposition. 

After  the  other  port  is  opened,  if  there  be  any  other  sort  of  articles 
wanted,  or  business  which  requires  to  be  arranged,  there  shall  be  careful 
deliberation  between  the  parties  in  order  to  settle  them. 

Commodore  Perry's  reply. 

Agreed  to,  so  far  as  it  applies  to  ports  other  than  Nagasaki. 

Sixth  Japanese  proposition. 

Lew  Chew  is  a very  distant  country,  and  the  opening  of  its  harbor  can- 
not be  discussed  by  us. 

Commodore  Perry's  reply. 

As  there  can  be  no  good  reason  why  the  Americans  should  not  commu- 
nicate freely  with  Lew  Chew,  this  point  is  insisted  on. 

Seventh  J apanese  proposition. 

Matsmai  is  also  a very  distant  country,  and  belongs  to  its  prince ; this 
cannot  be  settled  now,  but  a definite  answer  on  this  subject  shall  be  given 
when  the  ships  are  expected  next  spring. 

Commodore  Perry's  reply. 

The  same  with  respect  to  the  port  of  Matsmai,  for  our  whaling-ships, 
steamers,  and  other  vessels. 

These  propositions  and  replies  were  consecutively  discussed,  the  com- 
missioners interposing  with  great  pertinacity  all  possible  difficulties,  and 
contending  that  the  laws  of  the  Empire  were  of  such  a character  as 
positively  forbade  the  concessions  demanded.  They  insisted  that  Naga- 
saki was  the  place  set  apart  for  strangers ; they  stated  that  the  inhabitants 


424 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


and  authorities  of  that  city  had  been  trained  to  enforce  the  laws  with 
respect  to  foreigners,  and  declared  that  if  the  Americans  were  to  have 
another  port  assigned  to  them,  five  years  would  be  required  to  make  similar 
preparations.  The  Commodore  replied  that  the  fact  of  Nagasaki  having 
been  especially  appropriated  to  foreigners  was  one  of  the  grounds  of  his 
objections  to  it;  that  its  inhabitants  and  authorities,  having  been  so  long 
accustomed  to  the  servility  of  the  Dutch,  would  doubtless  exact  more  from 
the  Americans  than  they  would  be  inclined  to  submit  to,  and  serious  conse- 
quences might  follow.  Moreover,  the  Commodore  declared  that  he  desired 
it  to  be  well  understood,  that  his  countrymen  visiting  Japan  must  be  free 
from  all  those  oppressive  laws  which  have  been  hitherto  imposed  upon 
strangers.  In  a word,  he  declared  emphatically  that  he  would  not  think 
of  accepting  Nagasaki  as  one  of  the  ports. 

The  Commodore  then  informed  the  commissioners  that  he  should  expect, 
in  the  course  of  time,  five  ports  to  be  opened  to  the  American  flag.  He 
would,  however,  he  said,  be  content  for  the  present  with  three : one  on  the 
island  of  Nippon,  say  either  Uraga  or  Kagosima;  another  in  Yesso,  suggest- 
ing Matsmai,  and  a third  in  Lew  Chew,  that  of  Napha.  In  regard  to  the 
remaining  two  he  was  willing  to  defer  all  discussion  to  some  future  time. 

After  many  evasions,  and  their  usual  protestations  of  legal  difficulties, 
they  at  last  answered  that,  as  the  Commodore  positively  refused  to  accept 
Nagasaki,  and  as  they  themselves  objected  to  Uraga,  that  Simoda  according- 
ly was  tormally  proposed.  In  regard  to  Lew  Chew,  the  commissioners 
declared  that,  as  it  was  a distant  dependency,  over  which  the  Emperor  of 
Japan  had  but  limited  control,  they  could  entertain  no  proposition.  And 
as  for  Matsmai,  that  also  stood  in  similar  relations  to  the  Japanese  govern- 
ment. 

Notwithstanding  all  these  objections,  the  Commodore  still  persisted  in 
his  demands,  as  he  had  always  to  be  on  his  guard  against  the  deceitful 
diplomacy  of  the  people  with  whom  he  was  negotiating.  Finding  that  the 
Commodore  was  resolute,  and  that  all  their  cunning  devices  to  bend  him 
from  Ills  purpose  were  of  no  avail,  the  commissioners  proposed  to  consider 
the  matter,  and  retired  to  another  apartment  for  private  consultation. 
After  an  absence  of  an  hour  they  returned,  and  reported  as  the  result 
of  their  deliberations,  that  a longer  time  would  be  required  before  their 
decision  could  be  given  in  regard  to  the  opening  of  Matsmai  They  re- 
marked, in  addition,  that  it  was  not  in  the  power  of  the  Emperor  to  grant 
the  use  of  this  port  without  consulting  the  prince  rmder  whose  hereditary 
right  it  Was  governed,  and  that  to  do  this  would  require  a year,  at  the  expi- 
ration of  which  time  they  would  be  prepared  to  give  a reply.  The  Commo- 
dore then  told  them  that  he  could  not  leave  Japan  without  an  answer  of 
some  kind,  and  that  if  the  prince  to  whom  they  referred  was  an  independent 
sovereign,  he  would  go  himself  to  Matsmai  and  negotiate  with  him. 


VISIT  OF  TENOSKE. 


425 


■ This  point  was  finally  settled  for  the  time,  by  the  Japanese  saying  that 
they  would  give  a definite  answer  on  Thursday,  the  twenty-third  of  March. 
In  regard  to  Simoda,  it  was  agreed  that  the  Commodore  should  dispatch 
one  or  more  vessels  to  that  port,  and  the  commissioners  a Japanese  officer 
of  rank  to  meet  them,  in  order  that  the  harbor  might  be  examined,  and  its 
fitness  for  the  required  purposes  determined,  it  having  been  clearly  under- 
stood that  if  it  did  not  answer  the  expectations  of  the  Americans  in  all 
respects,  another  place,  somewhere  in  the  southern  part  of  Nippon,  would 
be  insisted  on.  The  Vandalia  and  Southampton  were  accordingly  dis- 
patched, on  the  twentieth  of  March,  to  examine  the  harbor  of  Simoda. 

The  day  after  the  conference  on  shore,  Moryama  Yenoske,  the  chief 
interpreter,  accompanied  by  two  Japanese  officials,  came  on  board  the 
Powhatan  and  submitted  a paper,  in  the  Dutch  language,  containing  a 
report  by  the  Japanese  themselves  of  the  propositions  made  by  the  Com- 
modore, and  it  proved  that  the  commissioners  were  perfectly  cognizant  of  his 
views.*  On  the  occasion  of  this  visit  Yenoske  asked  for  the  Japanese  coins 

* This  Japanese  report  is  curious  as  an  evidence  of  the  precision  with  which  the  com- 
missioners conducted  the  negotiations,  and  of  the  exactitude  with  which  their  reporter,  who 
was  constantly  present,  noted  the  proceedings  of  the  conference : 

Japanese  statement  of  points  agreed  upon  in  the  interview  of  Commodore  Perry  with  the  Japanese 
commissioners^  March  17,  1854. 

1st.  The  citizens  of  the  United  States  will  not  submit  to  degvadations  like  those  imposed 
upon  the  Dutch  and  Chinese,  in  their  confinement  at  Nagasaki ; that  place  is  not  convenient 
for  ships  to  resort  to,  and  does  not  answer  the  purpose. 

2d.  Lew  Chew  is  a very  distant  country,  and  a definite  answer  cannot  he  given. 

3d.  Matsmai  is  a very  distant  place,  and  belongs  to  a prince.  This  point  cannot  be 
settled  now ; some  time  will  be  required  for  negotiation,  until  the  first  mouth  of  our  next 
year ; because  the  concurrence  of  the  central  government  and  of  the  prince  of  that  country 
are  both  necessary  to  effect  a result ; a negotiation  of  the  admiral  with  that  prince,  there- 
fore, would  be  to  no  purpose. 

It  was  stated  that  an  answer  had  better  be  given  at  once.  There  was  time  enough  to 
have  that  harbor  opened  by  the  above  mentioned  time  ; that  it  was  not  probable  that  in 
the  first  year  that  harbor  would  be  resorted  to  by  many  ships,  because  some  time  would 
be  required  to  communicate  this  decision  to  the  government,  and  to  have  it  generally 
known. 

In  consideration  thereof,  it  was  agreed  that  a final  answer  should  be  given  on  the  23d 
of  March,  (the  26th  of  tl  '3  Japanese  month.) 

It  being  mentioned  tnat,  besides  Lew  Chew  and  Matsmai,  more  harbors  in  Nippon 
wordd  be  requued,  it  was  suggested  that  the  harbor  of  Simoda  could  be  opened  for  the 
ships  of  the  United  States,  and  agreed  that  two  ships  of  the  squadron  would  sail  on  the 
19th  of  March  to  make  a survey  of  that  harbor;  and,  further,  that  some  Japanese  officers, 
to  go  by  land,  would  arrive  at  that  place  on  the  22d  instant,  and  that  the  captains  of  those 
ships  would  await  the  arrival  of  those  officers  before  proceeding  to  survey,  permit  any  one 
to  land,  &c. 

That  shipwrecked  men  should  meet  with  kind  treatment,  and  be  as  free  as  in  other 
countries. 

Agreement  made  upon  due  consideration. 


426 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


which  had  been  obtained  by  the  chaplain  of  the  Susquehanna  in  the  course 
of  his  wanderings  on  shore,  and  they  were  delivered  to  him.  On  the  inter- 
preter and  his  companions  taking  leave,  presents  were  given  to  them,  as 
they  had  been  also  to  the  commissioners  after  the  last  interview  at  the 
treaty  house.  These  gifts  consisted  of  Colt’s  pistols,  and  various  articles 
of  American  manufacture  of  no  great  value. 

On  one  of  these  visits,  which  were  regularly  kept  up  almost  without  the 
intermission  of  a single  day,  the  Japanese  officials  were  asked  what  had  been 
the  result  of  the  expedition  of  the  Kussians  to  Nagasaki  ? They  replied 
that  no  treaty  of  any  kind  whatever  had  been  made  with  them ; but  they 
had  been  told  that  the  Emperor  had  so  many  affairs  to  dispose  of  that  their 
propositions  could  not  be  entertained  at  that  time ; although,  perhaps,  in 
the  course  of  a few  years,  circumstances  might  be  more  favorable  for  nego- 
tiation. This  they  declared  was  the  constant  answer  to  their  repeated 
demands.  The  Russians  had  been,  however,  supplied  with  wood,  water, 
and  provisions.  One  of  the  chief  objects  of  their  visit,  said  the  Japanese, 
was  to  define  with  precision  the  frontier  of  Tesso. 

On  the  twenty-third  of  March  the  usual  deputation  visited  the  Powhat- 
an, bearing  with  them  the  final  answer  of  the  commissioners  in  regard  to 
the  opening  of  the  port  of  Matsmai.  The  document  presented  was  written 
in  the  Japanese,  Chinese,  and  Dutch  languages;  of  the  latter  of  which 
the  following  is  a translation  : 

“ Ships  of  the  United  States  of  North  America,  in  want  of  provisions, 
wood,  and  water,  shall  be  supplied  in  the  harbor  of  ‘ Hakodadi,’  as  has  been 
desired.  Some  time  will  be  required  to  make  preparations,  inasmuch  as  this 
harbor  is  very  distant;  consequently  a commencement  can  be  made  the  7th 
month  of  next  year,  (the  17th  September,  1855.) 

“ Seals  attached  by  order  of  the  high  gentlemen. 

“ MOBYAMA  TENOSKE.” 

Kaei  Sitzinen  Nigoats.  (March  23,  1854.) 

The  Commodore  assented  to  the  proposition  of  the  commissioners  assign- 
ing the  port  of  Hakodadi,  which  was  near  the  city  of  Matsmai,  and  was 
reported  to  have  a better  harbor,  on  the  condition  that,  on  examination,  it 
proved  equal  to  the  favorable  description  given  of  it.  He,  however,  ex- 
pressed his  desire  that  it  should  be  opened  at  an  earlier  date  than  that 
proposed. 

This  concession  of  Hakodadi  betokened  a favorable  prospect  for  a success- 
ful issue  to  the  great  ^purpose  of  the  expedition ; and  the  Commodore  now 
looked  forward  with  sanguine  expectations  to  an  early  consummation  of  his 
labors  in  the  formation  of  a satisfactory  treaty. 


CHAPTER  XX 


Cordiality  between  Japanese  and  Americans. — Presents  from  the  Japanese.— Coins. — Singular  custom  of 
including  rice,  charcoal,  and  dogs,  in  a.  royal  Japanese  present. — Japanese  wrestlers. — Their  immense 
size  and  strength, — Exhibition  in  the  ring. — Contrast  in  the  exhibition  of  the  telegraph  and  locomo- 
tive.— Parade  of  the  marines. — Yenoske  visits  tho  flag-ship,  and  seeks  to  draw  the  Commodore  out.— 
Failure. — Entertainment  of  Chinese  Commissioners  on  board  the  flag-ship. — Great  cordiality. — Per- 
formance on  ship  board  of  “ Ethiopian  minstrels  ” to  the  great  amusement  of  the  Japanese. — Negoti- 
ations continued. — Japanese  object  to  the  immediate  opening  of  the  ports. — Finally  concede  the 
point  to  a certain  extent. — Absolute  and  persistent  refusal  to  allow  Americans  permanently  to  abide  in 
Japan. — Reluctant  consent,  after  much  discussion,  to  allow  one  consul  to  reside  at  Siraoda. — Treaty 
finally  agreed  on  and  signed. — Presents  by  Commodore  to  the  Commissioners,  that  to  the  chief  being 
the  American  flag. — Entertainment  of  the  Commodore  and  his  oflBcers  by  the  Commissioners. — Pecu- 
liarities of  the  mission  to  Japan.— Obstacles  to  making  any  treaty  at  all. — Di^spositiun  of  the  Japanese 
shown  in  the  conferences. — Particular  refusal  to  make  a treaty  allowing  American  families  or  females 
to  live  in  Japan. — Analysis  of  the  treaty.— Commodore  careful  to  secure  for  the  United  States  all 
privileges  that  might  hereafter  be  granted  by  treaty  to  other  nations. — Case  of  the  American  schoonei 
Foote. 

F T E R the  concessions 
made  hy  the  Japanese, 
related  in  the  last  chap- 
ter, the  greatest  good  feel- 
ing prevailed  on  both 
sides,  and  there  seemed 
every  prospect  of  estab- 
lishing those  national  re- 
lations which  had  been 
the  purpose  of  Commo- 
dore Perry’s  mission.  In 
accordance  with  the  har- 
mony and  friendship  which 
existed,  there  was  an  in- 
terchange of  those  cour- 
tesies by  which  mutual  good  feeling  seeks  an  outward  expression.  The 
Japanese  had  acknowledged,  with  courtly  thanks,  the  presents  which  had  been 
bestowed  on  behalf  of  the  government,  and  now,  on  the  24th  of  March, 
invited  the  Commodore  to  receive  the  various  gifts  which  had  been  ordered 
by  the  Emperor  in  return,  as  a public  recognition  of  the  courtesy  of  the 
United  States. 

The  Commodore,  accordingly,  landed  at  Yoku-hama,  with  a suite  of 


1 


428  EXPJDDITION  TO  JAPAN, 

officers  and  liis  interpreters,  and  was  received  at  the  treaty  house,  with  the 
usual  ceremonies,  hy  the  high  commissioners.  The  large  reception  room 
was  crowded  with  the  various  presents.  The  red-covered  settees,  numerous 
tables  and  stands,  and  even  the  floors,  were  heaped  with  the  difierent  arti- 
cles. The  objects  were  of  Japanese  manufacture,  and  consisted  of  speci- 
mens of  rich  brocades  and  silks,  of  their  famous  lacquered  ware,  such  as 
chow-chow  boxes,  tables,  trays,  and  goblets,  all  skilfully  wrought  and  fin- 
ished with  an  exquisite  polish;  of  porcelain  cups  of  wonderful  lightness 
and  transparency,  adorned  with  figures  and  flowers  in  gold  and  variegated 
colors,  and  exhibiting  a workmanship  which  surpassed  even  that  of  the 
ware  for  which  the  Chinese  are  remarkable.  Fans,  pipe-cases,  and  articles 
of  apparel  in  ordinary  use,  of  no  great  value,  hut  of  exceeding  interest, 
were  scattered  in  among  the  more  luxurious  and  costly  objects. 

With  the  usual  order  and  neatness  which  seem  almost  instinctive  with 
the  Japanese,  the  various  presents  had  been  arranged  in  lots,  and  classified 
in  accordance  with  the  rank  of  those  for  whom  they  were  respectively  in- 
tended. The  commissioners  took  their  position  at  the  further  end  of  the 
room,  and  when  the  Commodore  and  his  suite  entered,  the  ordinary  compli- 
ments having  been  interchanged,  the  Prince  Hayashi  read  aloud,  in  Japan- 
ese, the  list  of  presents,  and  the  names  of  the  persons  to  whom  they  were 
to  he  given.  This  was  then  translated  by  Yenoske  into  Dutch,  and  by  Mr. 
Portman  into  English.  This  ceremony  being  over,  the  Commodore  was 
invited  by  the  commissioners  into  the  inner  room,  where  he  was  presented 
with  two  complete  sets  of  Japanese  coin,  three  matchlocks,  and  two  swords. 
These  gifts,  though  of  no  great  intrinsic  value,  were  very  significant  evi- 
dences of  the  desire  of  the  Japanese  to  express  their  respect  for  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  United  States.  The  mere  bestowal  of  the  coins,  in  direct 
opposition  to  the  Japanese  laws,  which  forbid,  absolutely,  all  issue  of  their 
money  beyond  the  kingdom,  was  an  act  of  marked  favor. 


JAPANESE  ROYAL  GIFTS. 


429 


As  the  Commodore  prepared  to  depart,  the  commissioners  said  that 
there  was  one  article  intended  for  the  President  which  had  not  yet  been 
exhibited.  They  accordingly  conducted  the  Commodore  and  his  officers  to 
the  beach,  where  one  or  two  hundred  sacks  of  rice  were  pointed  out,  heaped 
up  in  readiness  to  he  sent  on  hoard  the  ships.  As  that  immense  supply  of 
substantial  food  seemed  to  excite  some  wonder  on  the  part  of  the  Ameri- 
cans, Yenoske,  the  interpreter,  remarked  that  it  was  always  customary  with 
the  Japanese,  when  bestowing  royal  presents,  to  include  a certain  quantity 
of  rice,  although  he  did  not  say  whether  that  quantity  always  amounted,  as 
on  the  present  occasion,  to  hundreds  of  immense  sacks.* 

As  illustrative  of  the  usages  of  the  country,  we  subjoin,  in  a note,  the 
list  of  articles  presented  by  the  Japanese.! 

* The  Commodore,  upon  subsequent  inquiry,  learned  that  there  are  three  articles  which 
in  Japan,  as  he  understood,  always  form  part  of  an  Imperial  present.  These  are  rice, 
dried  fish,  and  dogs.  Some  also  said  that  charcoal  was  always  included.  Why  these 
should  have  been  selected,  or  what  they  particularly  symbolize,  he  did  not  learn.  The 


charcoal  was  not  omitted  in  the  gifts  on  this  occasion,  and  four  small  dogs  of  a rare  breed  were 
sent  to  the  President,  as  part  of  the  Emperor’s  gift.  We  have  observed  also  in  the  public 
prints  that  two  were  put  on  board  of  Admiral  Stirling’s  ship  for  her  Majesty  of  England. 
The  fact  that  dogs  are  always  part  of  a royal  Japanese  present  suggested  to  the  Commodore 
the  thought  that  possibly  one  species  of  spaniel  now  in  England  may  be  traced  to  a Japanese 
origin.  In  1613,  when  Captain  Saris  returned  from  Japan  to  England,  he  carried  to  the 
King  a letter  from  the  Emperor,  and  presents  in  return  for  those  which  had  been  sent  to 
him  by  his  Majesty  of  England.  Dogs  probably  formed  part  of  the  gifts,  and  thus  may 
have  been  introduced  into  the  Kingdom  the  Japanese  breed.  At  any  rate,  there  is  a 
species  of  spaniel  in  England  which  it  is  hard  to  distinguish  from  the  Japanese  dog.  The 
species  sent  as  a present  by  the  Emperor  is  by  no  means  common  even  in  Japan.  It  is 
never  seen  running  about  the  streets,  or  following  its  master  in  his  walks,  and  the  Com- 
modore was  informed  that  dogs  of  this  kind  are  costly. 


f List  of  tim  articles  recdced from  the  Japanese  government^  March  24,  1854 : 


1st.  For  the  government  of  the  United  States 
of  America,  from  the  Emperor — 

1 gold  lacquered  writing  apparatus. 

1 gold  lacquered  paper  box. 

1 gold  lacquered  book-case. 


1 lacquered  writing  table. 

1 censer  of  bronze,  (cow  shape,)  sup- 
porting silver  flower  and  stand. 

1 set  waiters. 

1 flower  holder  and  stand. 


430 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


While  contemplating  these  substantial  evidences  of  Japanese  generosity, 
the  attention  of  all  was  suddenly  riveted  upon  a body  of  monstrous  fellows, 
who  tramped  down  the  beach  like  so  many  huge  elephants.  They  were  pro- 
fessional wrestlers,  and  formed  part  of  the  retinue  of  the  princes,  who  kept 
them  for  their  private  amusement  and  for  public  entertainment.  They  were 
some  twenty-five  in  number,  and  were  men  enormously  tall  in  stature,  and 
immense  in  weight  of  flesh.  Their  scant  costume,  which  was  merely  a col- 
ored cloth  about  the  loins,  adorned  with  fringes  and  emblazoned  with  the 
armorial  bearings  of  the  prince  to  whom  each  belonged,  revealed  their  gi- 
gantic proportions  in  all  the  bloated  fulness  of  fat  and  breadth  of  muscle. 
Their  proprietors,  the  princes,  seemed  proud  of  them,  and  were  careful  to 
show  their  points  to  the  greatest  advantage  before  our  astonished  country- 
men. Some  two  or  three  of  these  huge  monsters  were  the  most  famous 


2 brasiers. 

10  pieces  fine  red  pongee. 

10  pieces  wMte  pongee. 

5 pieces  flowered  crape. 

5 pieces  red  dyed  figured  crape. 

2d.  From  Hayasbi,  first  commissioner — 

1  lacquered  writing  apparatus. 

1  lacquered  paper  box. 

1  box  of  paper. 

1  box  flowered  note  paper. 

5 boxes  stamped  note  and  letter  paper. 
4 boxes  assorted sea-sbells,  100  in  each. 
1 box  of  branch  coral  and  feather  in 
silver. 

1 lacquered  chow-chow  box. 

1 box,  set  of  three,  lacquered  goblets. 

7 boxes  cups  and  spoons  and  goblet 
cut  from  conch  shells. 

3d.  From  Ido,  2d  commissioner — 

2 boxes  lacquered  waiters,  4 in  all. 

2  boxes,  containing  20  umbrellas. 

1 box  30  coir  brooms. 

4th.  From  Izawa,  3d  commissioner — 

1 piece  red  pongee. 

1 piece  white  pongee. 

8 boxes,  13  doUs. 

1 box  bamboo  woven  articles. 

2 boxes  bamboo  stands. 

6th.  From  Udono,  4th  commisioner — 

3 pieces  striped  crape. 

2 boxes  porcelain  cups. 

1 box,  10  jars  of  soy. 

6th.  From  Matsusaki,  5th  commissioner — 

3 boxes  porcelain  goblets. 


1 box  figured  matting. 

35  bundles  oak  charcoaL 
7th.  From  Abe,  1st  Imperial  councillor  — 

14  pieces  striped  figured  silk,  (taflFeta.) 
8th — 12th.  From  each  of  other  5 Imperial 
councillors — 

10  pieces  striped  figured  silk,(taflfeta.) 
13th.  From  Emperor  to  Commodore  Perry — 
1 lacquered  writing  apparatus. 

1 lacquered  paper  box. 

3  pieces  red  pongee. 

2 pieces  white  pongee. 

2 pieces  flowered  crape. 

3 pieces  figured  dyed  crape. 

14th.  From  commissioners  to  Capt.  H.  A. 
Adams — 

3  pieces  plain  red  pongee. 

2 pieces  dyed  figured  crape. 

20  sets  lacquered  cups  and  covers. 
15th — 17th.  From  commissioners  to  Mr. 
Perry,  Ulr.  Portman,  and  Mr.  S.  W'. 
Williams,  each — 

2 pieces  red  pongee. 

2 pieces  dyed  figured  crape. 

10  sets  lacquered  cups  and  covers. 
ISth — 22d.  From  commissioners  to  Mr.  Gay, 
Mr.  Danby,  Mr.  Draper,  Dr.  Mor- 
row, and  Mr.  J.  P.  Williams — 

1 piece  red  dyed  figured  crape. 

10  sets  lacquered  cups  and  covers. 
23d.  From  Emperor  to  the  squadron — 

200  bundles  of  rice,  each  5 Japanese 
pecks. 

300  chickens. 


t 


w i!^  E § T 1.  [F  m;  s 7/  ra  rv;  n.f  n-r:  i\  m 


EXHIBITION  OF  THE  WRESTLEKS. 


431 


wrestlers  in  Japan,  and  ranked  as  the  champion  Tom  Cribs  and  Hyers  of 
the  land.  Koyanagi,  the  reputed  bully  of  the  capital,  was  one  of  them,  and 
paraded  himself  with  the  conscious  pride  of  superior  immensity  and  strength. 
He  was  especially  brought  to  the  Commodore,  that  he  might  examine  his 
massive  form.  The  commissioners  insisted  that  the  monstrous  fellow  should 
he  minutely  inspected,  that  the  hardness  of  his  well-rounded  muscles  should 
be  felt,  and  that  the  fatness  of  his  cushioned  frame  should  be  tested  by  the 
touch.  The  Commodore  accordingly  attempted  to  grasp  his  immense  arm, 
which  he  found  as  solid  as  it  was  huge,  and  then  passed  his  hand  over  the 
monstrous  neck,  which  fell  in  folds  of  massive  flesh,  like  the  dewlap  of  a 
prize  ox.  As  some  surprise  was  naturally  expressed  at  this  wondrous  ex- 
hibition of  animal  development,  the  monster  himself  gave  a grunt  expressive 
of  his  flattered  vanity. 

They  were  all  so  immense  in  flesh  that  they  appeared  to  have  lost  their 
distinctive  features,  and  seemed  to  be  only  twenty-five  masses  of  fat.  Their 
eyes  were  barely  visible  through  a long  perspective  of  socket,  the  prominence 
of  their  noses  was  lost  in  the  puffiness  of  their  bloated  cheeks,  and  their 
heads  were  almost  set  directly  on  their  bodies,  with  merely  folds  of  flesh 
where  the  neck  and  chin  are  usually  found.  Their  great  size,  however,  was 
more  owing  to  the  development  of  muscle  than  to  the  deposition  of  fat,  for, 
although  they  were  evidently  well  fed,  they  were  not  less  well  exercised,  and 
capable  of  great  feats  of  strength.  As  a preliminary  exhibition  of  the  power 
of  these  men,  the  princes  set  them  to  removing  the  sacks  of  rice  to  a con- 
venient place  on  the  shore  for  shipping.  Each  of  the  sacks  weighed  not  less 
than  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds,  and  there  were  only  a couple  of 
the  wrestlers  who  did  not  carry  each  two  sacks  at  a time.  They  bore  the 
sacks  on  the  right  shoulder,  lifting  the  first  from  the  ground  and  adjusting 
it  without  help,  but  obtaining  aid  for  the  raising  of  the  second.  One  man 
carried  a sack  suspended  by  his  teeth,  and  another,  taking  one  in  his  arms, 
turned  repeated  somersaults  as  he  held  it,  and  apparently  with  as  much  ease 
as  if  his  tons  of  flesh  had  been  only  so  much  gossamer,  and  his  load  a 
feather. 

After  this  preliminary  display,  the  commissioners  proposed  that  the  Com- 
modore and  his  party  should  retire  to  the  treaty  house,  where  they  would 
have  an  opportunity  of  seeing  the  wrestlers  exhibit  their  professional  feats. 
The  wrestlers  themselves  were  most  carefully  provided  for,  having  constant- 
ly about  them  a number  of  attendants,  who  were  always  at  hand  to  supply 
them  with  fans,  which  they  often  required,  and  to  assist  them  in  dressing 
and  undressing.  While  at  rest  they  were  ordinarily  clothed  in  richly- 
adorned  robes  of  the  usual  Japanese  fashion,  but  when  exercising,  they  were 
stripped  naked,  with  the  exception  of  the  cloth  about  the  loins.  After  their 
performance  with  the  sacks  of  rice,  their  servitors  spread  upon  the  huge 


432 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


frames  of  the  wrestlers  their  rich  garments,  and  led  them  up  to  the  treaty 
house. 

A circular  space  of  some  twelve  feet  in  diameter  had  been  enclosed  with- 
in a ring,  and  the  ground  carefully  broken  up  and  smoothed  in  front  of  the 
building,  while  in  the  portico,  divans  covered  with  red  cloth,  were  arranged  for 
the  Japanese  commissioners,  the  Commodore,  his  officers  and  their  various 
attendants.  The  bands  from  the  ships  were  also  present,  and  enlivened  the 
intervals  during  the  performance  with  occasional  lively  strains.  As  soon  as 
the  spectators  had  taken  their  seats,  the  naked  wrestlers  were  brought  out 
into  the  ring,  and  the  whole  number,  being  divided  into  two  opposing  par- 
ties, tramped  heavily  backward  and  forward,  looking  defiance  at  each  other, 
but  not  engaging  in  any  contest,  as  their  object  was  merely  to  parade  their 
points,  to  give  the  beholders,  as  it  were,  an  opportunity  to  form  an  estimate 
of  their  comparative  powers,  and  to  make  up  their  betting-books.  They 
soon  retired  behind  some  sci-eens  placed  for  the  purpose,  where  all,  with  the 
exception  of  two,  were  again  clothed  in  fnll  dress  and  took  their  position  on 
seats  in  front  of  the  spectators. 

The  two  who  had  been  reserved  out  of  the  band,  now,  on  the  signal  be- 
ing given  by  the  heralds,  who  were  seated  on  opposite  sides,  presented  them- 
selves. They  came  in,  one  after  the  other,  from  behind  the  screen,  and 
walked  with  slow  and  deliberate  steps,  as  became  such  huge  animals,  into 
the  centre  of  the  ring.  Then  they  ranged  themselves,  one  against  the  other, 
at  a distance  of  a few  yards.  They  crouched  for  a while,  eyeing  each  other 
with  a wary  look,  as  if  each  were  watching  for  a chance  to  catch  his  antag- 
onist off  his  guard.  As  the  spectator  looked  on  these  over-fed  monsters, 
whose  animal  natures  had  been  so  carefully  and  successfully  developed,  and 
as  he  watched  them,  glaring  with  brutal  ferocity  at  each  other,  ready  to  ex- 
hibit the  cruel  instincts  of  a savage  nature,  it  was  easy  for  him  to  lose  all 
sense  of  their  being  human  creatures,  and  to  persuade  himself  that  he  was 
beholding  a couple  of  brute  beasts  thirsting  for  one  another’s  blood.  They 
were,  in  fact,  like  a pair  of  fierce  bulls,  whose  nature  they  had  not  only  ac- 
quired, but  even  their  look  and  movements.  As  they  continued  to  eye  each 
other  they  stamped  the  ground  heavily,  pawing  as  it  were  with  impatience, 
and  then  stooping  their  huge  bodies,  they  grasped  handfuls  of  dirt  and  flung 
it  with  an  angry  toss  over  their  backs,  or  rubbed  it  impatiently  between  their 
giant  palms,  or  under  their  stout  shoulders.  They  now  crouched  low,  still 
keeping  their  eyes  fixed  upon  each  other  and  watching  every  movement,  un- 
til, in  an  instant,  they  had  both  simultaneously  heaved  their  massive  forms 
in  opposing  force,  body  to  body,  with  a shock  that  might  have  stunned  an  ox. 
The  equilibrium  of  their  monstrous  frames  was  hardly  disturbed  by  the  con- 
cussion, the  effect  of  which  was  but  barely  visible  in  the  quiver  of  the  hang- 
ing flesh  of  their  bodies.  As  they  came  together,  they  had  thrown  their 
brawny  arms  around  each  other,  and  were  now  entwined  in  a desperate  strug- 


CONTRAST  OF  AMERICAN  EXHIBITION,  433 


gle,  each  striving  with  all  his  enormous  strength  to  throw  his  adversary. 
Their  great  muscles  rose  with  the  distinct  outline  of  the  sculptured  form  of 
a colossal  Hercules,  their  bloated  countenances  swelled  up  with  gushes  of 
blood  which  seemed  ready  to  burst  through  the  skin  of  their  reddened  faces, 
and  their  huge  bodies  palpitated  with  emotion  as  the  struggle  continued. 
At  last,  one  of  the  antagonists  fell,  with  his  immense  weight,  heavily  upon 
the  ground,  and  being  declared  vanquished,  was  assisted  to  his  feet  and  con- 
ducted from  the  ring. 

The  scene  was  now  somewhat  varied  by  a change  in  the  kind  of  contest 
between  two  succeeding  wrestlers.  The  heralds,  as  before,  summoned  the 
antagonists,  and  one,  having  taken  his  place  in  the  ring,  assumed  an  attitude 
of  defence  with  one  leg  in  advance,  as  if  to  steady  himself,  and  his  bent 
body,  with  his  head  lowered,  placed  in  position,  as  if  to  receive  an  attack. 
Immediately  after,  in  rushed  the  other,  bellowing  loudly  like  a bull,  and, 
making  at  once  for  the  man  in  the  ring,  dashed,  with  his  head  lowered  and 
thrust  forward,  against  the  head  of  his  opponent,  who  bore  the  shock  with 
the  steadiness  of  a rock,  although  the  blood  streamed  down  his  face  from 
his  bruised  forehead,  which  had  been  struck  in  the  encounter.  This  ma- 
noeuvre was  repeated  again  and  again,  the  same  one  acting  always  as  the 
opposing,  and  the  other  as  the  resisting,  force  ; and  thus  they  kept  up  their 
brutal  contest  until  their  foreheads  were  besmeared  with  blood,  and  the 
flesh  on  their  chests  rose  in  great  swollen  tumors,  from  the  repeated  blows. 
This  disgusting  exhibition  did  not  terminate  until  the  whole  twenty-five 
had,  successively,  in  pairs,  displayed  their  immense  powers  and  savage 
qualities. 

From  the  brutal  performance  of  these  wrestlers,  the  Americans  turned 
with  pride  to  the  exhibition — to  which  the  Japanese  commissioners  were 
now  in  their  turn  invited — of  the  telegraph  and  the  railroad.  It  was  a 
happy  contrast,  which  a higher  civilization  presented,  to  the  disgusting  dis- 
play on  the  part  of  the  Japanese  otBcials.  In  place  of  a show  of  brute 
animal  force,  there  was  a triumphant  revelation,  to  a partially  enlightened 
people,  of  the  success  of  science  and  enterprise.  The  Japanese  took  great 
delight  in  again  seeing  the  rapid  movement  of  the  Lilliputian  locomotive ; 
and  one  of  the  scribes  of  the  commissioners  took  his  seat  upon  the  car, 
while  the  engineer  stood  upon  the  tender,  feeding  the  furnace  with  one  hand, 
and  directing  the  diminutive  engine  with  the  other.  Crowds  of  the  Japan- 
ese gathered  around,  and  looked  on  the  repeated  circlings  of  the  train  with 
unabated  pleasure  and  surprise,  unable  to  repress  a shout  of  delight  at  each 
blast  of  the  steam  whistle.  The  telegraph,  with  its  wonders,  though  before 
witnessed,  still  created  renewed  interest,  and  all  the  beholders  were  unceasing- 
in  their  expressions  of  curiosity  and  astonishment.  The  agricultural  instru- 
ments having  been  explained  to  the  commissioners  by  Dr.  Morrow,  a formal 
delivery  of  the  telegraph,  the  railway,  and  other  articles,  which  made  up  the 


434 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


list  of  American  presents,  ensued.  The  Prince  of  Mimasaki  had  been  dele- 
gated hy  his  coadjutors  ceremoniously  to  accept,  and  Captain  Adams  appoint- 
ed by  the  Commodore  to  deliver,  the  gifts ; and  each  performed  his  separate 
functions  hy  an  interchange  of  suitable  compliments  and  some  half  dozen 
stately  bows.  After  this,  a detachment  of  marines  from  the  squadron  were 
put  through  their  various  evolutions,  drills,  &c.,  while  the  bands  furnished 
martial  music.  The  Japanese  commissioners  seemed  to  take  a very  great 
interest  in  this  military  display,  and  expressed  themselves  much  gratified  at 
the  soldierly  air  and  excellent  discipline  of  the  men.  This  closed  the  per- 
formances of  the  day;  and,  the  commissioners  having  accepted  an  invitation 
from  the  Commodore  to  dine  with  him  on  the  twenty-seventh,  the  Japanese 
retired  to  the  treaty-house,  and  the  Americans  returned  to  the  ships.  The 
Japanese  presents  were  all  boxed  up  and  sent,  together  with  the  rice  and 
charcoal,  on  board  the  storeship  Supply,  when,  after  being  duly  addressed  to 
the  proper  department  of  the  government,  they  were  stored  away  for  future 
shipment. 

On  the  next  day,  (March  25,)  Yenoske,  accompanied  hy  Kenzeiro,  his 
fellow  interpreter,  came  on  board  the  Powhatan  to  acknowledge,  formally, 
in  behalf  of  the  commissioners,  their  gratitude  for  the  exhibition  of  the  ma- 
rines, the  locomotive,  and  the  telegraph,  with  all  which  they  declared  them- 
selves highly  delighted.  Yenoske  and  his  coadjutor  were  invited  to  seat 
themselves  in  the  cabin  of  the  Commodore,  and,  after  some  expressions  of 
courtesy,  which  the  Japanese  ofiicials  were  careful  never  to  intermit,  pro- 
posed to  talk  over  some  points  in  connexion  with  the  projected  treaty.  The 
Commodore  said  he  had  no  objections  to  the  discussion  of  the  matters 
informally;  but  he  protested  against  considering  the  interpreters  as  the 
official  representatives  of  the  commissioners,  with  the  latter  of  whom  only, 
he  declared,  could  he  treat  authoritatively. 

Yenoske  then  commenced  by  stating  that  Hakodadi,  which  the  commis- 
sioners had  desired  not  to  have  opened  before  September,  1855,  might  be 
ready  for  American  ships  as  early  as  March  of  that  year,  and  added  that 
Simoda,  also,  would  be  prepared  by  that  date.  The  Commodore  replied 
that,  in  regard  to  Hakodadi,  although  it  was  his  intention  to  visit  it  during 
the  summer,  he  was  willing  to  accept  it  without  a preliminary  survey ; but, 
as  for  Simoda,  it  must  first  be  examined  before  it  could  be  adopted.  The 
Japanese  now  expressed  the  hope  that  the  Commodore  would  not  go  to 
Hakodadi  for  a hundred  days  yet,  as  it  was  necessary  to  send  to  Nagasaki 
for  an  interpreter,  who  would  be  obliged  to  go  to  Yeddo  previous  to  going 
to  Hakodadi.  The  Commodore  stated  that  he  could  not  wait  so  long  a 
time,  but  would  be  obliged  to  pay  his  contemplated  visit  in  about  a 
month ; and,  as  for  an  interpreter,  he  would  take  with  him  Namoura,  one 
of  those  who  was  occasionally  present  in  behalf  of  the  commissioners. 
The  Japanese  replied  that  it  would  be  necessary  to  retain  Namoura,  and, 


CONVERSATION  WITH  THE  INTERPRETERS.  435 


beside,  that  the  dialect  at  Hakodadi  was  so  different,  another  interpreter 
would  be  required.  The  Commodore  finally  declared  that,  as  for  Simoda, 
he  would  consider  that  port  opened,  in  accordance  with  his  express  under- 
standing with  the  commissioners,  as  soon  as  he  should  receive  a favorable 
report  of  it  from  Captain  Pope,  who  had  been  dispatched  to  make  the  prop- 
er investigation. 

He  also  stated  that,  though  he  wished  all  the  ports  to  be  opened  at  once, 
none  of  them  could  be  practically  available  for  more  than  a year,  since  the 
necessary  preliminary  action  of  his  government  would  require  at  least  that 
time  before  ratifying  the  agreement  with  the  Japanese.  The  Commodore 
then  cut  the  discussion  short  by  saying  that  he  desired  to  refer  these  points 
in  detail  to  the  commissioners,  which  he  would  do,  in  writing,  at  the  next 
interview. 

Yenoske,  who  had  evidently  been  delegated  by  the  commissioners  to  test 
the  firmness  of  the  Commodore  in  regard  to  various  points  in  the  proposed 
treaty  which  they  were  loth  to  concede,  now  alluded  to  the  establishment  of 
an  American  consular  agent.  He  said  that  they  would  not  be  required,  as 
the  governors  of  the  towns  would  carry  on  all  the  business  of  supplying  the 
ships  with  coals,  provisions,  and  other  necessaries,  without  the  intervention 
of  any  consul,  and  that,  consequently,  the  commissioners  proposed  a delay 
of  four  or  five  years  before  consenting  to  the  appointment  of  any  such  offi- 
cer among  them,  that  they  might,  in  the  meantime,  discover  how  the  new 
intercourse  with  the  Americans  worked.  In  reply,  the  Commodore  ex- 
plained to  Yenoske  the  nature  and  duties  of  the  consular  office,  and  urged 
the  residence  of  such  an  officer  as  a consul  upon  the  ground  of  its  advan- 
tage to  the  Japanese  themselves ; and  finally  declared  that  this  feature  must 
be  in  the  treaty,  though  he  was  willing  there  should  be  but  one  consul  who 
should  reside  at  Simoda. 

The  Commodore  now  informed  the  interpreters  that  he  wished  a junk, 
loaded  with  a thousand  peculs  of  coal,  to  be  in  readiness  for  him  at  Simoda, 
after  his  return  from  Hakodadi.  He  also  desired  various  other  supplies  at 
the  same  time  and  place,  the  whole  to  be  accompanied  with  a list  of  prices, 
as  he  insisted  upon  paying  for  everything.  He  also  insisted  that  the  Ameri- 
cans should  be  permitted  to  purchase  any  articles  of  J apanese  manufacture 
they  might  desire,  and  should  have  the  liberty  of  going  on  shore  and  ram- 
bling about  the  country,  under  such  proper  restrictions  as  the  Japanese 
authorities  might  be  inclined  to  impose.  The  interpreters  seemed  to  admit 
the  propriety  of  these  concessions  on  their  part,  but  were  evidently  appre- 
hensive of  the  consequences,  remarking  that  their  government  had  been 
obliged  to  make  severe  regulations  in  regard  to  the  English  and  Portuguese, 
and  animadverting  with  anger  upon  the  conduct  of  Captain  Pellew  at 
Nagasaki  some  years  before. 

Monday,  March  27,  was  the  day  appointed  for  the  entertainment  to 


436 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


which  the  Commodore  had  invited  the  commissioners  and  their  attendants. 
Accordingly,  great  arrangements  were  made  in  the  flag-ship  preparatory  to 
the  occasion.  The  quarter-deck  was  adorned  with  a great  variety  of  flags, 
and  all  parts  of  the  steamer  put  in  perfect  order,  while  the  officers,  marines, 
and  men  dressed  themselves  in  their  uniforms,  and  prepared  to  do  honor  in 
every  respect  to  their  expected  visitors. 

The  Commodore  was  determined  to  give  the  Japanese  a favorable  im- 
pression of  American  hospitality,  and  had  accordingly  spared  no  pains  in 
providing  most  bountifully  for  the  large  party  expected,  which  was  under- 
stood to  comprise  no  less  than  seventy,  exclusive  of  the  boatmen  and  me- 
nials. As  it  was  known  that  the  strictness  of  Japanese  etiquette  would  not 
allow  the  high  commissioners  to  sit  at  the  same  table  with  their  subordi- 
nates, the  Commodore  ordered  two  banquets,  one  to  be  spread  in  his  cabin 
tor  the  chief  dignitaries,  and  another  on  the  quarter-deck.  The  Commodore 
had  long  before  made  up  his  mind  to  give  this  entertainment  as  soon  as  the 
negotiations  with  the  Japanese  took  a turn  sufiiciently  favorable  to  justify 
some  degree  of  convivial  rejoicing.  He  had  accordingly  reserved  for  it  live 
bullocks,  some  sheep,  and  a supply  of  game  and  poultry.  The  ordinary 
cabin  stores  of  preserved  meats,  flsh,  vegetables,  fruits,  and  a choice  supply 
of  the  best  wines,  furnished  every  requisite  for  the  preparation  of  a gene- 
rous feast.  These  abundant  materials,  under  the  cunning  hands  of  the 
Commodore’s  chef  de  cuisine,  assumed  nearly  every  variety  of  dish  attrac- 
tive to  the  eye  and  appetising  to  the  taste. 

Pi-evious  to  coming  on  board  the  Powhatan,  the  commissioners  visited 
the  sloop-of-war  Macedonian,  being  saluted  as  they  stepped  on  her  deck  by 
seventeen  guns  from  the  Mississippi,  lying  near.  The  great  gims  and 
boarders  having  been  exercised  for  their  entertainment,  the  commissioners, 
with  their  numerous  attendants,  left  for  the  Powhatan,  the  Macedonian 
firing  a salvo  in  their  honor,  as  they  took  their  departure.  On  arriving  on 
board  the  flag-ship,  they  were  first  conducted  through  the  diflerent  depart- 
ments of  the  steamer,  and  examined  with  minute  interest  the  guns  and  the 
machinery.  A boat  was  lowered,  with  a howitzer  in  its  bows,  and  this  was 
repeatedly  discharged,  mueh  to  their  amusement ; for,  although  not  a very 
warlike  people,  (at  least  in  their  modern  history,)  the  Japanese  evidently 
had  a great  fondness  for  martial  exercise  and  display.  The  engines  were 
next  put  in  motion,  and  they  evinced  the  usual  intelligence  of  the  higher 
class  of  Japanese  in  their  inquiries  and  remarks.  After  satisfying  their 
cui’iosity,  dinner  was  announced,  and  the  five  commissioners  were  conducted 
to  the  Commodore’s  cabin,  where  a very  handsome  banquet  awaited  them. 
The  subordinate  officials,  amounting  to  about  sixty,  were  provided  for  under 
the  awning  on  the  quarter-deck,  where  a large  table  had  been  spread  with 
an  abundant  supply. 

The  Commodore  had  invited  the  four  captains  of  the  squadron,  his  inter- 


DINNER  ON  THE  FLAG-SHIP. 


437 


preter,  Mr.  Williams,  and  his  secretary,  to  join  the  commissioners  at  his 
table.  Yenoske,  the  Japanese  interpreter,  was  allowed  the  privilege,  as  a 
special  condescension  on  the  part  of  his  superiors,  to  sit  at  a side-table  in 
the  cabin,  where  his  humble  position  did  not  seem  to  disturb  either  his 
equanimity  or  his  appetite.  Hayashi,  who  always  preserved  his  grave  and 
dignified  hearing,  ate  and  drank  sparingly,  but  tasted  of  every  dish  and 
sipped  of  every  kind  of  wine.  The  others  proved  themselves  famous 
trencher  men,  and  entered  more  heartily  than  their  chief  into  the  convivial- 
ity of  the  occasion.  Matsusaki  was  the  soul  of  the  party,  and  showed  at 
once  a very  decided  appreciation  of  American  fare,  and  a special  fondness 
for  the  champagne,  with  no  marked  aversion,  however,  to  the  other  wines 
and  beverages.  The  liqueurs,  particularly  the  maraschino,  seemed  to  suit 
the  tastes  of  the  Japanese  exactly,  and  they  drank  unnumbered  classes  of 
it.  Matsusaki,  who  was  a jovial  fellow,  soon  showed  the  effects  of  his  copi- 
ous libations,  and  became  very  particularly  happy.  Hayashi,  the  grave 
prince,  was  the  only  one,  in  fact,  whose  sobriety  was  proof  against  the  unre- 
strained conviviality  which  prevailed  among  his  bacchanalian  coadjutors. 

The  Japanese  party  upon  deck,  who  were  entertained  by  a large  body 
of  officers  from  the  various  ships,  became  quite  uproarious  under  the  influ- 
ence of  overflowing  supplies  of  champagne,  Madeira,  and  punch,  which  they 
seemed  greatly  to  relish.  The  Japanese  took  the  lead  in  proposing  healths 
and  toasts,  and  were  by  no  means  the  most  backward  in  drinking  them. 
They  kept  shouting  at  the  top  of  their  voices,  and  were  heard  far  above  the 
music  of  the  bands  that  enlivened  the  entertainment  by  a succession  of  brisk 
and  cheerful  tunes.  It  was,  in  short,  a scene  of  noisy  conviviality,  and  of 
very  evident  enjoyment  on  the  part  of  the  guests.  The  eating  was  no  less 
palatable  to  them  than  the  drinking,  and  the  rapid  disappearance  of  the 
large  quantity  and  variety  of  the  viands  profusely  heaped  upon  the  table 
was  quite  a marvel,  even  to  the  heartiest  feeders  among  the  Americans. 
In  the  eagerness  of  the  Japanese  appetite,  there  was  but  little  discrimina- 
tion in  the  choice  of  dishes  and  in  the  order  of  courses,  and  the  most  start- 
ling heterodoxy  was  exhibited  in  the  confused  commingling  of  fish,  flesh, 
and  fowl,  soups  and  syrups,  fruits  and  fricassees,  roast  and  boiled,  pickles 
and  preserves.  As  a most  generous  supply  had  been  provided,  there  were  still 
some  remnants  of  the  feast  left,  after  the  guests  had  satisfied  their  voracity, 
and  most  of  these,  the  Japanese,  in  accordance  with  their  usual  custom, 
stowed  away  about  their  persons  to  carry  off  with  them.  The  Japanese 
always  have  an  abundant  supply  of  paper  within  the  left  bosom  of  their 
loose  robes  in  a capacious  pocket.  This  is  used  for  various  purposes ; one 
species,  as  soft  as  our  cotton  cloth,  and  withal  exceedingly  tough,  is  used 
for  a pocket  handkerchief ; another  furnishes  the  material  for  taking  notes, 
or  for  wrapping  up  what  is  left  after  a feast.  On  the  present  occasion, 
when  the  dinner  was  over,  all  the  Japanese  guests  simultaneously  spread 


438 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


out  their  long  folds  of  paper,  and  gathering  what  scraps  they  could  lay  theii 
hands  on,  without  regard  to  the  kind  of  food,  made  up  an  envelope  of  con- 
glomerate eatables,  in  which  there  was  such  a confusion  of  the  sour  and 
sweet,  the  albuminous,  oleaginous,  and  saccharine,  that  the  chemistry  of 
Liebig,  or  the  practised  taste  of  the  Commodore’s  Parisian  cook,  would 
never  have  reached  a satisfactory  analysis.  Nor  was  this  the  result  of 
gluttony,  or  a deficiency  of  breeding;  it  was  the  fashion  of  the  country. 
These  unsavory  parcels  they  stowed  away  in  their  pockets,  or  in  their  capa- 
cious sleeves,  to  carry  away  with  them.  The  practice  was  universal,  and 
they  not  only  always  followed  it  themselves,  hut  insisted  that  their  American 
guests,  when  entertained  at  a J apanese  feast,  should  adopt  it  also.  Whenever 
the  Commodore  and  his  officers  were  feasted  on  shore,  they  had  paper  parcels 
of  what  was  left  thrust  into  their  hands  on  leaving,  which  they  were  obliged 
to  take  away  with  them,  as  it  seemed  an  important  part  of  Japanese  hospi- 
tality, which  could  not  be  declined  without  giving  offence. 

After  the  banquet,  the  Japanese  were  entertained  by  an  exhibition  of  negro 
minstrelsy,  got  up  by  some  of  the  sailors,  who,  blacking  their  faces  and  dress- 
ing themselves  in  character,  enacted  their  parts  with  a humor  that  would  have 
gained  them  unbounded  applause  from  a New  York  audience  even  at  Chris- 
ty’s. The  gravity  of  the  saturnine  Hayashi  was  not  proof  against  the  gro- 
tesque exhibition,  and  even  he  joined  with  the  rest  in  the  general  hilarity 
provoked  by  the  farcical  antics  and  humorous  performances  of  the  mock 
negroes.  It  was  now  sunset,  and  the  Japanese  prepared  to  depart  with  quite 
as  much  wine  in  them  as  they  could  well  bear.  The  jovial  Matsusaki  threw 
his  arms  about  the  Commodore’s  neck,  crushing,  in  his  tipsy  embrace,  a pair 
of  new  epaulettes,  and  repeating,  in  Japanese,  with  maudlin  affection,  these 
words,  as  interpreted  into  English  ; “ Nippon  and  America,  all  the  same 
heart.”  He  then  went  toddling  into  his  boat,  supported  by  some  of  his 
more  steady  companions,  and  soon  all  the  happy  party  had  left  the  ships  and 
were  making  rapidly  for  the  shore.  The  Saratoga  fired  the  salute  of  seven- 
teen guns  as  the  last  boat  pulled  off  from  the  Powhatan,  and  the  squadron 
was  once  more  left  in  the  usual  quiet  of  ordinary  ship’s  duty. 

The  following  day  the  Commodore  landed  to  have  a conference  in  regard 
to  the  remaining  points  of  the  treaty  previous  to  signing.  He  was  met,  as 
usual,  at  the  treaty  house  by  the  commissioners,  who  had  more  than  their  or- 
dinary share  of  gravity,  probably  owing  to  the  natural  effects  of  the  previous 
day’s  conviviality. 

As  soon  as  the  Commodore  had  taken  his  seat  a letter  was  handed  to  him, 
which  the  Japanese  stated  they  had  just  received  from  Simoda.  It  was 
from  Commander  Pope,  and  had  been  transmitted  through  the  authorities 
over  land.  Its  contents  gave  a satisfactory  report  of  Simoda,  and  the  Com- 
modore at  once  said  that  he  accepted  that  port,  hut  declared  that  it  must  be 
opened  without  delay.  Hakodadi,  he  added,  would  do  for  the  other,  and 


DISCUSSION  OF  THE  TEEATY. 


439 


Napha,  in  Lew  Chew,  could  be  retained  for  the  third.  In  regard  to  the 
other  two  he  was  willing,  he  said,  to  postpone  their  consideration  to  some 
other  time. 

The  Commodore  now  proposed  to  sign  the  agreement  in  regard  to  the 
three  ports,  and  directed  his  interpreter  to  read  it  in  Dutch.  When  the 
document  had  been  thus  read  and  afterwards  carefully  perused  by  the  Jap- 
anese, they  stated  that  they  were  prepared  to  concur  in  everything  except  as 
to  the  immediate  opening  of  Simoda.  After  discussion,  it  was  finally  settled 
that  though  the  port  might  be  opened,  the  Japanese  would  address  a note 
to  the  Commodore,  stating  that  everything  which  might  be  wanting  by 
ships  could  not  be  furnished  there  before  the  expiration  of  ten  months,  but 
that  wood  and  water,  and  whatever  else  the  place  possessed,  would  be  sup- 
plied immediately ; and  to  this  note  the  Commodore  promised  to  reply,  and 
express  his  satisfaction  with  such  an  arrangement. 

The  question  now  came  up  with  respect  to  the  extent  of  privileges  to  be 
granted  to  Americans  who  might  visit  Simoda,  in  the  discussion  of  which  it 
was  perfectly  plain  that  the  Japanese  meant  to  be  distinctly  understood 
as  prohibiting,  absolutely,  at  least  for  the  present,  the  permanent  resi- 
dence of  Americans,  with  their  families,  in  Japan.  The  distance,  also,  to 
which  Americans  might  extend  their  excursions  into  the  country  around  the 
ports  of  Simoda  and  Hakodadi  was  settled;  and  it  is  observable,  that,  at 
the  special  request  of  the  Japanese,  the  Commodore  named  the  distance, 
they  assenting,  at  once,  to  that  which  he  mentioned. 

The  proposition  to  have  consular  agents  residing  in  Japan  was  one  which 
evidently  gave  great  anxiety  to  the  commissioners,  and  the  same  grounds 
were  taken  and  answered  as  have  already  been  related  in  the  narrative  of 
the  Commmodore’s  conversation  with  the  interpreters  on  a previous  page  of 
this  chapter.  The  Commodore  was  firm  in  saying  there  must  be  such  agents 
for  the  sake  of  the  Japanese  themselves  as  well  as  for  that  of  our  own  coun- 
trymen, and  it  was  finally  conceded  that  there  should  be  one,  to  live  at  Si- 
moda, and  that  he  should  not  be  appointed  until  a year  or  eighteen  months 
from  the  date  of  the  treaty. 

Two  more  articles,  including  the  new  points  which  had  been  discussed, 
were  now  added  to  the  transcript  of  the  proposed  treaty,  and  the  Japanese 
having  promised  to  bring  on  board  the  Powhatan  next  day  a copy,  in  Dutch, 
of  their  understanding  of  the  agreement  as  far  as  concuri-ed  in,  the  Commo- 
dore took  his  departure. 

During  the  next  two  days  several  notes  passed  between  the  Commodore 
and  the  Japanese  commissioners,  in  the  course  of  which  various  questions 
that  had  been  already  considered  were  more  definitively  settled ; and  the 
American  interpreters  were  occupied,  in  co-operation  with  the  Japanese, 
in  drawing  up  the  treaty  in  the  Chinese,  Dutch,  and  Japanese  languages. 
On  the  twenty-ninth,  the  ships  Vandalia  and  Southampton  arrived  from 


440 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


I ^ 


Simoda  with  a confirmation  of  what  Commander  Pope  had  already  stated  in 
his  dispatch  which  had  been  transmitted  by  the  Japanese  authorities,  over 
land,  to  the  Commodore,  namely,  that  the  harbor  and  town  of  Simoda  had 
been  found,  on  examination,  suitable  in  every  respect  for  the  purposes  of  the 
Americans.  All  was  now  in  readiness  for  the  final  signing  of  the  treaty. 

Accordingly,  on  Friday,  the  31st  of  March,  1854,  the  Commodore  pro- 
ceeded to  the  treaty  house  with  his  usual  attendants,  and  immediately  on  his 
arrival  signed  three  several  drafts  of  the  treaty  written  in  the  English  lan- 
guage, and  delivered  them  to  the  commissioners,  together  with  three  copies 
of  the  same  in  the  Dutch  and  Chinese  languages,  certified  by  the  interpreters, 
Messrs.  Williams,  and  Portman,  for  the  United  States.  At  the  same  time, 
the  Japanese  commissioners,  in  behalf  of  their  government,  handed  to  the 
Commodore  three  drafts  of  the  treaty  written  respectively  in  the  Japanese, 
Chinese,  and  Dutch  languages,  and  signed  by  the  four  of  their  body  es- 
pecially delegated  by  the  Emperor  for  that  purpose.  The  following  is  the 
treaty  as  agreed  upon. 


The  United  States  of  America  and  the  Empire  of  Japan,  desiring  to  es- 
tablish firm,  lasting,  and  sincere  friendship  between  the  two  nations,  have  re- 
solved to  fix,  in  a manner  clear  and  positive,  by  means  of  a treaty  or  general 
convention  of  peace  and  amity,  the  rules  which  shall  in  future  be  mutually 
observed  in  the  intercourse  of  their  respective  countries ; for  which  most  de- 
sirable object  the  President  of  the  United  States  has  conferred  full  powers 
on  his  commissioner,  Matthew  Calbraith  Perry,  special  ambassador  of  the 
United  States  to  Japan;  and  the  august  sovereign  of  Japan  has  given  simi- 
lar full  powers  to  his  commissioners,  Hayashi-Daigaku-nokami,  Ido,  Prince 
of  Tsus-Sima,  Izawa,  Prince  of  3Iimasaki,  and  Udono,  member  of  the  Board 
of  Revenue. 

And  the  said  commissioners,  after  having  exchanged  their  said  full  pow- 
ers, and  duly  considered  the  premises,  have  agreed  to  the  following  articles : 

ARTICLE  I. 

There  shall  be  a perfect,  permanent,  and  universal  peace,  and  a sincere 
and  cordial  amity,  between  the  United  States  of  America  on  the  one  part, 
and  the  Empire  of  Japan  on  the  other,  and  between  their  people,  respectively, 
without  exception  of  persons  or  places. 

ARTICLE  II. 

The  port  of  Simoda,  in  the  principality  of  Idzu,  and  the  port  of  Hako- 
dadi,  in  the  principality  of  Matsmai,  are  granted  by  the  Japanese  as  ports 
for  the  reception  of  American  ships,  where  they  can  be  sujaplied  with  wood. 


THE  TREATY. 


441 


water,  provisions,  and  coal,  and  other  articles  their  necessities  may  require, 
as  far  as  the  Japanese  have  them.  The  time  for  opening  the  first  named 
port  is  immediately  on  signing  this  treaty ; the  last  named  port  is  to  he 
opened  immediately  after  the  same  day  in  the  ensuing  Japanese  year. 

Note. — A tariff  of  prices  shall  be  given  by  the  Japanese  officers  of  the 
things  which  they  can  furnish,  payment  for  which  shall  be  made  in  gold  and 
silver  coin. 

ARTICLE  III. 

Whenever  ships  of  the  United  States  are  thrown  or  wrecked  on  the  coast 
of  Japan,  the  Japanese  vessels  will  assist  them,  and  carry  their  crews  to 
Simoda  or  Hakodadi,  and  hand  them  over  to  their  countrymen  appointed 
to  receive  them.  Whatever  articles  the  shipwrecked  men  may  have  preserved 
shall  likewise  be  restored,  and  the  expenses  incurred  in  the  rescue  and  sup- 
port of  American  and  Japanese,  who  may  thus  be  thrown  upon  the  shores  of 
either  nation,  are  not  to  be  refunded. 

ARTICLE  IV. 

Those  shipwrecked  persons  and  other  citizens  of  the  United  States  shall 
be  free  as  in  other  countries,  and  not  subjected  to  confinement,  but  shall  be 
amenable  to  just  laws. 

ARTICLE  V. 

Shipwrecked  men,  and  other  citizens  of  the  United  States,  temporarily 
living  at  Simoda  and  Hakodadi,  shall  not  be  subject  to  such  restrictions 
and  confinement  as  the  Dutch  and  Chinese  are  at  Nagasaki;  but  shall  be  free 
at  Simoda  to  go  whei’e  they  please  within  the  limits  of  seven  Japanese  miles 
(or  ri)  from  a small  island  in  the  harbor  of  Simoda,  marked  on  the  accompa- 
nying chart,  hereto  appended ; and  shall  in  like  manner  be  free  to  go  where 
they  please  at  Hakodadi,  within  limits  to  be  defined  after  the  visit  of  the 
United  States  squadron  to  that  place. 

ARTICLE  VI. 

If  there  be  any  other  sort  of  goods  wanted,  or  any  business  which  shall 
require  to  be  arranged,  there  shall  be  careful  deliberation  between  the  parties 
in  order  to  settle  such  matters. 

ARTICLE  VII. 

It  is  agreed  that  ships  of  the  United  States  resorting  to  the  ports  open  to 
them,  shall  be  permitted  to  exchange  gold  and  silver  coin,  and  articles  of 
goods,  for  other  articles  of  goods,  under  such  regulations  as  shall  be  tempora- 
rily established  by  the  Japanese  government  for  that  purpose.  It  is  stipulated, 
however,  that  the  ships  of  the  United  States  shall  be  permitted  to  carry  away 
whatever  articles  they  are  unwilling  to  exchange. 


442 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN'. 


ARTICLE  VIII. 

Wood,  water,  provisions,  coal,  and  goods  required,  stall  only  be  procured 
through  the  agency  of  J apanese  officers  appointed  for  that  purpose,  and  in 
no  other  manner. 

ARTICLE  IX. 

It  is  agreed,  that  if,  at  any  future  day,  the  government  of  Japan  shall  grant 
to  any  other  nation  or  nations  privileges  and  advantages  which  are  not  herein 
granted  to  the  United  States  and  the  citizens  thereof,  that  the  same  privi- 
leges and  advantages  shall  he  granted  likewise  to  the  United  States  and  to  the 
citizens  thereof  without  any  consultation  or  delay. 

ARTICLE  X. 

Ships  of  the  United  States  shall  be  permitted  to  resort  to  no  other  ports 
in  Japan  but  Simoda  and  Hakodadi,  unless  in  distress  or  forced  by  stress  of 
weather. 

ARTICLE  XI. 

There  shall  he  appointed  by  the  government  of  the  United  States  consuls 
or  agents  to  reside  in  Simoda  at  any  time  after  the  expiration  of  eighteen 
months  from  the  date  of  the  signing  of  this  treaty ; provided  that  either  of 
the  two  governments  deem  such  arrangement  necessary. 

ARTICLE  XII. 

The  present  convention,  having  been  concluded  and  duly  signed,  shall  he 
obligatory,  and  faithfully  observed  by  the  United  States  of  America  and 
Japan,  and  by  the  citizens  and  subjects  of  each  respective  power;  and  it  is  to 
be  ratified  and  approved  by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  by  and  with 
the  advice  and  consent  of  the  Senate  thereof,  and  by  the  august  Sovereign 
of  Japan,  and  the  ratifications  shall  be  exchanged  within  eighteen  months 
from  the  date  of  the  signature  thereof,  or  sooner  if  practicable. 

In  faith  whereof,  we,  the  respective  plenipotentiaries  of  the  Linked 
States  of  America  and  the  Empire  of  Japan,  aforesaid,  have  signed  and 
sealed  these  presents. 

Done  at  Kanagawa,  this  thirty-first  day  of  March,  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifty-four,  and  of  Keyei 
the  seventh  year,  third  month,  and  third  day. 

Immediately  on  the  signing  and  exchange  of  the  copies  of  the  treaty, 
the  Commodore  presented  the  first  commissioner.  Prince  Hayashi,  with  an 
American  flag,  remarking  that  he  considered  it  the  highest  expression  of  na- 
tional courtesy  and  friendship  he  could  offer.  The  Prince  was  evidently 
deeply  impressed  with  this  significant  mark  of  amity,  and  returned  his  thanks 
for  it  with  indications  of  great  feeling.  The  Commodore  then  presented  the 


ENTERTAIN-MENT  BY  THE  COMMISSIONERS.  443 


other  dignitaries  with  the  various  gifts  he  had  especially  reserved  for  them. 
All  formal  business  being  now  concluded  to  the  mutual  satisfaction  of  both 
parties,  the  Japanese  commissioners  invited  the  Commodore  and  his  officers 
to  partake  of  an  entertainment  which  had  been  particularly  prepared  for 
the  occasion. 

The  tables  were  now  spread  in  the  large  reception  hall.  These  were 
nothing  more  than  wide  divans,  such  as  were  used  for  seats,  and  of  the  same 
height.  They  were  covered  with  a red-colored  crape,  and  arranged  in  order, 
according  to  the  rank  of  the  guests  and  their  hosts,  an  upper  table,  raised 
somewhat  above  the  rest,  being  appropriated  to  the  Commodore,  his  superior 
officers,  and  the  commissioners.  When  all  were  seated,  the  servitors  brought 
in  a rapid  succession  of  courses,  consisting  chiefly  of  thick  soups,  or  rather 
stews,  in  most  of  which  fresh  fish  was  a component  part.  These  were  served 
in  small  earthen  bowls  or  cups,  and  were  brought  in  upon  lacquered  stands, 
about  fourteen  inches  square  and  ten  high,  and  placed,  one  before  each  guest, 
upon  the  tables.  Together  with  each  dish  was  a supply  of  soy  or  some 
other  condiment,  while  throughout  there  was  an  abundant  quantity,  served 
in  peculiar  vessels,  of  the  Japanese  national  liquor,  the  saki,  a sort  of 
whiskey  distilled  from  rice.  Various  sweetened  confections,  and  a multi- 
plicity of  cakes,  were  liberally  interspersed  among  the  other  articles  on  the 
tables.  Toward  the  close  of  the  feast,  a plate  containing  a broiled  cray  fish, 
a piece  of  fried  fish  of  some  kind,  two  or  three  boiled  shrimps,  and  a small 
square  pudding  with  something  of  the  consistence  of  blanc  mange,  was 
placed  before  each,  with  a hint  that  they  were  to  follow  the  guests  on  their 
return  to  the  ships,  and  they  were  accordingly  sent  and  duly  received  after- 
ward. 

The  feast  of  the  commissioners  did  not  make  a strikingly  favorable  im- 
pression on  their  guests ; but  they  were  greatly  pleased  with  the  courtesy 
of  their  hosts,  whose  urbanity  and  assiduous  attentions  left  nothing  to  de- 
sire on  the  score  of  politeness.  They  left,  however,  it  must  be  confessed^ 
with  appetites  but  scantily  gratified  by  the  unusual  fare  that  had  been  spread 
before  them.  It  is  true  that  apologies  were  made,  and  this,  by  the  way, 
proved  to  be  an  habitual  feature  of  their  entertainments,  and  causes  were 
assigned  for  the  poorness  of  the  repast  on  the  score  of  the  difficulty  of 
obtaining  the  best  articles  of  food  at  Kanagawa.  The  dinner  given  to  the 
commissioners  on  board  the  Powhatan  would  have  made,  in  quantity,  at  least 
a score  of  such  as  that  offered  by  the  Japanese  on  this  occasion.  To  dis- 
pose of  the  subject  in  one  word,  the  entertainments  of  the  Japanese,  gene- 
rally, while  full  of  hospitality,  left  but  an  unfavorable  impression  of  their 
skill  in  cookery.  The  Lew  Chewans  evidently  excelled  them  in  good 
living. 

After  the  feast,  which  passed  pleasantly  and  convivially,  mutual  compli- 
ments being  freely  exchanged,  and  healths  drunk  in  full,  though  Lilliputian, 


444 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


cups  of  saki,  the  commissioners  expressed  great  anxiety  about  the  proposed 
visit  of  the  Commodore  to  Yedo.  They  earnestly  urged  him  not  to  take  his 
ships  any  higher  up  the  bay,  as,  they  said,  it  would  lead  to  trouble,  by  which 
the  populace  might  be  disturbed,  and  their  own  lives,  perhaps,  jeoparded. 
The  Commodore  argued  the  matter  with  them  for  some  considerable  time, 
and,  as  they  still  pertinaciously  urged  their  objections  to  his  visit  to  the 
capital,  it  was  agreed  that  the  subject  should  be  further  discussed  by  an  in- 
terchange of  notes.  The  meeting  then  broke  up. 

Before  proceeding  further  with  the  narrative,  it  may  be  well  here  briefly 
to  pause  and  define  with  precision  what  had  been  accomplished  by  means  of 
the  treaty  that  had  been  signed. 

When  it  was  determined  by  our  government  to  send  an  expedition  to 
Japan,  those  in  authority  were  not  unmindful  of  the  peculiar  characteristics 
of  that  singular  nation.  Unlike  all  other  civilized  people,  it  was  in  a state 
of  voluntary,  long-continued,  and  determined  isolation.  It  neither  desired 
nor  sought  communication  with  the  rest  of  the  world,  but,  on  the  contrary, 
strove  to  the  uttermost  to  prevent  it.  It  was  comparatively  an  easy  task 
to  propose  to  any  power,  the  ports  of  which  were  freely  visited  by  ships 
from  every  part  of  the  world,  the  terms  of  a commercial  treaty.  Such 
powers  have  recognized  commerce  itself  as  part  of  their  national  system,  and 
the  principle  of  permitting  it  is  freely  avowed  by  their  usage;  a treaty, 
therefore,  had  but  to  define  its  privileges,  and  state  the  conditions  on  which 
they  might  be  enjoyed  in  the  case  of  any  nation  seeking  to  make  such  a 
treaty.  But  not  so,  when,  by  any  power,  commerce  itself  was  interdicted 
and  made  contrary  to  law.  Before  general  conditions  of  commerce  could  be 
proposed  to  such  a power,  it  was  necessary  to  settle  the  great  preliminary 
that  commerce  would  be  allowed  at  all.  Again,  if  that  preliminary  were 
settled  aflSrmatively,  a second  point,  of  great  moment,  remained  to  be  dis- 
cussed, viz.,  to  what  degree  shall  intercourse  for  trading  purposes  be  extend- 
ed ? Among  nations  accustomed  to  the  usages  of  Christendom,  the  princi- 
ples and  extent  of  national  comity  in  the  interchanges  of  commercial  trans- 
actions have  been  so  long  and  so  well  defined  and  understood,  that,  as  be- 
tween them,  the  term,  “ commercial  treaty,”  needs  no  explanation ; its  mean- 
ing is  comprehended  alike  by  all,  and  in  its  stipulations  it  may  cover  the 
very  broad  extent  that  includes  everything  involved  in  the  operations  of 
commerce  between  two  maritime  nations.  All  ports  are  open,  aU  commodi- 
ties may  l^e  imported  or  exported,  subject  only  to  such  regulations  as  may 
have  been  agreed  upon  between  the  contracting  parties.  The  foundation  for 
the  contract  existed  before  its  terms  were  adjusted.  But  in  a kingdom 
which,  in  its  polity,  expressly  ignored  commerce  and  I’epudiated  it  as  an  evil 
instead  of  a good,  it  was  necessary,  as  we  have  said,  to  lay  the  very  founda- 
tion as  well  as  adjust  the  terms. 

Hence  the  instructions  to  Commodore  Perry  covered  broad  ground,  and 


CONSIDERATIONS 


ON  THE  TREATY. 


445 


his  letters  of  credence  conformed  to  his  instructions.  If  he  found  the  Ja- 
panese disposed  to  abandon  at  once  and  forever  their  deliberately  adopted 
plan  of  non-intercourse  with  foreigners  (an  event  most  unlikely),  his  powers 
were  ample  to  make  with  them  a commercial  treaty  as  wide  and  general  as 
any  we  have  with  the  nations  of  Europe.  If  they  were  disposed  to  relax 
but  in  part  their  jealous  and  suspicious  system,  formally  to  profess  relations 
of  friendship,  and  opening  some  only  of  their  ports  to  our  vessels  to  allow  a 
trade  in  those  ports  between  their  people  and  ours,  he  was  authorized  to  ne- 
gotiate for  this  purpose,  and  secure  for  his  country  such  privileges  as  he 
could,  not  inconsistent  with  the  self-respect  which,  as  a nation,  we  owed  to 
ourselves.  It  must  not  be  forgotten,  in  the  contemplation  of  what  was  ac- 
complished, that  our  representative  went  to  a people  who,  at  the  time  of  his 
arrival  among  them,  had,  both  by  positive  law  and  an  usage  of  more  than 
two  hundred  years,  allowed  but  one  of  their  harbors,  Nagasaki,  to  be  opened 
to  foreigners  at  all ; had  permitted  no  trade  with  such  foreigners  when  they 
did  come,  except,  under  most  stringent  regulations,  to  the  Dutch  and  Chi- 
nese ; were  in  the  habit  of  communicating  with  the  world  outside  of  them 
at  second  hand  only,  through  the  medium  of  the  Dutch,  who  were  in  prison 
at  Dezima;  and  a people  who,  as  far  as  we  know,  never  made  a formal 
treaty  with  a civilized  nation  in  the  whole  course  of  their  antecedent  his- 
tory. To  expect  such  a people  to  make  a compact  such  as  would  be  made 
between  two  great  commercial  nations,  England  and  ourselves,  for  instance, 
would  have  been  simply  ridiculous.  There  were,  in  fact,  but  two  points  on 
which  the  Commodore’s  instructions  did  not  allow  him  a large  discretion, 
to  be  exercised  according  to  circumstances.  These  two  were,  first,  that  if, 
happily,  any  arrangements  for  trade,  either  general  or  special,  were  made,  it 
was  to  be  distinctly  stipulated  that,  under  no  circumstances,  and  in  no  degree, 
would  the  Americans  submit  to  the  humiliating  treatment  so  long  borne  by 
the  Dutch  in  carrying  on  their  trade.  The  citizens  of  our  country  would  be 
dealt  with  as  freemen,  or  there  should  be  no  dealings  at  all.  The  second 
point  was,  that  in  the  event  of  any  of  our  countrymen  being  cast,  in  God’s 
providence,  as  shipwrecked  men  on  the  coast  of  Japan,  they  should  not  be 
treated  as  prisoners,  confined  in  cages,  or  subjected  to  inhuman  treatment, 
but  should  be  received  with  kindness,  and  hospitably  cared  for  until  they 
could  leave  the  country. 

It  will  easily  be  seen,  therefore,  that,  from  the  circumstances  of  the  case, 
there  was  novelty  in  the  features  of  the  mission  on  which  Commodore  Perry 
was  sent.  Little  or  no  guidance  was  to  be  derived  from  our  past  diplomatic 
experience  or  action.  The  nearest  approach  to  such  guidance  was  to  be 
found  in  our  treaty  with  China,  made  in  1844.  This,  therefore,  was  care- 
fully studied  by  the  Commodore.  It  purports  to  be  “ a treaty  or  general 
convention  of  peace,  amity,  and  commerce,”  and  to  settle  the  rules  to  “ be 
mutually  observed  in  the  intercourse  of  the  respective  countries.”  So  far  as 


446 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN, 


“ commerce  ” is  concerned,  it  permits  “ the  citizens  of  the  United  States  to 
frequent  ” five  ports  in  China,  “ and  io  reside  with  their  families  and  trade 
there,  and  to  proceed  at  pleasure  with  their  vessels  and  merchandise  to  or 
from  any  foreign  port,  and  from  either  of  the  said  five  ports  to  any  other  of 
them.”  As  to  duties  on  articles  imported,  they  are  to  pay  according  to  a 
tariff  which  is  made  part  of  the  treaty,  and  in  no  case  are  to  he  subjected  to 
higher  duties  than  those  paid,  under  similar  circumstances,  by  the  people  of 
other  nations.  Consuls  are  provided  for,  to  reside  at  the  five  open  ports ; 
and  those  trading  there  are  “ permitted  to  import  from  their  own  or  any 
other  ports  into  China,  and  sell  there,  and  purchase  therein,  and  export  to 
their  own  or  any  other  ports  all  manner  of  merchandise,  of  which  the  impor- 
tation or  exportation  is  not  prohibited  by  ” the  treaty.  In  short,  so  far  as 
the  five  ports  are  concerned,  there  exists  between  us  and  China  a general 
treaty  of  commerce  ; and  accordingly  the  twenty-second  article  expressly  de- 
clares, that  “relations  of  peace  and  amity  between  the  United  States  and 
China”  are  “ established  by  this  treaty,  and  the  vessels  of  the  United  States 
are  admitted  to  trade  freely  to  and  from  the  five  ports  of  China  open  to  for- 
eign commerce.” 

It  certainly  was  very  desirable  to  obtain,  if  possible,  similar  privileges 
from  Japan,  and  the  Commodore  resolved  that,  if  the  Japanese  would  ne- 
gotiate at  all,  his  first  efforts  should  be  directed  to  that  end.  Accordingly 
he  caused  to  be  prepared,  in  the  Chinese  character,  a transcript  of  the  trea- 
ty, with  such  verbal  alterations  as  would  make  it  applicable  to  Japan,  with 
the  view  of  exhibiting  it  to  the  Imperial  commissioners  of  that  country 
should  he  be  so  successful  as  to  open  negotiations.  He  was  not  sanguine 
enough  to  hope  that  he  could  procure  an  entire  adoption  of  the  Chinese 
treaty  by  the  Japanese.  He  was  not  ignorant  of  the  difference  in  national 
characteristics  between  the  inhabitants  of  China  and  the  more  independent, 
self-reliant  and  sturdy  natives  of  the  Japanese  islands.  He  knew  that  the 
latter  held  the  former  in  some  degree  of  contempt,  and  treated  them,  in  the 
matter  of  trade,  very  much  as  they  did  the  Dutch.  He  was  also  aware 
that  the  Chinese,  when  they  made  their  treaty,  did  know  something  of  the 
advantages  that  might  result  from  an  intercourse  with  the  rest  of  the  world; 
while  as  to  the  Japanese,  in  their  long-continued  isolation,  either  they 
neither  knew  nor  desired  such  advantages ; or,  if  they  knew  them,  feared  they 
might  be  purchased  at  too  high  a price  in  the  introduction  of  foreigners  who, 
as  in  the  case  of  the  Portuguese,  centuries  before,  might  seek  to  overturn 
the  empire.  It  was  too  much,  therefore,  to  expect  that  the  Japanese  would 
in  all  the  particulars  of  a treaty  imitate  the  Chinese.  Still,  they  might  be 
disposed  to  adopt  some  of  its  most  important  features  when  suggested  to 
them  by  a knowledge  of  what  other  orientals  had  done. 

But  of  the  difficulties  encountered,  even  after  the  Japanese  had  con- 
sented to  negotiate,  the  best  account  we  think  may  be  given  from  the  con- 


CONFEEENCES  IN  NEGOTIATION. 


447 


ferences  and  discussions  between  the  respective  negotiators,  of  all  which  most 
accurate  reports  were  kept  on  both  sides,  in  the  form  of  dialogue.  At  the 
first  meeting  of  the  Commodore  with  the  Imperial  commissioners,  on  the 
8th  of  March,  he  acted  on  the  plan  he  had  proposed  to  himself  with  re- 
spect to  the  treaty  with  China,  and  thus  addressed  them : 

“ Com.  Perry.  I think  it  would  be  better  for  the  two  nations  that  a 
treaty  similar  to  the  one  between  my  country  and  the  Chinese  should  be 
made  between  us.  I have  prepared  the  draft  of  one  almost  identical  with 
our  treaty  with  China.  I have  been  sent  here  by  my  government  to  make  a 
treaty  with  yours ; if  I do  not  succeed  now,  my  government  will  probably 
send  more  ships  here ; but  I hope  we  will  soon  settle  matters  amicably.” 

“ Japanese.  We  wish  for  time  to  have  the  document  translated  into 
the  Japanese  language.” 

This  was  but  one  among  a hundred  proofs  of  their  extreme  suspicion  and 
caution;  for  there  was  not  one  of  the  Imperial  commissioners,  probably, 
who  could  not  have  read,  without  the  least  difficulty,  the  document  as  fur- 
nished by  the  Commodore ; and  certain  it  is  that  their  interpreters  could 
have  read  it  off  into  Japanese  at  once. 

The  Commodore,  whose  wish  it  was  to  do  as  far  as  possible  everything 
that  might  conciliate,  of  course  made  no  objection  to  a request  so  seemingly 
reasonable,  though  he  knew  it  to  be  needless,  and  was  content  to  wait  pa- 
tiently for  their  reply.  In  one  week  that  reply  came  in  writing,  and  wgs 
very  explicit : “ As  to  opening  a trade,  such  as  is  now  carried  on  by  China 
with  your  country,  we  certainly  cannot  yet  bring  it  about.  The  feelings  and 
manners  of  our  people  are  very  unlike  those  of  outer  nations,  and  it  will  be 
exceedingly  difficult,  even  if  you  wish  it,  to  immediately  change  the  old  reg- 
ulations for  those  of  other  countries.  Moreover,  the  Chinese  have  long  had 
intercourse  with  western  nations,  while  we  have  had  dealings  at  Nagasaki 
with  only  the  people  of  Holland  and  China.” 

This  answer  was  not  entirely  unexpected,  and  put  an  end  to  all  prospect 
of  negotiating  a “ commercial  treaty,”  in  the  European  sense  of  that  phrase. 
It  only  remained,  therefore,  to  secure,  for  the  present,  admission  into  the 
kingdom,  and  so  much  of  trade  as  Japanese  jealousy  could  be  brought  to 
concede.  At  length,  after  much  and  oft  repeated  discussion,  the  point  was 
yielded  that  certain  p«rts  might  be  opened  to  our  vessels ; and  then,  in  the 
interview  of  March  25th,  came  up  the  subject  of  consuls. 

Japanese.  About  the  appointment  of  consuls  or  agents,  the  commis- 
sioners desire  a delay  of  four  or  five  years  to  see  how  the  intercourse  works. 
The  governor  of  the  town  and  the  official  interpreter  will  be  able  to  carry 
on  all  the  business  of  supplying  provisions,  coal,  and  needed  articles,  with 
the  captain,  without  the  intervention  of  a consul.” 

“ Com.  Perry.  The  duties  of  a consul  are  to  report  all  difficulties 
between  American  citizens  and  Japanese  to  his  government  in  an  au- 


448 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


thentic  manner,  assist  the  Japanese  in  carrying  out  their  laws  and  the  pro- 
visions of  the  treaty,  and  recovering  debts  made  by  the  Americans;  and 
also  communicating  to  the  government  at  Washington  whatever  the  Japan- 
ese wish,  as  no  letters  can  he  received  after  this  through  the  Dutch ; and  if 
no  consuls  are  received,  then  a ship  of  war  must  remain  in  Japan  constantly, 
and  her  captain  do  the  duties  of  a consul.” 

^'■Japanese.  If  we  had  not  felt  great  confidence  in  you,  we  should  not 
have  consented  to  open  our  ports  at  all.  Consuls  may  he  accepted  by  and  by, 
after  experience  has  shown  their  need ; and  we  hope  that  all  American  cit- 
izens obey  the  laws  of  their  country,  and  behave  properly.” 

“ Com.  Perry.  True  ; and  I hope  no  difiiculty  will  arise ; and  this  ap- 
pointment of  consuls  in  Japan,  as  they  are  in  China,  Hawaii,  and  every- 
where else,  is  to  prevent  and  provide  for  difficulties.  No  American  will  re- 
port his  own  misdeeds  to  his  own  government,  nor  can  the  Japanese  bring 
them  to  our  notice,  except  through  a government  agent.  This  provision 
must  be  in  the  treaty,  though  I will  stipulate  for  only  one,  to  reside  at 
Simoda,  and  he  will  not  be  sent,  probably,  for  a year  or  two  from  this,  time.” 

And  thus  it  was  that  the  Commodore  had  to  explain  everything,  and  feel 
his  way,  step  by  step,  in  the  progress  of  the  whole  negotiation. 

'■'■Japanese.  The  commissioners  wish  every  point  desired  by  the  Ad- 
miral to  be  stated  elearly,  for  the  Japanese  are  not  equal  to  the  Americans, 
and  have  not  much  to  give  in  exchange.” 

“ Com.  Perry.  I have  already  stated  all  my  views  as  regards  our  inter- 
course in  the  draft  of  the  treaty  you  have.”  [This  was  one  prepared  by  the 
Commodore  after  the  rejection  of  the  transcript  of  the  Chinese  treaty.] 
“ Let  the  commissioners  state  their  objections  to  it.  This  treaty  now  to  be 
made  is  only  a beginning^  and  as  the  nations  know  each  other,  the  Japanese 
will  permit  Americans  to  go  anywhere,  to  Mount  Fusi,  all  over  the  coun- 
try.” 

"Japanese.  We  have  found  restrictions  necessary  against  the  Portu- 
guese and  English.”  Then  followed  observations  by  the  Japanese  on  Pel- 
lew’s  entry  into  Nagasaki  harbor,  whieh  showed  how  much  dislike  of  the 
English  that  event  had  occasioned.  A strong  proof  of  their  remarkable 
caution  was  furnished  by  the  Japanese  at  the  conference  held  on  the  28th 
of  March,  when  most  of  the  terms  of  the  treaty  had  been  agreed  upon. 

“ Com.  Perry.  I am  prepared  now  to  sign  the  treaty  about  these  three 
harbors.” 

[Ml-.  Portman,  interpreter,  then  read  in  Dutch  that  portion  of  the  treaty 
which  contained  such  points  as  had  been  already  agreed  upon.] 

"Japanese.  It  is  all  correct  except  that  we  have  objection  to  opening 
the  port  of  Simoda  immediaiely ; if  any  vessels  were  to  go  there  in  dis- 
tress, we  would  be  glad  to  furnish  them  with  provisions,  wood,  and  water.” 

“ Com.  Perry.  You  have  already  consented,  in  one  of  your  letters  to 


CONFEEENCES  ON  THE  TREATY. 


449 


me,  to  open  that  port  immediately.  I am  very  desirous  of  settling  that 
matter  now,  as  I wish  to  dispatch  the  Saratoga  home  to  inform  the  govern- 
ment, before  Congress  adjourns,  how  matters  are  advancing;  that  will  take 
some  time,  and  there  is  no  probability  that  any  ships  will  come  here  before 
ten  or  twelve  months  have  expired ; so  that  it  will  make  no  difference  to  you 
whether  you  put  it  in  the  treaty  to  be  opened  now  or  in  ten  months.” 

^'■Japanese.  We  are  willing  to  put  it  in  the  treaty  ‘to  be  opened  now,’ 
if  you  give  us  a letter  or  promise  that  no  ships  wiU  come  here  before  the 
President  gives  his  permission.” 

“ Com.  Perry.  I cannot  do  that  very  well,  but  I am  willing  to  put  it  off 
ninety  days ; that  will  be  about  the  time  I shall  return  from  Hakodadi ; 
it  was  your  own  proposition  yesterday  to  open  that  port  immediately.  I 
consent  to  this,  however,  to  show  you  how  desirous  I am  to  do  what  I can 
to  please  you.  I cannot  consent  to  a longer  time.” 

“ J apanese.  If  we  put  it  in  the  treaty  to  be  opened  now,  we  would  like 
you  to  give  us  an  order  that  no  ship  shall  enter  that  port  before  ten 
months.” 

“ Com.  Perry.  I cannot  do  that.  But  there  is  no  probability  that  any 
ships  will  come  here  before  that  time,  as  I shall  not  leave  here  for  three 
months,  and  they  will  not  hear  of  it ; as  I said  before,  there  is  no  proba- 
bility that  ships  will  go  there  before  the  expiration  of  ten  months.” 

“ J apanese.  When  you  come  back  from  Matsmai,  we  will  have  a plenty 
of  provisions  at  Simoda  for  the  whole  squadron ; but  to  other  ships  we  can- 
not furnish  more  than  wood,  water,  &c.” 

“ Com.  Perry.  When  we  return  from  Matsmai  we  shall  not  want  many 
provisions,  as  we  shall  be  going  to  a place  where  we  can  get  a plenty.  It  is 
only  the  principle  I wish  settled  now.  I have  come  here  as  a peacemaker, 
and  I want  to  settle  everything  now,  and  thus  prevent  trouble  hereafter ; and 
I wish  to  write  home  to  my  government  that  the  Japanese  are  friends.” 

'■^Japanese.  We  will  write  you  a letter  stating  that  we  cannot  furnish 
everything  before  ten  months,  but  that  we  can  furnish  wood  and  water  imme- 
diately, and  that  we  will  furnish  such  other  things  as  we  possibly  can.  This 
letter  we  would  like  you  to  answer.” 

“ Com.  Perry.  Yery  well;  I will.” 

“ J apanese.  [Entering  on  another  part  of  the  terms  agreed  on.]  W e 
will  not  confine  Americans,  or  prevent  them  from  walking  around ; but  we 
would  like  to  place  a limit  to  the  distance  they  may  walk.” 

“ Com.  Perry.  I am  prepared  to  settle  that  matter  now,  but  they  must 
not  be  confined  to  any  particular  house  or  street.  Suppose  we  make  the 
distance  they  may  walk,  the  same  distance  that  a man  can  go  and  come  in  a 
day.  Or,  if  you  choose,  the  number  of  Us  or  ris  may  be  agreed  upon.” 

'•^Japanese.  We  are  willing  that  they  shall  walk  as  far  as  they  can  go 
and  come  in  a day.” 


29 


450 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


“ Com.  Perry.  There  is  no  probability  that  sailors  -would  want  to  go  on 
shore  more  than  once  from  curiosity;  beside,  they  will  have  their  daily 
duties  to  attend  to  on  board  ship,  and  will  not  be  able  to  go  on  shore.” 

Japanese.  We  do  not  want  any  women  to  come  and  remain  at  Si- 
moda.” 

“ Com.  Perry.  The  probability  is  but  few  women  will  go  there,  and 
they  only  the  wives  of  the  ofiScers  of  the  ships.” 

“ Japanese.  When  you  come  back  from  Matsmai  we  would  like  you  to 
settle  the  distance  Americans  are  to  walk.  It  is  difficult  for  us  to  settle  the 
distance.” 

“ Com.  Perry.  Say  the  distance  of  seven  J apanese  miles  in  any  direction 
from  the  centre  of  the  city  of  Simoda.” 

^'■Japanese.  Very  well.  A few  miles  will  make  no  difference.  You 
are  requested  not  to  leave  agents  until  after  you  have  experienced  that  it  is 
necessary.” 

“ Com.  Perry.  I am  willing  to  defer  the  appointment  of  a consul  or 
agent  one  year  or  eighteen  months  from  the  date  of  signing  the  treaty ; and 
then,  if  my  government  should  think  it  necessary,  it  will  send  one.” 

In  fact,  not  an  article  of  the  treaty  was  made  but  upon  the  most  serious 
deliberation  by  the  Japanese.  In  answer  to  a question  from  Captain  Adams 
in  the  very  first  stages  of  the  negotiation,  they  replied  : “The  Japanese  are 
unlike  the  Chinese ; they  are  averse  to  change ; and  when  they  make  a com- 
pact of  any  kind  they  intend  it  shall  endure  for  a thousand  years.  For  this 
reason  it  will  be  best  to  deliberate  and  examine  well  the  facilities  for  trade 
and  the  suitableness  of  the  port  before  any  one  is  determined  on.”  Probably 
nothing  but  the  exercise  of  the  most  perfect  truthfulness  and  patience  would 
ever  have  succeeded  in  making  with  them  a treaty  at  all ; and  from  the  lan- 
guage of  one  of  their  communications,  it  is  obvious  that,  with  characteristic 
caution,  they  meant  that  theii’  present  action  should  be  but  a heginning  of 
intercourse,  which  might  or  might  not  be  afterward  made  more  extensive  ac- 
cording to  the  results  of  what  they  deemed  the  experiment.  Thus  they  say : 
“ As  our  ideas  of  things  and  what  we  each  like  are  still  very  dissimilar,  as 
are  also  our  notions  of  the  prices  or  worth  of  things,  this  makes  it  indispen- 
sable that  we  both  first  make  a mutual  trial  and  examination.”  This  shows 
the  spirit  in  which  they  negotiated.  The  treaty  has  already  been  laid  before 
the  reader.  A brief  analysis  of  it  is  all  that  is  here  necessary.  And  it  is  to 
be  remarked  first,  that  it  evidently  implies  in  its  language  and  proper  con- 
struction future  and  more  enlarged  regulations  as  to  commerce.  Thus,  in 
article  VI.,  it  is  declared  : “ If  there  be  any  other  sort  of  goods  wanted,  or 

any  business  which  shall  require  to  be  arranged,  there  shall  be  careful  delib- 
eration between  the  parties  in  order  to  settle  such  matters.”  And  again,  in 
article  VII.,  “ It  is  agreed  that  ships  of  the  United  States,  resorting  to  the 
ports  open  to  them,  shall  be  permitted  to  exchange  gold  and  silver  coin  and 


CONSIDERATIONS  ON  THE  TREATY. 


451 


articles  of  goods  for  other  articles  of  goods,  under  such  regulations  as  shall 
he  temporarily  established  by  the  Japanese  government  for  that  purpose.” 

In  both  these  articles  the  Japanese  substituted  the  word  “ goods  ” for  “ mer- 
chandise,” as  from  their  ignorance  of  the  customs  and  terms,  used  in  foreign 
trade,  they  did  not  know  what  might  he  included  in  the  technical  meaning 
of  the  word  “merchandise;  ” while  “goods”  had,  to  their  minds,  a well  defined 
and  perfectly  intelligible  signification.  The  words  “ shall  be,”  in  the  sixth 
article,  point  to  the  probable  necessity  of  future  treaty-making  with  us,  to 
“ settle”  “ any  business  which  shall  require  to  be  arranged.”  This,  it  must 
be  remembered,  was  the  first  formal  treaty  they  ever  made  on  the  subject  of 
foreign  trade,  at  least  since  the  expulsion  of  the  Portuguese ; and  they  evi- 
dently meant  to  proceed  cautiously  by  single  steps.  Again,  in  article  VII., 
the  word  “ temporarily  ” is  used,  inserted  by  them,  and  meant  to  imply  some 
future  action  toward  a more  complete  commercial  arrangement  or  treaty,  for 
which,  at  the  present,  they  were  not  prepared.  They  meant,  therefore,  their 
action  to  be  initiative  only  now,  but  contemplating,  prospectively,  a more 
enlarged  commercial  intercourse. 

Secondly.  There  is  observable  throughout,  the  predominating  influence 
of  the  national  prejudice  against  the  permanent  introduction  of  foreigners 
among  them.  The  word  “ reside  ” is  but  once  used  in  the  whole  treaty,  and 
that  in  the  eleventh  article  relative  to  consuls.  The  details  of  conferences, 
already  given,  show  how  anxiously  they  sought  to  avoid  having  consuls  at 
all.  Indeed,  Commodore  Perry  says,  “ I could  only  induce  the  commission- 
ers to  agree  to  this  article,  by  endeavoring  to  convince  them  that  it  would 
save  the  Japanese  government  much  trouble,  if  an  American  agent  were  to 
reside  at  one  or  both  of  the  ports  opened  by  the  treaty,  to  whom  complaints 
might  be  made  of  any  mal-practice  of  the  United  States’  citizens  who  might 
visit  the  Japanese  dominions.”  They  wanted  no  permanent  foreign  resi- 
dents among  them,  official  or  unofficial.  This  was  shown  most  unequivocally 
in  the  remark  already  recorded  in  one  of  the  confei-ences : “ ice  do  not 
want  any  women  to  come  and  remain  at  Simoda."  Simoda  was  one  of  the 
ports  open  for  trade  with  us ; they  knew  that  our  people  had  wives  and 
daughters,  and  that  a man’s  family  were  ordinarily  resident  with  him  in  his 
permanent  abode,  and  that  if  the  head  of  the  family  lived  in  Simoda  as  a 
Japanese  would  live,  there  would  certainly  be  women  who  would  “ come  and 
remain  at  Simoda.”  But  more  than  this.  It  will  be  remembered  that  the 
Commodore  had  submitted  to  them  our  treaty  with  China,  and  they  had 
held  it  under  consideration  for  a week,  at  the  end  of  which  time  they  said, 
“ as  to  opening  a trade,  such  as  is  now  carried  on  by  China  with  your  country, 
we  certainly  cannot  yet  bring  it  about.  The  Chinese  have  long  had  inter- 
course with  western  nations,  while  we  have  had  dealings  at  Nagasaki  with 
only  the  people  of  Holland  and  China.”  Now  what  was  “ such  a trade”  as 
we  carried  on  with  China  ? The  Japanese  read  in  our  treaty  that  five  ports 


452 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


were  open  to  us,  that  permission  was  given  “ to  the  citizens  of  the  United 
States  to  frequent  ” them ; and  further,  “ to  reside  with  their  families  and 
trade  there.'''  This  they  deliberately  declined  assenting  to  when  they  re- 
fused to  make  a treaty  similar  to  that  with  China.  They  surely  would  not 
afterward  knowingly  insert  it  in  any  treaty  they  might  make  with  us.  The 
only  permanent  residence  to  which  they  gave  assent,  and  that  most  reluc- 
tantly, was  the  residence  of  a consul.  Temporary  residence  was  allowed  to 
our  shipwrecked  citizens,  as  well  as  to  those  who  went  to  Simoda  or  Hako- 
dadi  on  commercial  business.  They  are  allowed  to  land,  to  walk  where  they 
please  within  certain  limits,  to  enter  shops  and  temples  without  restriction, 
to  purchase  in  the  shops,  and  have  the  articles  sent  to  the  proper  public 
office  duly  marked,  where  they  will  pay  for  them,  to  resort  to  public  houses 
or  inns  that  are  to  be  built  for  their  refreshment,  “ when  on  shore  ” at  Simo- 
da and  Hakodadi ; and  until  built,  a temple,  at  each  place,  is  assigned  “ as  a 
resting-place  for  persons  in  their  walks.”  They  may  accept  invitations  to 
partake  of  the  hospitality  of  any  of  the  Japanese ; but  they  are  not  permit- 
ted to  enter  “military  establishments  or  private  houses  without  leave." 
Without  leave,  our  citizens  cannot  enter  them  within  the  territories  of  any 
nation  with  which  we  have  a treaty.  In  short,  the  whole  treaty  shows  that 
the  purpose  of  the  Japanese  was  to  try  the  experiment  of  intercourse  with 
us  before  they  made  it  as  extensive  or  as  intimate  as  it  is  between  us  and  the 
Chinese.  It  was  all  they  would  do  at  the  time,  and  much,  very  much, 
was  obtained  on  the  part  of  our  negotiator  in  procuring  a concession  even  to 
this  extent. 

But,  as  he  knew  that  our  success  would  be  but  the  forerunner  of  that  of 
other  powers,  and  as  he  believed  that  new  relations  of  trade  once  commenced, 
not  only  with  ourselves,  but  with  England,  France,  Holland,  and  Russia,  could 
not,  in  the  progress  of  events,  fail  effectually  and  forever  not  only  to  break  up 
the  old  restrictive  policy,  and  open  Japan  to  the  world,  but  must  also  lead 
gradually  to  liberal  commercial  treaties ; he  wisely,  in  the  ninth  article,  with- 
out “ consultation  or  delay,”  secured  to  the  United  States  and  their  citizens 
all  privileges  and  advantages  which  Japan  might  hereafter  “grant  to  any 
other  nation  or  nations.” 

As  far  as  we  have  yet  learned,  all  other  powers  have  been  content  to 
obtain  just  what  we,  as  pioneers,  have  obtained.  Their  treaties  are  like 
ours.*  That  of  Russia  is  copied  from  ours,  with  no  change  but  that  of  the 
substitution  of  the  port  of  Nagasaki  for  Napha  in  Lew  Chew.  TTe  respect- 
fully submit,  therefore,  that  all,  and  indeed,  more  than  all,  that,  under  the 


* In  a note  to  a former  page,  we  have  said  intelligence  had  reached  ns  of  a commercial 
treaty  between  England  and  Japan.  We  have  reason  to  think  this  is  a mistake.  If  there 
be  such  a treaty,  we  are  entitled,  under  our  9th  article,  to  all  its  privileges  and  advantages, 
at  once. 


CASE  OF  THE  SCHOONER  FOOTE. 


453 


circumstances,  could  reasonably  have  been  expected,  has  been  accomplished. 
Japan  has  been  opened  to  the  nations  of  the  west ; and  it  is  not  to  be  be- 
lieved, that  having  once  effected  an  entrance,  the  enlightened  powers  that 
have  made  treaties  with  her  will  go  hachtuard,  and,  by  any  indiscretion,  lose 
what,  after  so  many  unavailing  efforts  for  eenturies,  has  at  last  been  happily 
attained.  It  belongs  to  these  nations  to  show  Japan  that  her  interests  will 
be  promoted  by  communication  with  them ; and,  as  prejudice  gradually  van- 
ishes, we  may  hope  to  see  the  future  negotiation  of  commercial  treaties,  more 
and  more  liberal,  for  the  benefit,  not  of  ourselves  only,  but  of  all  the  mari- 
time powers  of  Europe,  for  the  advancement  of  Japan,  and  for  the  upward 
progress  of  our  common  humanity.  It  would  be  a foul  reproach  to  Chris- 
tendom now  to  force  J apan  to  relapse  into  her  cheerless  and  unprogressive 
state  of  unnatural  isolation.  She  is  the  youngest  sister  in  the  circle  of  com- 
mercial nations ; let  those  who  are  elder  kindly  take  her  by  the  hand,  and 
aid  her  tottering  steps,  until  she  has  reached  a vigor  that  will  enable  her  to 
walk  firmly  in  her  own  strength.  Cautious  and  kindly  treatment  now  will 
soon  lead  to  commercial  treaties  as  liberal  as  can  be  desired. 

Note. — Scarcely  had  this  chapter  been  completed,  before  the  public  prints  of  the  coun- 
try brought  to  our  notice  the  results  of  the  first  voyage  made  to  Hakodadi  after  the  signing 
of  the  treaty.  The  facts  appear  to  be  substantially  as  follows  : On  tlie  13tli  of  February, 
1855,  the  American  schooner  C.  E.  Foote,  sailed  from  Honolulu  for  Japan,  via  the  Bonin 
islands.  The  vessel  was  fitted  out  by  Messrs.  Reed  and  Dougherty,  American  citizens,  and 
was  loaded,  for  the  most  part,  with  articles  of  ship  chandlery,  chains  and  anchors,  pork 
and  beef ; sails,  tar,  cordage,  &c.  The  purpose  of  the  voyage  was  to  fulfil  a contract  “ to 
establish  at  Hakodadi  a supply  depot  for  American  whale  ships,  so  that  they  may  winter 
at  that  place  instead  of  Honolulu.”  Among  the  passengers  were  Mr.  Reed  and  his  family, 
and  Mr.  Doty  and  his  family.  These  families  included  three  American  ladies  and  some 
children.  On  the  15th  of  March  the  vessel  arrived  at  Simoda.  She  there  found  some  of 
the  ofScers  and  crew  of  the  Russian  frigate  Diana,  which  had  been  wrecked  by  the  effects 
of  an  earthquake  at  Simoda  in  the  previous  December.  The  Foote  had  touched  at  Simoda 
in  the  expectation  of  meeting  there  the  United  States  ships  Powhatan  and  Vandalia,  to 
which  she  carried  letters,  and  also  to  consume  the  time  that  had  to  elapse,  some  few  w’eeks, 
before,  under  the  treaty,  the  port  of  Hakodadi  would  be  open  to  our  vessels.  On  the  arrival 
of  the  vessel,  guard  and  shore  boats  surrounded  her,  and  great  curiosity  was  manifested  to 
see  the  American  ladies.  The  Russians  were  anxious  to  get  away,  and  the  owners  of  the 
American  vessel  at  once  negotiated  with  them  to  take  them  to  Petropaulowski.  This  made 
it  necessary  to  land  all  the  passengers  and  a part  of  the  cargo  at  Simoda.  The  schooner 
having  been  chartered,  and  her  provisions  sold  to  the  Russians,  Mr.  Reed  and  Mr.  Doty, 
with  the  three  ladies  of  the  party  and  the  children,  landed,  and  were  assigned  a residence 
in  one  of  the  temples  named  in  the  treaty  to  be  used  for  that  purpose  until  inns  should  be 
buUt,  and  carpenters  were  employed  to  make  it  convenient.  The  Japanese  were  very 
curious  to  see  the  ladies  and  children  ; but  the  temple  and  grounds  were  considered  as 
exclusively  the  Americans’.  No  Japanese,  Mr.  Reed  states,  in  a communication  to  the 
“ Alta  Californian,”  except  the  officers,  were  permitted  to  enter  but  by  special  permission. 
“ To  guard  against  intrusion,”  (thus  he  writes,)  “ four  officers  are  stationed  at  the  gate, 
and  are  relieved  every  few  hom's.  The  watch  is  kept  up  day  and  night.  Near  the  gate  is 


454 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


a small  house  in  which  are  stationed  five  other  officers,  who  transmit  aU  messages  to  or 
from  us,  introduce  to  us  all  who  are  allowed  to  enter,  and  make  for  us  all  the  purchases  we 
require.”  The  list  of  articles  of  food  furnished  is  both  varied  and  extensive.  Nor  were  the 
Americans  confined  to  the  temple.  Mr.  Reed  thus  writes  ; “ In  walking  into  the  country, 
we  found  that  pleasing  views  invited  us  from  one  point  to  another,  from  mountain  peak  to 
mountain  peak,  as  we  admired  the  strangeness,  and  richness,  and  beauty,  until,  though  we 
started  only  for  a morning  walk,  we  often  wandered  too  far  to  return  the  same  night.”  The 
amusements  of  the  party  were  not  disturbed  ; for,  on  the  evening  of  the  22d  of  March,  the 
Americans  united  with  the  Russian  officers  in  celebrating,  in  the  temple,  by  music  and 
dancing,  the  birthday  anniversary  of  one  of  their  number.  Nor  was  this  aU : the  time 
of  the  sojourn  of  our  countrymen  was  about  two  months  and  a half ; and,  during  this 
period,  as  appears  from  Mr.  Doty’s  communication  to  the  “ San  Francisco  Herald,”  “Mr. 
Reed  spent  his  time  in  selecting  and  purchasing  a cargo  of  Japan  goods  for  San  Francisco, 
composed  of  lacquer  ware,  rice,  silks,  &c.,  &c.,”  which  cargo,  the  California  papers  inform 
us,  was  afterward  sold  at  San  Francisco  at  a large  profit. 

It  would  appear,  therefore,  briefly  to  recapitulate,  that  our  countrymen  were  permitted 
to  land  in  Japan,  were  furnished  with  a house  which  was  made  comfortable  for  their  resi- 
dence, were  permitted  to  store  part  of  the  cargo  of  their  vessel,  were  plentifully  supplied 
with  necessary  food,  were  permitted  to  walk  about  the  country,  were  not  molested  in  their 
amusements,  and  were  allowed  to  purchase  a cargo  from  the  Japanese  and  take  it  away. 
Now,  not  one  of  these  things  could  any  American  have  done  hut  for  the  treaty  made  by 
Commodore  Perry. 

Mr.  Reed  further  writes,  in  the  columns  of  the  “ Alta  Californian  : ” “ The  Japanese 
began  early  to  interrogate  us  upon  our  intentions,  and  we  told  them  in  writing  that  we 
came  there  to  live."  In  the  letter  of  Reed  and  Dougherty,  addressed  to  the  governor  of 
Simoda,  on  the  22d  of  April,  1855,  as  published  in  the  “ New  York  Herald”  of  the  loth 
of  October,  1855,  they  thus  state  their  intentions : “ We  touched  here,  expecting  to  meet 
the  Powhatan  and  Vandalia,  to  which  we  had  letters,  and  also  to  consume  time,  knowing 
that,  by  the  treaty,  we  could  not  go  to  that  place  (Hakodadi)  before  the  middle  or  last 
of  this  month.” 

“ We  found  the  officers  and  crew  of  the  wrecked  ship  Diana  here,  and  anxious  to  go 
away,  and  we  at  once  negotiated  to  transport  them  to  Petropaulowski.  On  this  accomit 
it  became  necessary  for  us  to  come  on  shore,  and  also  to  land  part  of  our  cargo  and  all  the 
passengers.” 

“ It  was  not  our  design  to  land  here,  nor  is  it  our  intention  now  to  remain  here  longer 
than  till  our  vessel  returns,  wffiich  we  now  expect  in  fifteen  or  twenty  days.  Should  our 
schooner  be  lost  and  never  return,  our  plans  may  be  changed  altogether ; and,  should  we 
not  hear  from  her  for  two  mouths  to  come,  we  then  may  seek  other  means  of  conveyance 
from  this  place.” 

“ Om'  object  is  not  to  mingle  or  trade  with  the  Japanese,  but  to  trade  with  and  assist 
our  own  people  and  ships  that  visit  Japan.” 

As  to  the  treaty,  the  letter  proceeds  : “ We  know  well  the  interpretation  and  meaning 
given  to  it  by  our  government.  We  shall  never  compromise  our  government  by  saying 
that  we  have  no  right  to  remain  here  a week,  a month,  a year,  or  even  five  j'ears,  for  we 
know,  by  the  treaty,  we  have  a perfect  right  so  to  do.” 

Mr.  Doty,  in  his  letter  to  the  authorities  of  Simoda,  dated  the  23d  of  April,  as  published 
in  the  “ New  York  Herald”  of  October  15,  1855,  thus  v\Tites  : 

“ I give  you  in  writing  the  following  reason  for  my  sojourn  at  this  place  : 

“ I arrived  in  this  port  on  the  15th  ult.,  on  board  the  American  vessel  C.  E.  Foote. 
Soon  after  our  arrival,  I was  informed  that  the  vessel  would  sail  hence  to  Heda,  and  from 


CASE  OF  THE  SCHOONER  FOOTE. 


455 


tlience  to  a foreign  port,  with  officers  and  men  of  the  late  Russian  frigate  Diana.  Not 
wishing  to  make  the  above  voyage  with  my  family,  I came  on  shore,  and  now  must  neces- 
sarily remain  here  until  the  retm-n  of  our  vessel,  when  it  is  my  intention  to  leave  Simoda. 

“ If  the  vessel  should  not  return  after  a reasonable  time  for  making  the  voyage  has 
elapsed,  I shall  avail  myself  of  the  first  opportunity  that  offers  to  sail  direct  for  the  United 
States  of  America. 

“ In  answer  to  the  question  of  right  of  Americans  to  reside  here,  I would  most  respect- 
fully beg  leave  to  represent  that,  in  my  opinion,  it  is  a matter  to  be  settled  by  our 
respective  governments,  and,  therefore,  decline  making  any  further  commrmication  upon 
this  subject.” 

A proclamation  was  then  issued  by  the  authorities  of  Simoda,  as  follows  ; 

“PROCLAMATION. 

“ To  THE  Americans  at  Yokusheu  Temple  : 

“ About  your  leaving  this  place,  your  intention  is  heard,  which  you  have  declared,  that 
staying  in  this  place  is  not  properly  your  intention.  But  because  the  Russians  have 
engaged  the  vessel  manned  by  you,  with  which  they  have  gone  home,  you  have  been  com- 
pelled to  stay  here,  and  that  you  will,  on  the  return  of  the  vessel,  leave  this  place,  or  should 
she  not  return  in  the  intended  time,  to  await  the  arrival  of  a vessel  that  sails  for  yom' 
country,  and  with  that  vessel  to  leave  this  place. 

“ According  to  this  declaration,  you  must,  on  the  return  of  your  vessel,  leave  this  place ; 
or  should  she  not  return  in  the  declared  time,  then,  upon  the  arrival  of  an  American  ship, 
you  must  leave  this  place,  without,  at  that  time,  expressing  any  excuse  to  delay  you. 

“ Your  present  stay  among  us  is  found  necessary,  but  it  cannot  in  futm'e  be  taken  as  an 
example. 

“ Never  let  it  be  asked  again  to  stay.  It  is  not  only  so  in  this  place,  but  also  at  Hako- 
dadi,  which  you  and  all  Americans  are  obliged  to  observe. 

“ The  foreg.  dng  is  communicated  by  word  of  mouth  from  the  governor  of  Simoda.” 

Soon  after  this.  Commander  Rodgers,  of  the  United  States  surveying  expedition  to  the 
North  Pacific,  arrived  at  Simoda  in  the  Vincennes,  and  to  him  the  Americans  appealed. 
This  officer,  taking  distinctly  the  ground  that  the  proper  interpretation  of  the  treaty  was 
not  confided  to  him,  but  could  be  settled  only  by  the  two  governments  of  Japan  and  the 
United  States,  still  endeavored,  by  a temperate  and  judicious  letter  to  the  authorities  of 
Simoda,  to  induce  them  to  put  a different  construction  from  that  they  had  adopted  upon 
the  “ temporary  residence  ” allowed  to  Americans  under  the  treaty ; his  effort,  however, 
was  fruitless. 

But  the  object  of  Messrs.  Reed  and  Dougherty,  as  they  have  stated  it  in  the  “ San  Fran- 
cisco Herald”  of  the  18th  of  September,  1855,  was  to  transport  goods,  and  to  establish 
themselves  in  Hakodadi  for  the  purpose  of  supplying  our  whale  ships  that  designed  to  win- 
ter there  instead  of  at  Honolulu.  In  other  words,  their  object  was  to  make  at  Hakodadi  a 
permanent  commercial  agency  and  supply  depot  for  whale  ships ; to  live  in  Japan  with  their 
families,  just  as  they  would  live  in  any  European  foreign  port  where  they  might  establish 
a storehouse.  They,  therefore,  while  yet  at  Simoda,  on  the  20th  of  May,  addressed  the 
following  letter  to  the  governor  of  Hakodadi,  and  forwarded  it  by  the  Vincennes,  that  was 
about  to  sail  for  Hakodadi : 

“ To  His  Excellency  the  Governor  of  Hakodadi  : 

“We  have  the  honor  to  communicate  with  you,  through  Commodore  Rodgers,  com- 
manding the  United  States  surveying  expedition,  and  who  visits  your  place  to  meet  a part 
of  his  squadron,  and  also  to  survey  and  make  a chart  of  your  harbor.  We  are  merchants 
on  our  way  to  your  place,  to  make  a temporary  residence  there,  in  order  that  we  may  re- 


456 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


ceive  and  supply  a certain  number  of  our  ships  that  are  daily  expected  there.  The  sup- 
plies we  intend  to  furnish  are  necessary,  and  cannot  he  furnished  by  the  Japanese,  for  they 
have  them  not,  such  as  chains  and  anchors,  pork  and  beef,  safls,  tar  and  cordage,  and  ship 
chandlery  generally.  We  have  our  families  with  us,  and  shall  require  or  want  a house  for 
them  to  live  in,  and  also  a building  to  store  our  goods,  for  which  we  expect  to  pay  a reason- 
able compensation  or  sum  of  money.  We  have  been  living  here  (at  Simoda)  for  the  past 
three  months,  awaiting  the  return  of  our  vessel  to  take  us  to  your  place.  MTien  it  returns, 
(and  we  expect  it  every  day,)  we  shall  leave  this  place  for  Hakodadi  On  our  arrival  there 
we  trust  your  excellency,  in  the  absence  of  hotels  and  inns,  ^vill  have  selected  a suitable 
place  for  our  families  to  reside,  and  also  to  store  our  goods.  Suffer  us,  also,  to  ask  of  your 
honor  to  inform  any  of  our  ships  which  may  arrive  there  before  us,  that  we  are  at  this 
place,  and  expect  soon  to  be  at  Hakodadi.” 

To  this  an  answer  was  sent  through  Commander  Rodgers,  the  purport  of  which  will  be 
seen  from  the  following  communication,  sent  by  that  gentleman  to  Messrs.  Reed  and 
Dougherty : 

“United  States  Ship  Vincennes,  Hakodadi,  June  19,  185.5. 

“ Gentlemen  ; The  governor  of  Hakodadi  has  replied  to  my  application  for  permission 
for  you  to  reside  on  shore,  in  accordance  with  the  stipulations  of  the  treaty  of  Kanagawa, 
that  temporaiy,  used  in  the  treaty,  means  a short  time — he  thinks  five  or  ten  days,  or,  at 
the  utmost,  a few  months.  Unless  I will  consent  to  his  definition,  by  asking  for  some  short 
definite  period,  after  which  you  may  be  sent  away,  he  utterly  refuses  to  permit  you  to  sleep 
on  shore  a single  night.  I have  replied  that  I dare  not  define  temporary  residence  in  other 
than  the  usual  manner.  That  if  two  governments,  in  their  wisdom,  preferred  to  give  you 
permission  to  ‘ live  temporarily  ’ in  Hakodadi,  I would  not  so  circumscribe  the  meaning 
of  the  treaty. 

“ I apprehend  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  permission  for  you  to  live  for  a few  months  in 
Hakodadi ; but  I must  say  how  long  you  may  remain.  After  the  time  expires,  the 
Japanese  will  consider  that  you  cease  to  be  temporary  residents,  and  that  you  commence 
to  live  permanently.  If  permanent  residence  is  not  in  the  treaty,  they  will  then  have  a 
right  to  send  you  away.  I have  been  oflBcially  informed  of  the  fact,  and,  therefore,  say  to 
you  officially,  that  the  government  of  Japan  wiU  not  suffer  you  to  sleep  a night  on  shore 
while  I persist  in  claiming  temporary  residence  to  mean  an  indefinite  period  of  time. 

“ If  the  government  of  the  United  States  decides  that  the  treaty  has  been  broken  to  your 
prejudice,  I believe  it  will  demand  the  proper  redress  for  you.  Should  the  government 
decide  that  the  Japanese  are  right,  your  coming  here  was  rash.” 

Subsequently  IMessrs.  Reed  and  Dougherty,  with-  their  families,  left  Simoda  in  their 
schooner,  and  proceeded  to  Hakodadi,  arriving  at  that  port  eight  days  after  the  arrival  of 
the  Vincennes,  and  being  the  first  American  merchant  vessel  which  had  entered  the  port 
under  the  treaty.  In  fact  the  port  had  but  just  been  opened.  IMr.  Doty  states  that  they 
“ were  refused  permission  to  land,  and  ordered  away.” 

These  seem  to  be  substantially  the  facts  connected  with  the  voyage  of  the  Foote,  and 
it  will  be  perceived,  that  the  question  involved  in  them  is  one  of  interpretation  of  the  treaty 
merely.  The  conduct  of  the  Japanese  at  Simoda  certainly  showed  no  unwillingness  to 
comply  with  the  treaty  stipulations,  for  everything  they  did  was  performed  by  reason  of 
the  treaty,  and,  but  for  its  existence,  would  not  have  been  performed  at  all.  The  only 
question  raised  by  them  was  whether  the  treaty,  by  “temporary  residence,”  meant  a resi- 
dence which  might  be  made  “ permanent”  by  continuance  for  an  indefinite  period.  As  to 
Hakodadi,  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  port  is  at  a long  distance  from  the  capital  on 
the  island  of  Nippon,  being,  in  truth,  on  another  island,  (Jesso),  and  ordinarily  has  but 
httle  communication  with  its  more  populous  neighbor.  The  authorities  at  Hakodadi  did 


CASE  OF  THE  SCHOONER  FOOTE. 


457 


not  refuse  to  let  the  Americans  land — for  under  the  treaty  they  had  a right  to  do  this  for 
“ temporary  residence  ” — but  asked  them  to  name,  before  landing,  some  definite  period 
which  should  he  considered  as  being  “ temporary  ” in  the  sense  of  the  treaty.  They  did, 
however,  object  to  Americans  coming  on  shore,  with  their  wives  and  children,  to  live  at 
Hakodadi  as  long  as  they  pleased,  just  as  a Japanese  would  live  there  ; they  did  object  to 
their  opening  a warehonse  and  making  a permanent  depot  of  supply,  and  establishing  a 
commercial  house  in  Japan,  as  our  merchants  do  in  China  ; and  it  will  probably  be  con- 
ceded, after  reading  the  conferences  of  negotiation  which  we  have  detailed,  that  they  never 
meant  to  hind  themselves  by  the  treaty  to  the  concession  of  such  privileges.  If  they  did 
not,  and  if,  as  at  Simoda,  they  carried  out  all  their  stipulations  touching  the  temporary 
sojourn  and  personal  comfort  of  our  countrymen,  then  it  would  seem  they  are  not  charge- 
able with  any  wilful  breach  of  faith.  Some  may  think  they  misinterpret  as  to  the  extent 
of  what  they  did  concede  ; hut  this,  as  Commander  Rodgers  very  truly  said,  is  a point 
which  can  be  settled  only  by  the  two  governments.  One  thing  seems  very  certain  from  the 
records  of  the  negotiation,  that  both  Commodore  Perry  and  the  Japanese  commissioners 
supposed  that  the  treaty  they  were  making  was  but  “ a beginning  ” of  friendly  relations, 
and  a partial  agreement  for  trade  ; but  neither  party  could  have  believed  they  were  fram- 
ing a general  “ commercial  treaty,”  inasmuch  as  the  Japanese  had,  in  the  beginning, 
expressly  declined  to  enter  into  such  a compact.  It  is  understood,  though  we  know  not 
that  the  fact  has  been  ofiicially  promulgated,  that  the  interpretation  of  the  treaty  by  our 
government  agrees  with  that  of  the  Japanese. 


Tedo  and  Simoda  dogs  presented  to  Commodore  M.  C.  Perry  by  the  Japanese  cominissioners. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


Departure  of  Commander  Adams  for  the  United  States,  with  the  treaty. — Yisits  of  the  Commodore  and 
oflBcers  on  shore. — Imperturbable  composure  of  Tenoske  when  charged  with  falsehood. — Call  upon  the 
Mayor  ot  Yoku-haiiia. — The  ladies  of  his  household. — Disg:ustiDg  fashion  of  dyeing  their  teeth. — Use 
of  rouge. — Entertainment  of  the  Commodore. — The  Mayor’s  baby. — The  common  people  very  com- 
fortable.— Field  labors  shared  by  the  women. — Straw  great  coat  for  rainy  weather. — Paper  umbrellas. 
— People  not  indisposed  to  intercourse  with  foreigners. — Respectful  treatment  of  the  female  sex.— 
Jaj)aDese  jumpriental  in  this  respect. — Polygamy  not  practised, — Japanese  women  naturally  good- 
looking. — Some  strikingly  handsome. — Girls  have  great  vivacity,  yet  dignified  and  modest — Social 
habits. — Visits. — Tea  parties. — Squadron,  after  notice  to  tbe  Japanese  authorities,  proceeds  up  the  bay 
with  some  of  the  officials  on  board. — Powhatan  and  Mississippi  go  within  sight  of  the  capital. — Its 
immense  size. — Sea  front  protected  by  high  palisades. — Change  of  Japanese  policy  on  the  second  visit 
to  Tedo. — All  show  of  military  resistance  studiously  avoided. — The  Commodore  assures  the  Japanese 
officials  that  he  will  not  anchor  the  steamers  near  the  city,  and,  after  a glance,  at  their  request,  returns. 
— Great-joy-of'the-officials  thereat.— Preparations  for  departure. — Macedonian  ordered  to  Peel  island.— 
Southampton,  Supply,  Yandalia,  and  Lexington  sent  to  Simoda, — Webster  island. — Departure  of  tho 
Commodore  for  Simoda. — Harbor  examined.— The  tow’n  and  adjacent  country. — Shops  and  dwellings. 
— Public  baths. — Food. — Mode  of  cultivation. — Buddhist  temples. — Grave-yards  and  tombs,— Statues 
of  Buddha. — Offerings  of  flowers  on  the  graves. — Epitaphs  or  inscriptions. — Charms  for  keeping  away 
from  the  dead  malignant  demons. — A temple  appropriated  for  the  occupancy  of  our  officers. — A Sin- 
too  temple. — Mariner’s  temple.— Salubrity  of  Simoda. — Made  an  imperial  city  since  the  treaty. 

HE  treaty  having  been  signed  and 
exchanged,  the  Commodore  sent  it, 
together  with  the  necessary  com- 
munications, to  our  government  at 
Washington,  under  the  especial 
charge  of  Commander  H.  A.  Adams, 
commissioned  as  hearer  of  dispatch- 
es, who  left  in  the  Saratoga.  This 
vessel  got  under  way  on  the  morning 
of  the  4th  of  April,  (1854,)  and 
sailed  for  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
homeward  bound.  As  she  passed 
the  squadron  anchored  at  Kanaga- 
wa,  the  Saratoga  saluted  the  flag  of 
the  Commodore  with  thirteen  guns, 
which  were  returned  from  the  Pow- 
hatan. The  wind  and  weather  pre- 
vented her,  however,  from  getting 
out  of  the  bay,  and  she  was  obliged 
to  anchor  at  the  “ American  anchorage”  on  the  first  night,  and  did  not  stand 
out  for  .sea  until  the  next  dav. 


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( ■"■'  ■■,<(:, : . '.'te 


JAPANESE  AVOJIAX  AA'D  DArGHTEE,  SIMODA, 


VISITS  ON  SHORE  IN  JAPAN. 


459 


The  Japanese  interpreters  still  visited  the  ships  almost  daily,  and  came 
on  hoard  the  Powhatan  on  the  day  after  the  departure  of  the  Saratoga, 
bringing  with  them  a number  of  trifling  presents  of  lacquered  ware,  porce- 
lain, and  other  articles  for  several  of  the  subordinate  officers.  On  the  fol- 
lowing morning,  one  of  the  small  brass  howitzers  was  landed  from  the  Mis- 
sissippi as  a present  for  the  Emperor,  as  well  as  several  boxes  of  tea  brought 
from  China,  to  be  distributed  as  gifts  to  the  interpreters  and  some  of  the 
Japanese  dignitaries.  Soon  after,  the  Commodore  went  ashore,  accompanied 
by  several  of  his  officers,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  a survey  of  the  country. 
After  having  been  entertained  at  the  treaty  house  with  the  usual  refresh- 
ments, the  party  set  out  on  their  walk,  attended  by  Moryama,  Yenoske,  the 
chief  interpreter,  and  several  of  the  Japanese  officials.  A circuit  embrac- 
ing some  flve  miles  was  the  extent  of  the  field  of  observation,  but  this  gave 
an  opportunity  of  seeing  a good  deal  of  the  country,  several  of  the  villages, 
and  large  numbers  of  the  people.  The  early  spring  in  that  temperate  lati- 
tude had  now  much  advanced,  and  the  weather,  though  never  very  severe, 
the  thermometer  having  varied  during  the  stay  of  the  squadron  from  38°  to 
64°,  had  become  more  warm  and  genial.  The  fields  and  terraced  gardens 
were  now  carpeted  with  a fresh  and  tender  verdure,  and  the  trees  with  the  full 
growth  of  renewed  vegetation  spread  their  shades  of  abounding  foliage  in  the 
valleys  and  on  the  hill  sides  of  the  surrounding  country.  The  camellias,  with 
the  immense  growth  of  forty  feet  in  height,  which  abound  everywhere  on  the 
shores  of  the  bay  of  Yedo,  were  in  full  bloom,  with  their  magnificent  red 
and  white  blossoms,  which  displayed  a purity  and  richness  of  color,  and  a 
perfection  of  development,  unrivalled  elsewhere.  As  soon  as  a village  or 
hamlet  was  approached,  one  of  the  Japanese  attendants  would  hurry  in  ad- 
vance, and  order  the  women  and  the  rabble  to  keep  out  of  the  way.  This 
did  not  suit  the  purposes  of  the  Commodore,  who  was  desirous  of  seeing  as 
much  as  possible  of  the  people,  and  learning  all  he  could  of  their  manners, 
habits,  and  customs.  He  accordingly  spoke  to  the  interpreter  and  took  him 
to  task,  particularly  for  dispersing  the  women.  Yenoske  pretended  that  it 
was  entirely  for  the  benefit  of  the  ladies  themselves,  as  their  modesty  was 
such  that  it  could  not  withstand  the  sight  of  a stranger. 

The  Commodore  did  not  believe  a word  of  this  interpretation,  however 
adroit,  and  plainly  told  Yenoske  so.  The  imputation,  though  it  expressed 
a doubt  of  his  truthfulness,  did  not  offend  the  interpreter  in  the  least,  but 
was  rather  taken  as  a compliment  to  his  duplicity,  which  is  one  of  the  most 
cherished  accomplishments  of  a Japanese  official.  Finding  that  the  Com- 
modore was  quite  alive  to  the  Japanese  cunning,  and  was  not  to  be  balked 
of  any  of  his  privileges  as  a sight-seer,  Yenoske  promised  that  at  the  next 
town,  where  some  refreshments  had  been  ordered,  the  women  should  not  be 
required  to  avoid  the  party.  Accordingly,  on  entering  this  place,  every  one 
crowded  out  to  see  the  strangers,  men,  women,  and  children. 


460 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


The  Commodore  and  his  officers  were  conducted  to  the  home  of  the 
mayor  or  chief  magistrate  of  the  town.  This  dignitary,  with  great  cordial- 
ity, met  and  welcomed  them  to  the  hospitalities  of  his  establishment.  The 
interior  was  quite  unpretending,  consisting  of  a large  room,  spread  with  soft 
mats,  lighted  with  oiled  paper  windows,  hung  with  rudely  executed  cartoons, 
and  furnished  with  the  usual  red-colored  benches.  The  wife  and  sister  of 
the  town  official  soon  entered  with  refreshments,  and  smiled  a timid  welcome 
to  the  guests.  These  women  were  hare  footed  and  hare  legged,  and  were 
dressed  very  nearly  alike,  in  dark  colored  robes,  with  much  of  the  undress 
look  of  night  gowns,  secured  by  a broad  band  passing  round  the  waist. 
Their  figures  were  fat  and  dumpy,  or  at  any  rate  appeared  so,  in  their  un- 
graceful drapery,  but  their  faces  were  not  wanting  in  expression,  for  which 
they  were  very  much  indebted  to  their  glistening  eyes,  which  were  black,  as  well 
as  their  hair ; this  latter  was  dressed  at  the  top  of  the  head,  like  that  of  the 
men,  although  not  shaved  in  front.  As  their  “ ruby  ” lips  parted  in  smiling 
graciously,  they  displayed  a row  of  black  teeth,  set  in  horribly  corroded 
gums.  The  married  women  of  Japan  enjoy  the  exclusive  privilege  of  dye- 
ing their  teeth,  which  is  done  with  a mixture  of  vile  ingredients,  including 
filings  of  iron  and  sakee,  termed  Oha  gur  or  Camri.  This  compound,  as 
might  be  naturally  inferred  from  its  composition,  is  neither  pleasantly  per- 
fumed nor  very  wholesome.  It  is  so  corrosive,  that  in  applying  it  to  the 
teeth,  it  is  necessary  to  protect  the  more  delicate  structure  of  the  gums 
and  lips,  for  the  mere  touch  of  the  odious  stuff  to  the  flesh  burns  it  at  once 
into  a purple  gangrenous  spot.  In  spite  of  the  utmost  care,  the  gums  be- 
come tainted,  and  lose  their  ruddy  color  and  vitality.  We  should  think 
that  the  practice  was  hardly  conducive  to  connubial  felicity,  and  it  would  be 
naturally  inferred  that  all  the  kissing  must  be  expended  in  the  ecstasy  of 
courtship.  This  compensation,  however,  is  occasionally  lost  to  the  prospec- 
tive bridegroom,  for  it  is  not  uncommon  for  some  of  the  young  ladies  to  in- 
augurate the  habit  of  blacking  the  teeth  upon  the  popping  of  the  question. 

The  effects  of  this  disgusting  habit  are  more  apparent  from  another  prac- 
tice which  prevails  with  the  Japanese,  as  with  our  would-be  civilized  dames, 
that  of  painting  the  lips  with  rouge.  The  ruddy  glow  of  the  mouth  brings  out 
in  gveater  contrast  the  blackness  of  the  gums  and  teeth.  The  rouge  of  the 
Japanese  toilet,  called  hing,  is  made  of  the  cartliamus  finctorius,  and  is 
prepared  in  cups  of  porcelain.  When  a slight  coat  is  applied,  it  gives  a 
lively  red  color,  but  when  it  is  put  on  thick,  a deep  violet  hue,  which  is  the 
most  prized,  is  the  result.  * 

The  worthy  mayor  had  some  refreshments  prepared  for  his  guests,  consist- 
ing of  tea,  cakes,  confectionary,  and  the  never  absent  saki.  With  the  latter 
was  served  a kind  of  hot  waffle,  made  apparently  of  rice  flo\ir.  The  civic  dig- 


* Thunberg. 


'‘.•ill  H .1  U f JSf  t 


vf#«. 

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•>y 


'A± 


VISIT  TO  THE  BIAFOE. 


461 


nitary  himself  was  very  active  in  dispensing  those  offerings,  and  he  was  ably 
seconded  by  his  wife  and  sister,  who  always  remained  on  their  knees  in  pre- 
sence of  the  strangers.  This  awkward  position  of  the  women  did  not  seem 
to  interfere  with  their  activity,  for  they  kept  running  about  very  briskly 
with  the  silver  saki  kettle,  the  services  of  which,  in  consequence  of  the 
smallness  of  the  cups,  were  in  constant  requisition.  The  two  ladies  were  un- 
ceasingly courteous,  and  kept  bowing  their  heads,  like  a bobbing  toy  man- 
darin. The  smiles  with  which  they  perseveringly  greeted  the  guests  might 
have  been  better  dispensed  with,  as  every  movement  of  their  lips  exposed 
their  horrid  black  teeth  and  decayed  gums.  The  mayoress  was  uncom- 
monly polite,  and  was  good  natured  enough  to  bring  in  her  baby,  which  her 
guests  felt  bound  to  make  the  most  of,  thongh  its  dirty  face  and  general  un- 
tidy appearance  made  it  quite  a painful  effort  to  bestow  the  necessary  ca- 
resses. A bit  of  confectionary  was  presented  to  the  infant,  when  it  was  di- 
rected to  bow  its  shaven  head,  which  it  did  with  a degree  of  precocious  po- 
liteness that  called  forth  the  greatest  apparent  pride  and  admiration  on  the 
part  of  its  mother  and  all  the  ladies  present. 

On  preparing  to  depart,  the  Commodore  proposed  the  health,  in  a cnp 
of  saki,  of  the  whole  household,  which  brought  into  the  room  from  a neigh- 
boring apartment,  the  mayor’s  mother.  She  was  an  ancient  dame,  and  as 
soon  as  she  came  in  she  squatted  herself  in  one  corner,  and  bowed  her 
thanks  for  the  compliments  paid  to  the  family,  of  which  she  was  the  oldest 
member. 

As  the  Japanese  officials  no  longer  interfered  with  the  curiosity  of  the 
people,  there  was  a good  opportunity  of  observing  them,  though  hurriedly, 
as  the  Commodore  and  his  party  were  forced  to  return  early  to  the  ships. 
The  people,  in  the  small  towns,  appeared  to  be  divided  into  three  principal 
classes, — the  officials,  the  traders,  and  laborers.  The  inferior  people,  al- 
most without  exception,  seemed  thriving  and  contented,  and  not  overworked. 
There  were  signs  of  poverty,  but  no  evidence  of  pnblic  beggary.  The  wo- 
men, in  common  with  many  in  various  parts  of  over-populated  Europe, 
were  frequently  seen  engaged  in  the  field  labors,  showing  the  general  in- 
dustry and  the  necessity  of  keeping  every  hand  busy  in  the  populous  Em- 
pire. The  lowest  classes  even  were  comfortably  clad,  being  dressed  in 
coarse  cotton  garments,  of  the  same  form,  though  shorter  than  those  of 
their  superiors,  being  a loose  robe,  just  covering  the  hips.  They  were,  for 
the  most  part,  bareheaded  and  barefooted.  The  women  were  dressed  very 
much  like  the  men,  although  their  heads  were  not  shaved  like  those  of  the 
males,  and  their  long  hair  was  drawn  up  and  fastened  upon  the  top,  in  a 
knot,  or  under  a pad.  The  costume  of  the  upper  classes  and  the  dignitaries 
has  been  already  described.  In  rainy  weather,  the  J apanese  wear  a cover- 
ing made  of  straw,  which  being  fastened  together  at  the  top,  is  suspended 
from  the  neck,  and  falls  over  the  shoulders  and  person  like  a thatched  roof. 


1 


462  EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 

Some  of  the  higher  classes  cover  their  rohes  with  an  oiled  paper  cloak, 
which  is  impermeable  to  the  wet.  The  umbrella,  like  that  of  the  Chinese, 
is  almost  a constant  companion,  and  serves  both  to  shade  from  the  rays  of 
the  sun,  and  keep  off  the  effects  of  a shower.  The  men  of  all  classes  were 
exceedingly  courteous,  and  although  inquisitive  about  the  strangers,  never  be- 
came offensively  intrusive.  The  lower  people  were  evidently  in  great  dread 
of  their  superiors,  and  were  more  reserved  in  their  presence,  than  they 
would  have  been  if  they  had  been  left  to  their  natural  instincts.  The  rigid 
exclusiveness  in  regard  to  foreigners  is  a law  merely  enacted  by  the  govern- 
ment from  motives  of  policy,  and  not  a sentiment  of  the  Japanese  people. 
Their  habits  are  social  among  themselves,  and  they  frequently  intermingle 
in  friendly  intercourse.  There  is  one  feature  in  the  society  of  Japan,  by 
which  the  superiority  of  the  people,  to  all  other  oriental  nations,  is  clearly 
manifest.  Woman  is  recognized  as  a companion,  and  not  merely  treated 
as  a slave.  Her  position  is  certainly  not  as  elevated  as  in  those  countries 
under  the  influence  of  the  Christian  dispensation,  but  the  mother,  wife,  and 
daughter  of  Japan,  are  neither  the  chattels  and  household  drudges  of  China, 
nor  the  purchased  objects  of  the  capricious  lust  of  the  harems  of  Turkey. 
The  fact  of  the  non-existence  of  polygamy,  is  a distinctive  feature,  which 
pre-eminently  characterizes  the  Japanese,  as  the  most  moral  and  refined  of 
all  eastern  nations.  The  absence  of  this  degrading  practice  shows  itself, 
not  only  in  the  superior  character  of  the  women,  but  in  the  natural  conse- 
quence of  the  greater  prevalence  of  the  domestic  virtues. 

The  Japanese  women,  always  excepting  the  disgusting  black  teeth  of 
those  who  are  married,  are  not  ill-looking.  The  young  girls  are  well  formed 
and  rather  pretty,  and  have  much  of  that  vivacity  and  self-reliance  in 
manners,  which  come  from  a consciousness  of  dignity,  derived  from  the 
comparatively  high  regard  in  which  they  are  held.  In  the  ordinary  mutual 
intercourse  of  friends  and  families  the  women  have  their  share,  and  rounds 
of  visiting  and  tea  parties  are  kept  up  as  briskly  in  Japan  as  in  the  United 
States.  The  attitude  assumed  by  the  women  who  prostrated  themselves  in 
the  presence  of  the  Commodore  and  his  party,  should  be  considered  rather 
as  a mark  of  their  reverence  for  the  strangers  than  as  an  evidence  of  their 
subordination.  That  in  the  large  towns  and  cities  of  Japan  there  is  great 
licentiousness,  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose,  for  such  seems,  unhappily,  a uni- 
versal law  in  all  great  communities ; but  it  must  be  said  to  the  credit  of  the 
Japanese  women,  that  during  all  the  time  of  the  presence  of  the  squadron  in 
the  bay  of  Yedo,  there  was  none  of  the  usual  indication  of  wantonness  and 
license  on  the  part  of  the  female  sex  in  their  occasional  relations  with  the 
miscellaneous  ships’  people. 

On  the  9th  of  April,  notwithstanding  a note  received  from  the  commis- 
sioners, in  which  they  urgently  remonstrated  against  the  movement,  the  Com- 
modore sent  word  that  he  would  on  the  following  day,  approach  with  the 


JAPANESE  ATOMEN,  SIJIODA, 


ASCENT  TOWAKD  YEDO. 


463 


steamers  as  near  to  Yedo  as  the  depth  of  water  would  allow.  Accordingly, 
on  the  next  morning,  the  whole  squadron  got  under  way  from  the  anchorage 
at  Kanagawa,  and  moved  up  the  bay.  The  Japanese  interpreters  came  on 
board  the  Powhatan  just  as  she  started,  and  were  evidently  in  great  dismay. 
They  earnestly  begged  the  Commodore  to  desist  from  his  purpose,  urging 
that  the  safety  of  the  Empire,  perhaps,  and  certainly  that  of  their  own 
lives,  depended  upon  the  issue.  Not  being  able  to  dissuade  the  Commodore, 
the  Japanese  remained  on  board  to  mark  his  movements.  The  steamers 
Powhatan  and  Mississippi  advanced  beyond  the  other  vessels  and  doubled 
the  point  near  Sinagawa,  the  southern  suburb  of  the  capital,  and  came  so 
close  to  the  far-famed  Yedo  that,  if  it  had  not  been,  unfortunately,  for  a fog, 
so  common  on  that  coast,  the  capital  would  have  been  distinctly  visible.  The 
general  outline  of  the  city  could,  however,  be  made  out,  showing  an  im- 
mense and  thickly  crowded  number  of  houses  and  buildings  covering  a large 
surface.  Though  there  was  every  indication  of  the  great  size  of  the  town, 
there  was  a general  similarity  in  the  low  peaked  houses  and  the  terraced 
gardens  to  the  other  populous  settlements  on  the  bay.  Upon  the  heights 
and  projecting  points  commanding  the  capital  there  were  the  usual  forts, 
with  canvas  outworks,  and  other  fortified  places.  The  Buddhist  temples, 
however,  which  are  generally  the  highest  and  most  conspicuous  buildings  in 
these  Japanese  towns,  may  possibly,  from  the  prevailing  haze  which  con- 
fined the  view,  have  been  mistaken  for  fortifications. 

Along  the  whole  sea  front  of  the  city  there  appeared  to  be  a row  of  high 
palisades,  with  occasional  openings  for  the  admission  of  boats  or  small  junks. 
Whether  these  were  arranged  to  protect  the  landing  places  from  the  washing 
of  the  sea,  or  to  defend  the  city  from  an  attack,  it  was  impossible  to  decide. 
It  was  quite  probable,  however,  that  they  had  been  put  up  in  consequence 
of  the  visit  of  the  squadron,  to  prevent  the  approach  of  the  armed  boats  in 
case  of  an  attempt  on  the  part  of  the  Americans  to  land  by  force.  One 
thing,  however,  seems  quite  certain,  that  the  city  of  Yedo  can  be  destroyed 
by  a few  steamers  of  very  light  draught  of  water  and  with  guns  of  the 
heaviest  calibre. 

Considerable  preparation  had  evidently  been  made  at  first  by  the  Japa- 
nese to  impress  the  Americans  with  a great  idea  of  their  military  power. 
New  works  of  defence  were  commenced,  and  large  numbers  of  troops  para- 
ded ostentatiously  within  sight  of  the  squadron,  during  the  first  visit  to 
Yedo  bay,  and  it  is  probable  that  it  had  been  seriously  discussed  in  the 
Japanese  councils  whether  or  not  to  resist  by  force  all  intercourse  with  the 
Americans.  On  the  second  visit  there  was  evidently  a change  of  policy, 
and  a studious  avoidance  of  all  show  of  military  resistance.  An  extensive 
fortified  work  that  had  been  begun  in  the  neighborhood  of  Yedo  was  discon- 
tinued, and  a fire  which  destroyed  it  and  the  large  wooden  shed  which  had 
been  built  for  the  accommodation  of  the  numerous  workmen,  was  suspected  to 


464 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


have  been  applied  at  the  instigation  of  the  authorities,  in  order  to  efface 
every  vestige  of  an  erection,  which  might  provoke  by  its  show  of  hostility 
an  unfriendly  feeling  on  the  part  of  the  formidable  visitors. 

In  consequence  of  the  strong  ebb  tide,  the  boats  which  were  pulling 
ahead,  engaged  in  sounding  the  channel  towards  the  city,  made  but  little 
headway,  and  the  steamers  with  difficulty  stemming  the  current  could  not  be 
kept  under  safe  steerage.  The  sailing  ships  had  already  anchored  some 
distance  astern.  The  Commodore  having  promised  the  commissioners,  in 
order  to  allay  their  apprehensions,  that  he  would  not  anchor  the  steamers 
near  the  capital,  but  only  advance  them  sufficiently  to  take  a glance  at  it, 
felt  himself  bound  to  return.  The  men  in  the  boats  were  exhausted  with 
hard  pulling,  and  as  it  was  not  safe  to  keep  the  steamers  where  they  were 
without  dropping  anchor,  the  surveying  party  were  accordingly  summoned 
back,  and  the  ship’s  head  pointed  down  the  bay  again.  The  fears  of  the 
commissioners,  as  they  stated,  and  as  the  interpreters  who  were  present  never 
failed  to  continue  to  suggest,  were  founded  upon  the  supposition  that  if 
the  squadron  should  anchor  near  to,  and  in  full  view  of  the  capital,  its  im- 
mense populace  would  become  greatly  excited.  This,  they  declared,  might 
result  in  the  most  disastrous  consequences ; and  though  they  did  not  partic- 
ularly name  the  Emperor  and  his  household,  they  evidently  felt  deeply  con- 
cerned about  their  safety.  In  consequence,  therefore,  of  the  very  courteous 
and  friendly  conduct  of  the  princes  and  their  coadjutors,  and  trusting  to 
their  asseverations  that  they  would  be  held  personally  responsible  for  any 
catastrophe  that  might  ensue  from  anchoring  the  steamers  off  the  city  and 
saluting  the  palace,  as  was  the  original  intention,  the  Commodore  deter- 
mined to  yield  to  their  remonstrances.  A direct  appeal  was  also  made  by 
the  commissioners  to  the  generosity  of  the  Commodore  in  the  statement  that 
having,  in  the  treaty,  conceded  more  than  had  been  originally  designed,  and 
thus  shown  their  confidence  and  friendship,  they  hoped  the  C >mmodore  would 
not  subject  them  to  a possible  injury  and  probable  death.  The  Commodore 
yielded  at  once.  He  thought  it  was  better  not  to  bring  about  an  issue  that 
might  endanger  the  very  friendly  position  in  which  he  had  placed  himself  in 
relation  to  the  Japanese.  It  would  have  been  a source  of  endless  regret, 
too,  if  to  gratify  a profitless  curiosity  misfortune  should  have  been  brought 
upon  the  commissioners,  whose  friendly  conduct  deserved  every  kind  return 
that  might  be  given  in  consonance  with  duty.  The  squadron,  therefore,  now 
returned  and  anchored  at  the  “ American  anchorage.”  The  anxiety  of  the 
Japanese  interpreters,  who  remained  on  board  during  the  whole  trip,  was 
thus  much  relieved,  and  they  participated  with  the  greatest  conviviality  in 
a collation  which  was  spread  for  their  entertainment  in  the  Commodore’s 
cabin. 

There  being  no  further  reason  for  the  detention  of  the  squadron  in  the 
upper  bay  of  Yedo,  the  Commodore  prepared  to  depart.  He  accordingly 


ARRIVAL  4.T  SIMODA. 


465 


dispatched  in  advance  the  Macedonian  for  Peel  island,  on  the  11th  of 
April;  the  ships  Southampton  and  Supply  on  the  fourteenth,  and  the  Van- 
dalia  and  Lexington  on  the  sixteenth,  for  Simoda.  During  the  two  days 
preceding  his  own  departure,  the  Commodore  took  the  opportunity  of  in- 
specting the  island  near  the  “ American  anchorage,”  which  had  keen  called 
by  him  Webster,  and  the  neighboring  shores.  The  beauty  of  the  country, 
now  developed  in  all  its  picturesque  charmt,  of  rich  verdui-e,  shaded  groves, 
fertile  fields,  and  cultivated  gardens,  was  a source  of  never-ending  pleasure, 
and  as  the  time  approached  for  taking  leave  of  the  attractive  shores  of  the 
upper  bay  of  Yedo,  there  was  no  little  feeling  of  regret.  The  scenery  in 
the  neighborhood  of  the  American  anchorage  was  now  very  familiar  to  all 
on  board  ship,  and  had  a double  interest,  as  well  that  of  association  from 
long  residence  as  from  its  intrinsic  beauties.  Webster  island  is  a charming 
spot,  shaded  with  the  thickest  groves  of  green  growth,  and  varied  with  hill 
and  dale,  wild  mountain  top  and  cultivated  slope.  Between  it  and  its 
neighboring  isle,  called  by  the  surveyors  Perry,  after  the  Commodore,  is  a 
little  bay,  upon  the  inland  shores  of  which  there  is  a considerable  quarry  of 
stone  that  the  Japanese  have  extensively  worked.  Large  blocks  were  lying 
about,  and  the  rocky  precipices  of  the  shore  were  hewn  into  good  walls  of  a 
smooth  surface,  from  which  the  masses  of  stone  had  been  cut  with  a regular- 
ity that  showed  much  skill.  There  were  other  evidences  also  of  the  busy 
industry  of  the  Japanese ; there  were  various  boat-building  yards,  with 
junks  dragged  ashore  for  repairs,  with  workmen  actively  at  work  over  their 
hulls,  and  various  docks  and  landing-places  constructed  of  stone,  and  showing 
the  careful  industry  and  no  little  skill  of  the  people. 

At  four  o’clock  in  the  morning  of  the  18th  of  April,  the  Commodore 
finally  got  under  way  for  Simoda,  in  the  Powhatan,  accompanied  by  the 
Mississippi,  and  anchored  in  that  port  at  ten  minutes  past  three  in  the  after- 
noon of  the  same  day.  The  Mississippi  dropped  her  anchor  off  the  mouth 
of  the  harbor,  but  soon  after  took  her  position  within,  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  Powhatan.  The  Vaudalia,  Southampton,  Supply,  and  Lexington, 
were  found  anchored  there.  The  Commodore  had  purposely  dispatched  the 
several  ships  in  succession,  in  order  to  enable  those  which  arrived  first,  time 
for  examining  the  harbor  and  selecting  convenient  anchoring  places  for  their 
I consorts  which  were  to  follow.  This  turned  out  to  be  a well-timed  precau- 
tion, as  the  Southampton,  in  warping  into  the  inner  harbor,  came  upon  a 
rock  lying  in  the  middle  of  the  channel,  with  only  twelve  feet  of  water 
upon  it  at  low  water,  a danger  which  had  escaped  the  hasty  examination  of 
the  surveyors.  If  it  had  not  been  for  this  timely  discovery,  one  or  both  the 
steamers  would  have  probably  struck  upon  the  rock,  as  it  lies  directly  in  the 
way,  and  is  all  the  more  dangerous  from  its  being  only  thirty  feet  in  diame- 
ter, and  cone-like  in  shape.  Lieutenant  Commandant  Boyle  had  very  pru- 
dently placed  a buoy  upon  it,  which  enabled  the  steamers  to  avoid  the  dan- 
i 30 

I 

I 

t 

I 


I 


466 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


ger,  and  pass  in  without  inconvenience,  although  the  channel  at  that  point 
is  only  six  hundred  yards  wide.  Both  steamers  found  suflBcient  room  to 
moor  without  interfering  with  the  Southampton  and  Supply,  already  in  the 
inner  harbor.  The  Lexington  subsequently  came  in  also  and  anchored,  but 
Captain  Pope  preferred  a position  further  out  for  his  ship,  the  Vandalia. 

There  can  be  no  better  harbor  than  that  of  Simoda  for  a limited  num- 
ber of  vessels ; “ when  its  contiguity  to  the  sea,  its  easy  and  safe  approach, 
its  convenience  of  ingress  and  egress,  are  considered,  I do  not  see,”  says 
Commodore  Perry,  “ how  a more  desirable  port  could  have  been  selected 
to  answer  all  the  pui'poses  for  which  it  is  wanted.” 

The  town  of  Simoda,  or  Shimoda,  is  on  the  island  of  Nippon  near  the 
mouth  of  the  lower  bay  or  gulf  of  Yedo;  latitude  34°  39'  49"  north; 
longitude  138°  57'  50"  east.  It  is  within  the  prefecture  of  Kamo,  one  of 
the  eight  into  which  Idzu  is  divided,  and  occupies  the  southern  termination 
of  that  principality.  The  town  is  situated  at  the  western  end  of  the  harbor, 
on  a plain  at  the  opening  of  a fertile  valley.  Its  name  is  probably  derived 
from  its  low  position,  Simoda  meaning  Low  field.  Through  the  valley  a 
small  stream,  called  Inodzu-Gawa,  flows,  and  empties  at  the  town  into  the  har- 
bor. The  river  is  navigable  for  the  flat-bottomed  boats,  which  are  used  by 
the  inhabitants  for  transporting  stone,  timber,  grain,  and  other  produce. 

The  country  surrounding  the  town  is  extremely  picturesque  and  varied. 
Undulating  hills,  covered  with  trees  and  verdure,  rise  from  the  water’s  edge 
and  extend  back  into  the  lofty  mountains,  rock-ribbed  and  bare. 

Valleys  divide  the  mountain  ranges,  with  their  richly  cultivated  fields 
and  gardens,  stretching  up  to  the  very  summit  of  the  hill  sides.  Streams 
of  water,  shaded  with  groves,  wind  through  the  level  bottoms,  and  beautify 
and  enrich  the  land.  The  snow-capped  Fusi  is  visible  in  the  distance,  point- 
ing its  cone-like  summit  high  into  the  clouds,  and  far  above  the  elevation  of 
the  blue  mountains  which  surround  it.  On  entering  the  harbor,  the  town, 
with  its  groups  of  low  houses,  does  not  present  a very  imposing  appearance, 
but,  with  its  background  of  hills,  wooded  with  spreading  pines  and  yew 
trees,  and  the  verdant  valleys  which  open  between  them,  it  has  an  air  of 
sheltered  repose,  and  an  appearance  of  secluded  rusticity,  which  are  quite 
attractive. 

Simoda  is  said  to  be  the  largest  town  in  the  principality  of  Idzu,  and  was 
at  one  time  a mart  of  considerable  importance.  It  was  founded  centuries 
ago,  and  some  two  hundred  years  since,  was  the  port  of  entry  for  vessels 
bound  to  the  capital;  but  Uraga,  further  up  the  bay,  having  succeeded  to 
this  important  function,  Simoda  has  declined,  and  become  comparatively  a 
poverty  stricken  place.  There  is  not  much  appearance  of  commercial  activ- 
ity in  the  port,  but  there  still  is  some  inconsiderable  business  carried  on 
through  it,  between  the  interior  of  the  country  and  various  places  on  the 
Japanese  coast.  In  front  of  the  town  there  is  a depot  for  small  junks  and 


SIMODA. 


467 


boats,  artificially  constructed  by  means  of  dykes  and  a breakwater.  This 
is  connected  with  the  river,  which  flows  through  the  valley  that  extends  into 
the  interior,  and  the  boats  are  thus  enabled  when  the  tide,  which  rises  about 
five  feet,  is  at  its  height,  to  float  in,  and  sail  up  the  stream.  Rude  docks 
exist  for  building  and  launching  vessels,  and  these  show  some  evidence  of 
activity  in  the  number  of  junks,  about  which  there  are  always  numerous 
laborers,  more  or  less  busy  at  work,  constructing  and  repairing.  Near  these 
docks,  picturesquely  bordered  by  a row  of  stately  pine  trees,  in  the  shade  of 
which  stands  a small  shrine,  there  is  a landing  place,  which,  however,  is  not 
very  easily  reached  by  ships’  boats  when  the  tide  is  low. 

The  town  of  Simoda  is  compactly  built,  and  regularly  laid  out.  The 
streets  intersect  each  other  at  right  angles,  and  most  of  them  are  guarded 
by  light  wooden  gates,  with  the  names  of  the  streets  marked  upon  their  hol- 
low posts,  within  which  are  the  stations  of  the  watchmen.  Through  the 
town  a small  stream  passes,  the  sides  of  which  are  walled  with  stone,  and 
across  it  are  thrown  four  small  wooden  bridges  which  connect  the  opposite 
banks.  The  streets  are  about  twenty  feet  in  width,  and  are  partly  macad- 
amized and  partly  paved.  Simoda  shows  an  advanced  state  of  civilization, 
much  beyond  our  own  boasted  progress  in  the  attention  of  its  constructors 
to  the  cleanliness  and  healthfulness  of  the  place.  There  are  not  only 
gutters,  but  sewers,  winch  drain  the  refuse  water  and  filth  directly  into  the 
sea  or  the  small  stream  which  divides  the  town. 

The  shops  and  dwelling  houses  are  but  slightly  built,  many  of  them  being 
merely  tbatched  huts.  A few  of  the  houses  of  the  better  classes  are  of 
stone,  but  most  are  constructed  of  a framework  of  bamboo  or  laths,  and 
then  covered  with  a tenacious  mud.  This  latter,  when  dry,  is  again  covered 
with  a coat  of  plaster,  which  is  either  painted  or  becomes  black  by  exposure. 
Mouldings  are  afterwards  arranged  in  diagonal  lines  over  the  surface  of  the 
building,  and  these  being  painted  white,  and  contrasting  with  the  dark 
ground  behind,  give  the  houses  a curious  pie-bald  look.  The  roofs  are  often 
of  tiles  colored  alternately  black  and  white,  and  their  eaves  extend  low 
down  in  front  of  the  walls,  and  protect  the  inmates  from  the  sun,  and  the 
oiled  paper  windows  from  the  effects  of  the  rain.  On  the  tops  of  some  of 
the  houses  wires  are  stretched  in  various  directions,  to  keep  off'  the  crows,  it 
is  said ; but  whether  on  account  of  their  being  birds  of  ill  omen,  or  only  in 
consequence  of  their  bad  habits,  was  not  very  appai-eut.  These  houses  have 
no  chimneys,  and  there  being  occasional  fires  for  cooking  and  other  purposes, 
the  smoke  is  left  to  force  its  way  through  the  various  crannies  and  cracks 
which  may  chance  to  exist,  unless,  as  is  sometimes  the  case,  there  are  certain 
holes  in  the  upper  part  of  the  walls  prudently  left  for  the  purpose.  The 
buildings  are  generally  but  a single  story  in  height,  though  many  of  the 
houses  and  shops  have  attics  for  the  storage  of  goods  and  refuse  articles. 

Some  of  the  residences  stand  back  from  the  front  of  the  streets,  with 


468 


EXP -EDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


yards  before  them,  although  generally  the  latter  are  in  the  rear;  and  are 
variously  appropriated,  some  for  kitchen  gardens,  and  others  for  pleasure 
grounds,  with  flowering  shrubs,  ponds  for  gold  fish,  and  other  ornamental 
appliances.  There  are  a few  buildings  fronted  with  stone,  while  the  main 
structure  is  of  dried  mud  or  adobe,  which  are  used  for  the  storage  of  valu- 
able goods,  as  they  are  supposed  to  be  better  protected  against  fire.  The 
fronts  of  the  shops  and  houses  have  movable  shutters,  which  at  night  are 
fastened  to  the  posts  which  support  the  projecting  roofs.  Behind  these  are 
sliding  panels  of  oiled  paper,  which  are  closed  when  privacy  is  sought,  and 
opened  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  in  the  houses  what  may  be  passing,  or  dis- 
playing the  goods  in  the  inside  of  the  shops.  In  lieu  of  the  paper  windows 
there  are  occasional  lattices  of  bamboo.  The  title  of  the  shop  is  displayed 
over  the  door  or  window,  generally  in  some  fanciful  device,  significant  of  the 
kind  of  business  carried  on.  There  are  but  few  signs  distinctly  recording  the 
trade  or  occupation,  although  there  was  one  shop  which  bore  on  its  front,  in 
the  Dutch  language,  the  name  in  full  of  a Dutch  nostrum,  which  seemed  to 
be  a popular  remedy  in  Japan,  for  the  same  was  observed  in  Kanagawa. 
The  finer  goods  were  generally  kept  secluded  from  view  in  boxes  and  draw- 
ers, and  seemed  to  be  of  a kind  which  indicated  no  great  affluence  on  the 
part  of  the  community. 

The  internal  arrangement  of  the  houses  and  shops  of  Simoda  is  simple 
and  uniform,  though  somewhat  modified  according  to  the  position  and  busi- 
ness of  the  inmates.  The  door  is  on  the  right  or  left  side,  and  is  protected 
by  the  overhanging  roof,  under  which  the  coarser  goods  are  sheltered,  and 
the  customers  when  driving  a bargain.  From  the  front  door  a pathway 
leads  directly  to  the  rear,  where  there  are  various  dwellings  and  out-houses, 
among  which  there  is  often  the  shrine  for  private  worship.  In  the  shops 
this  passage  way  is  crowded  with  baskets,  stands,  and  trays,  laden  with  vari- 
ous merchandise ; and  the  walls  on  either  side  are  provided  with  shelves, 
upon  which  goods  are  also  heaped.  In  the  best  establishments  articles  for 
sale  are  seldom  displayed  beyond  turning  the  opened  ends  of  the  boxes 
W'hich  contain  them  towards  the  street. 

In  the  interior  of  the  houses  there  is  a large  framework,  raised  two  feet 
above  the  ground.  It  is  spread  with  stuffed  mats,  and  is  divided  into  seve- 
ral compartments  by  means  of  sliding  panels.  This  house  within  a house 
may  be  applied  to  all  the  various  purposes  of  trading,  eating,  sleeping,  and 
receiving  company,  according  to  the  pleasure  or  necessities  of  the  proprie- 
tors. This  cage  or  platform  is  used  as  the  workshop  by  some  of  the  various 
handicraftsmen,  as,  for  example,  the  carpenters  and  lacquer  varnishers;  the 
blacksmiths  and  stonecutters,  however,  perform  their  heavier  work  upon  the 
ground. 

The  houses  intended  for  lodgers  are  generally  clean,  and  neatly  spread 
wdth  the  usual  soft  and  thick  mat  , which  serve  the  double  purpose  of 


STREET  AND  ENTRANCE  TO  CHIEF  TEMPLE,  SIMODA, 


I 'UH«e*  t'  linvn  ' •'?'*  ■.  - n ■ 

.'  ^a,Hr'  fi^S:  • ' -•  Ij 

ifU.'K'Jt.  .It'  Jl 


S I M 0 D A . 


469 


I seats  by  day  and  beds  by  nigbt.  The  names  of  tbe  guests  are  recorded  as 
with  us,  but  somewhat  more  publicly,  as  they  are  affixed  to  tbe  door  posts 
on  the  street.  The  aristocratic  gentry  have  their  coats  of  arms  emblaz- 
oned in  full  and  displayed  upon  wide  banners,  stretched  in  front  of  their 
stopping  places.  The  interiors  of  these  hotels  are  by  no  means  very  mag- 
nificent in  appearance  or  complete  in  appointment.  The  entire  absence  of 
tables,  chairs,  sofas,  lamps,  and  other  essentials  to  comfort,  interfere  very 
seriously  with  a guest  taking  his  ease  at  his  Japanese  inn.  Moreover,  the 
want  of  pictures,  looking-glasses,  and  oilier  pleasing  appeals  to  the  eye, 
gives  to  the  establishment  a very  naked,  cold  look  to  a traveller  who  has  a 
vivid  recolletion  of  the  warm  snugness  of  an  English  inn,  or  the  luxurious 
completeness  of  an  American  hotel. 

The  whole  number  of  houses  in  Simoda  is  estimated  at  about  a thou- 
sand, and  the  inhabitants  are  supposed  to  amount  to  nearly  seven  thousand, 
one-fifth  of  whom  are  shopkeepers  and  artisans.  There  are  in  the  town,  as 
elsewhere  in  Japan,  a disproportionate  amount  of  officials,  soldiers,  and 
retainers,  of  the  various  princes  and  dignitaries,  who  add  nothing  to  the 
productive  resources  of  the  country,  but  are  great  consumers  of  the  results 
of  the  labor  of  the  lower  classes,  who  are  forced  to  do  much  work  and  are 
allowed  to  enjoy  but  little  of  the  profit.  The  people  have,  notwithstanding, 
a tolerably  thriving  appearance,  and  it  is  seldom  that  a beggar  is  seen.  The 
streets,  with  the  exception  of  a few  shops  which  do  but  little  business,  show 
no  signs  of  trading  activity.  There  is  no  public  market  place,  and  all  the 
daily  transactions  of  buying  and  selling  are  conducted  so  privately  and  quiet- 
ly, that,  to  a passing  stranger,  Simoda  would  appear  as  a place  singularly 
devoid  of  any  regard  to  the  concerns  of  this  w'orld. 

The  people  have  all  the  characteristic  courtesy  and  reserved  but  pleas- 
ing manners  of  the  Japanese.  A scene  at  one  of  the  public  baths,  where 
the  sexes  mingled  indiscriminately,  unconscious  of  their  nudity,  was  not 
calculated  to  impress  the  Americans  with  a very  favorable  opinion  of  the 
morals  of  the  inhabitants.  This  may  not  be  a universal  practice  tlu’ough- 
out  Japan,  and  indeed  is  said  by  the  Japanese  near  us  not  to  be;  but  the 
Japanese  people  of  the  inferior  ranks  are  undoubtedly,  notwithstanding  their 
moral  superiority  to  most  oriental  nations,  a lewd  people.  Apart  from  the 
bathing  scenes,  there  was  enough  in  the  popular  literature,  with  its  obscene 
pictorial  illustrations,  to  prove  a licentiousness  of  taste  and  practice  among 
a certain  class  of  the  population,  that  was  not  only  disgustingly  intrusive, 
but  disgracefully  indicative  of  foul  corruption. 

The  chief  diet  of  the  inhabitants  of  Simoda  consists  of  fish  and  vegeta- 
ble food.  There  are  poultry,  chickens,  geese  and  ducks,  and  some  few  cat- 
tle, but  the  latter  are  used  only  for  beasts  of  burden,  and  their  flesh  is  never 
eaten.  Rice,  wheat,  barley,  and  sweet  potatoes  are  the  chief  articles  raised 
in  and  about  Simoda,  although  Irish  potatoes,  buckwheat,  Indjan  corn,  taro. 


470 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


beans,  cabbages,  cresses,  and  egg  plants  are  produced  to  some  extent.  The 
wheat  and  barley  are  reaped  in  May,  and  the  rice,  which  is  first  sown 
and  then  transplanted,  as  in  Lew  Chew,  is  ready  for  the  latter  operation  in 
the  middle  of  June,  and  these  crops  succeed  each  other  year  after  year. 
During  the  winter,  part  of  the  rice  fields,  that  which  lies  low,  is  left  fallow, 
while  the  terraces  are  turned  into  wheat  fields.  In  preparing  the  fields  for 
the  reception  of  the  young  shoots  of  rice,  they  are  overflowed  with  water, 
and  then  reduced  by  ploughing  and  harrowing  into  a soft  well  mixed  mud. 
Subsequently,  a substratum  of  grass  and  small  bushes  is  trodden  down  be- 
low the  surface  by  the  feet.  The  laborer  putting  on  a couple  of  broad 
pieces  of  wood,  like  a pair  of  snow  shoes,  goes  tramping  over  the  grass  and 
bushes,  laboring  until  they  all  disappear  below  the  surface  of  the  mud. 
This  operation  over,  the  small  plants  are  transferred  from  the  plot  where 
they  have  been  sown  to  the  fields,  where  they  are  allowed  to  remain  until 
matui’ity.  The  idee  crop  is  ready  for  harvesting  in  the  latter  part  of  Septem- 
ber or  early  in  the  ensuing  month.  Oxen  and  horses  are  occasionally  used 
in  agricultural  operations,  but  the  labor  is  mostly  performed  by  hand. 

Whatever  may  be  the  moral  character  of  the  inhabitants  of  Simoda,  it 
might  be  supposed,  from  the  great  number  of  places  of  worship,  that  they 
are  a highly  devotional  people.  Though  the  peculiar  religions  of  the  Japa- 
nese seem  to  be  sustained  in  a flourishing  condition,  the  people  are  rather 
remarkable  for  their  toleration  of  all  kinds  of  worship,  except  that  of  the 
Christian,  for  which,  in  consequence  of  the  political  intrigues  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  priesthood,  centuries  ago,  they  have  an  intense  hatred,  carefully 
inculcated  by  those  in  authority,  who  keep  alive  the  traditional  enmity  en- 
gendered at  the  epoch  when  the  Portuguese  were  expelled  the  Empire. 
The  Buddhist  and  Sintoo  worships  are  those  most  prevalent  in  Japan,  and 
the  lower  classes  are  strict  but  formal  devotees,  while  it  is  suspected  that 
the  higher  and  better  educated  are  indifferent  to  all  religions,  and  entertain 
various  speculative  opinions,  or  seek  refuge  in  a broad  skepticism. 

There  are  no  less  than  nine  Buddhist  temples,  one  large  Mia,  or  Sintoo 
temple,  and  a great  number  of  smaller  shrines.  Those  devoted  to  the  wor- 
ship of  Buddha  have  strange  fanciful  titles:  the  largest  is  called  Rio-shen- 
zhi,  or  Buddha’s  obedient  monastery ; and  there  are  Dai-an-zhi,  or  great 
peace  monastery  ; the  Hon-gaku-zhi,  or  source  of  knowledge  monastery ; 
the  Too-den-zhi,  or  rice  field  monastery;  the  Fuku-zhen-zhi,  or  fountain  of 
happiness  monastery ; the  Chio-raku-zhi,  or  continual  joy  monastery ; the 
Ri-gen-zhi,  or  source  of  reason  monastery ; and  lastly,  the  Chio-me-zhi,  or 
long  life  monastery.  Twenty-five  priests  and  a few  aeol3'tes  are  attached 
to  these  temples,  and  are  supported  by  fees  bestowed  by  devotees  for  burial 
services,  and  the  various  offices  peculiar  to  Buddhism.  The  buildings  are 
of  wood,  and  although  generally  kept  in  tolerable  repair,  show  the  effects 
of  weather  upon  the  unpainted  surface.  The  roofs  are  tiled,  and  project,  as 


TEMPLES  AT  SIMODA. 


471 


in  the  houses,  heyond  the  walls.  The  posts  which  support  the  superstruc- 
ture are,  together  with  the  rest  of  the  wood  work,  covered  with  the  famous 
Japanese  lacquer.  The  floors,  which  are  raised  four  or  flve  feet  above  the 
ground,  are  neatly  covered  with  matting.  At  the  door  of  the  main  apart- 
ment there  is  a drum  on  the  left  and  a bell  on  the  right,  the  former  of  which 
is  beaten,  and  the  latter  tingled,  at  the  commencement  of  worship,  to  awa- 
ken the  attention  of  the  idols  to  the  prayers  of  the  devout.  Between  the 
door  and  the  central  shrine  there  are  several  low  lecterns,  or  reading  desks, 
near  each  of  which  there  is  conveniently  placed  a piece  of  wood  carved  in 
the  shape  of  a fish,  which  is  used  to  beat  time  during  the  chanting,  which 
forms  an  important  part  of  the  religious  services. 

The  shrine,  in  which  are  arranged  the  ancestral  tablets,  in  niches,  seems 
to  be  an  object  of  particular  attention,  for  it  was  kept  always  in  perfect  order, 
and  the  monuments  and  idols  were  not  allowed  to  suffer  from  want  of  repair 
or  of  a decent  regard  to  cleanliness.  The  sculpture  of  the  various  images 
was  no  better  in  art  or  more  imposing  in  appearance  than  the  ordinary  fig- 
ures of  Joss  in  the  Chinese  temples.  An  occasional  picture  is  hung  up  as  a 
votive  offering  upon  the  walls,  representing,  rather  rudely,  some  event  in 
the  life  of  the  worshipper,  in  the  course  of  which  he  had  reason,  as  he  pi- 
ously believed,  to  be  grateful  for  the  services  of  Buddha  or  some  of  his 
numerous  progeny  of  subordinate  deities  ^lUertain  boxes,  distributed  about 
the  temple,  remind  the  Christian  visitor  of  the  duties  of  charity,  and  he 
thinks  with  a pious  recollection  of  the  claims  of  the  poor,  which  are  sug- 
gested by  a practice  similar  to  that  in  the  old  churches  of  his  own  faith. 
His  charitable  feelings,  however,  are  suddenly  repelled  when  he  learns  the 
object  of  the  boxes,  for  the  label  upon  them  reads:  “For  feeding  hungry 
demons,”  and  the  promise  which  follows  that,  “ his  merit  will  be  consolidated,” 
is  hardly  inducement  enough  to  contribute  towards  the  necessities  of  the 
devil,  or  any  of  his  voracious  legion.  In  front  of  some  of  the  temples  pillars 
are  found,  upon  which  are  inscribed  an  edict  forbidding  any  liquors  or  meats 
to  be  carried  within  the  sacred  precincts. 

Connected  with  each  monastery  is  a grave-yard,  in  which  there  is  a 
great  variety  of  monuments  and  tombstones.  They  are  generally  made  of 
a greenstone  found  in  the  neighborhood  of  Simoda,  and  have  the  various 
forms  of  simple  slabs,  raised  tombs,  and  obelisks.  Among  the  monuments 
are  distributed  statues  of  Buddha,  varying  in  size  from  the  largeness  of  life 
to  that  of  only  a foot  or  less.  They  are  represented  in  various  attitudes, 
some  erect  and  others  in  a sitting  posture,  while  many  are  carved  in  relief 
upon  slabs  of  stone,  where  Buddha  is  seen  issuing  from  an  opening  shell,  and 
is  figured  sometimes  with  his  hands  clasped,  or  holding  a lotus  flower,  a fly- 
trap, or  some  other  symbol.  A pleasant  feature  in  the  aspect  of  the  other- 
wise gloomy  burial  places,  disfigured  by  the  coarse  and  grotesque  art  of  a 
corrupt  superstition,  is  the  abundance  of  flowers  which  are  plentifully  dis- 


472 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


tributed  about.  These  are  placed,  freshly  culled,  from  day  to  day,  in  cups 
and  troughs  of  water,  which  are  deposited  before  the  tombs  and  the  idols. 
Offerings  of  other  kinds  are  also'  frequently  found  near  the  various  statues 
of  Bxiddha  and  his  kindred  deities. 

The  tombs  and  monument's,  as  with  us,  are  inscrihed  with  epitaphs ; but 
such  is  the  moisture  of  the  climate,  that  they  are  soon  covered  with  moss 
and  rendered  illegible.  Some  of  the  fi-esher  ones,  however,  could  be  deci- 
phered, and  it; was  observed  that,  as  in  our  own  practice,  the  rank,  merits, 
and  date  of  death  of  deceased,  were  usually  recorded.  That  the  good  deeds 
of  the  departed  .may  live  after  them,  there  is  often  a summary  of  their  mer- 
itorious works  during  life,  among  which  we  read  that  some  have  recited  one 
thousand,  two  thousand,  and  even  three  thousand  volumes  of  the  canonical 
books,  an  amount  of  .pious  performance  which  entitles  them,  says  the  eulo- 
gistic Japanese  epitaphs,  to  heavenly  felicity.  An  invocation,  “ Oh,  wonder- 
ful Buddha ! ” generally  prefaces  the  inscriptions.  In  the  grave-yard  of  the 
Bio-shen-zhi,  there  is  a sort  of  pantomimic  record  of  the  deceased,  where, 
in  a fenced  enclosure  of  bamboo,  there  is  a sepulchre  of  two  personages  of 
rank.  Their  statues  and  those  of  their  families  and  servants  are  represent- 
ed as  if  holding  an  audience,  which  indicates  the  rank  of  the  deceased. 

Near  the  recent  graves  and  tombs  narrow  boards  or  wooden  posts  are 
placed,  on  which  extracts  from  the  canonical  books  are  written,  exhorting 
the  living'  to  add  to  their  stock  of  good  works  by  diligently  repeating  the 
pages  of  those  excellent  volumes,  or  vicariously  performing  that  necessary 
duty,  by  getting  the  priests  to  do  it  for  them,  and  not  neglecting  to  pay  the 
customary  charges.  The  canonical  books  supply  many  of  the  other  inscrip- 
tions with  various  quotations,  aptly  chosen  to  extol  the  felicity  of  the  depart- 
ed, or  to  inculcate  the  shortness  of  life  and  the  vanity  of  this  world ; one  of 
the  latter,  when  translated,  read  thus : 

“ TtTiat  permanency  is  there  to  the  glory  of  the  world  ? 

It  goes  from  the  sight  like  hoar-frost  before  tlie  sun. 

If  men  wish  to  enter  the  joys  of  heavenly  light 

Let  them  smell  a little  of  the  fragrance  of  Buddha’s  canons.” 

Another  was  this : “ "Whoever  wishes  to  have  his  merit  reach  even  to  the 
abode  of  the  demons,  let  him  with  us,  and  all  living,  become  perfect  in  the 
doctrine.”  And  again : “ The  wise  will  make  our  halls  illustrious  and  the 
monuments  endure  for  long  ages.”  To  them  all  was  added  a significant 
hint,  that  these  hopes  and  aspirations  were  to  be  secured  in  their  objects  by 
the  prompt  payment  of  the  contributions  levied  on  the  living.  At  Yoku- 
hama,  in  addition  to  these  various  Japanese  inscriptions,  there  were  boards 
upon  which  were  written  charms  in  the  Thibetan  or  complicated  Chinese  char- 
acters, the  purport  of  which  the  writers  themselves  do  not  profess  to  under- 


I 


T 

»' 


K. 


SIMODA  TEMPLES  AND  SHRINES, 


473 


stand,  but  all  appeared  to  believe  they  were  effectual  in  warding  off  malig- 
nant demons  from  disturbing  the  dead. 

The  nine  Buddhist  temples  are  all  situated  in  the  suburbs,  back  of  the 
town ; and  on  the  acclivities  or  summits  of  the  hills,  which  bound  them  in 
the  rear,  there  are  shrines  and  pavilions  erected  within  groves  of  trees,  which 
are  approached  by  flights  of  stone  steps.  In  the  interior  of  these  pavilions 
and  shrines  are  rude  images,  or  merely  inscriptions,  dedicated  to  the  tutelary 
dejties  of  the  spot.  Their  purpose  is  to  afford  facility  to  those  living  near, 
or  to  the  passer  by,  of  appeasing  and  imploring  the  good  and  evil  spirits 
which  are  supposed  to  frequent  the  neighborhood.  At  the  door  and  before 
the  shrines  there  are  always  bits  of  paper,  some  rags,  copper  cash,  bouquets 
of  flowers  and  other  articles,  which  have  been  placed  there  as  propitiatory 
offerings  by  different  devotees. 

The  Bio-shen-zhi,  the  largest  of  the  nine  Buddhist  temples,  was  set  apart 
by  the  government  authorities  for  the  temporary  use  of  the  Commodore  dur- 
ing the  stay  of  the  squadron.  It  is  situated  on  the  south  side  of  the  town, 
and  has  quite  a picturesque  aspect,  with  a precipitous  rock  of  over  a hundred 
feet  on  one  side,  and  a burial  ground  on  the  other,  extending  up  the  accliv- 
ity of  a thickly  wooded  hill.  Connected  with  the  temple  is  a kitchen  garden 
which  supplies  the  priests  with  vegetables,  and  pleasure  grounds  with  beds  of 
flowers,  tanks  containing  gold  fish,  and  various  plants  and  trees.  A small 
bridge,  neatly  constructed,  leads  from  the  gardens  to  a flight  of  steps,  by 
which  the  hill  in  the  rear  is  ascended.  Adjoining  the  ecclesiastical  part  of  the 
establishment  there  is  a room  used  for  lodgers,  which  is  so  constructed  with 
sliding  doors  that  it  may  be  separated  into  several  rooms  for  the  accommo- 
dation of  many  persons,  or  left  as  one  large  apartment.  The  officers  of  the 
squadron  were  comfortably  provided  for  elsewhere,  and  with  an  abundant 
supply  of  mats  to  sleep  upon,  good  wholesome  rice  and  vegetables  to  eat, 
plenty  of  attendants,  and  everything  clean,  there  was  very  little  reason  for 
complaint  on  the  score  of  the  material  necessities  of  life. 

The  large  Mia,  or  Sintoo  temple,  is  situated  in  the  same  part  of  the 
town  as  the  Buddhist  establishments.  A wide  street,  the  broadest  in  Simo- 
da,  leads  to  an  avenue  of  fir  and  juniper  trees,  the  vista  through  which  is 
closed  by  the  temple.  As  the  visitor  approaches  he  comes  to  a bridge  which 
is  thrown  over  an  artificial  fish  pond,  which  breaks  the  continuity  of  the 
street,  and  as  he  enters  the  shaded  avenue  he  passes  over  another  miniature 
bridge  beautifully  constructed  of  finely  carved  greenstone.  Two  grim  stat- 
ues of  armed  men,  whose  fierce  aspect  is  heightened  by  the  covering  of  moss 
and  lichen  which,  with  their  irregular  growth,  roughen  the  rude  sculpture, 
and,  by  their  mottled  color,  give  an  increased  savageness  to  its  look,  stand, 
one  on  either  side,  as  guardians  of  the  temple.  Several  pairs  of  candelabras 
in  stone  are  arranged  near  by,  towards  the  termination  of  the  avenue,  and  on 
their  right  is  a square  belfry  of  open  woodwork  resting  upon  a high  founda- 


r 


474  EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 

tion  of  masonry.  From  the  roof  swings  a beam,  which  is  used  to  strike  the 
hell  which  hangs  within.  To  the  left  is  a low  shed  covering  six  small  stone 
images  of  deified  heroes,  the  flowers  and  coins  lying  before  which  indicate 
the  worship  of  devotees.  As  the  visitor  advances  he  passes  under  a pavilion 
built  over  the  pathway,  and  finds  within  various  offerings,  some  paintings, 
coarsely  executed,  of  junks  and  shipwrecks,  a bow  or  two,  and  scores  of 
queues,  cut  off  by  shipwrecked  sailors,  and  hung  up  as  testimonials  of  grati- 
tude for  the  preservation  of  their  lives.  . • 

Leaving  the  pavilion  the  visitor  reaches  a flight  of  stone  steps  beyond, 
which  lead  to  the  principal  hall,  which  is  elevated  some  six  feet  above  the 
ground.  Two  stone  lions,  whose  small  heads  and  enormous  ungainly  bodies 
show  that  the  artist  was  equally  unacquainted  with  the  grace  of  art  and  the 
truth  of  nature,  guard  the  entrance.  The  porch  is  sustained  by  posts  which 
are  carved  with  grotesque  representations  of  tigers  and  elephants’  heads,  and 
other  adornments,  showing  neither  skill  of  hand  nor  beauty  of  design. 

The  temple  itself  is  constructed  of  wood  with  a covering  of  thatch.  The 
interior  is  not,  like  the  Buddhist  monasteries,  supplied  with  sliding  panels, 
but  contains  two  compartments — the  main  hall  and  an  inner  shrine,  parti- 
tioned by  a latticed  bamboo  screen.  Within  the  latter  is  the  image  of 
Hachiman,  the  deified  hero  to  whom  the  temple  is  dedicated.  Standing  in  a 
niche,  on  either  side,  is  the  figure  of  an  attendant  dressed  in  ancient  Japa- 
nese official  costume,  armed  with  a bow,  as  if  awaiting  the  orders,  as  in  life, 
of  their  superior.  Before  the  god-like  Hachiman  there  is  the  usual  variety 
of  devotional  offerings.  A large  number  of  paintings  of  no  great  artistic 
skill,  a frame  containing  the  representation  of  a pagoda  constructed  of  cop- 
per cash,  a sword,  bow  and  arrows,  and  a subscription  list  of  at  least  thirty 
feet  in  length,  hung  from  the  walls  of  the  shrine.  This  gigantic  subscription 
list  contains  the  names  and  donation  of  the  contributors  towards  the  expen- 
ses of  the  temple  services.  The  Japanese  priests  find,  we  suppose,  as  we 
fear  it  is  sometimes  found  elsewhere,  that  an  imposing  display  of  the  muni- 
ficence of  their  benefactors  is  a useful  reminder  of  duty  to  the  benevolent, 
and  a great  encouragement  of  generosity.  The  idol  of  Hachiman  is  honored 
annually  with  a festival,  termed  matzouri,  which  occurs  on  the  fifteenth  day 
of  the  eighth  month,  when  the  subscribers  are  expected  to  pay  up  the  amount 
of  their  contributions,  for  which  their  names  are  down  upon  the  enormous 
list.  Before  the  image  there  is  a box  provided  for  the  alms  of  those  who  are 
too  modest  to  publish  their  names,  or  whose  donations  are  too  small  to  make 
much  of  a figure  on  paper. 

As  the  Japanese  structures  are  unpainted,  the  wood  work  soon  turns 
brown  and  decays,  requiring  frequent  repair  and  removal.  There  is  always 
a sort  of  guardian  or  superintendent  living  on  the  premises,  whose  duty  it  is 
to  keep  in  order  the  temple  and  grounds,  and  most  of  them  are  creditable 
evidences  of  the  care  of  the  overseers.  There  are,  however,  some  of  these 


marinee’s  temple,  simoda. 


475 


f 


^ establishments  -which  shew  cither  a careless  superintendence  or  a low  state 
f j of  the  exchequer,  for  several  show  signs  of  ruin  and  neglect. 

I ; In  addition  to  the  one  great  Sintoo  temjDle,  there  are  various  smaller 
f shrines  of  the  same  faith  dedicated  to  certain  deified  heroes,  whose  services 

i are  called  into  requisition  by  those  of  some  particular  occupation,  or  on  the 

i occasion  of  a special  emergency.  The  sites  of  these  humbler  places  of  wor- 
I ship  have  been  picturesquely  selected  on  the  acclivities,  or  the  summits  of 
I"  the  wooded  hills  which  bound  the  town  of  Simoda  landward.  The  pathways 
which  lead  to  them  are  handsomely  constructed,  often  with  causeways, 
bridges  of  a single  Roman  arch,  and  flight  of  steps,  all  of  stone,  care- 
fully sculptured  and  substantially  built.  Various  gateways,  guarded  by 
^ stone  statues  of  lions,  or  sometimes  merely  by  pillars,  upon  which  an  in- 
scription warns  off  intruders,  divide  at  intervals  the  approach,  while  the 
sides  of  the  avenues  are  shaded  with  fine  trees  of  vigorous  growth  and  abun- 
dant foliage.  Some  of  the  temples  are  so  embosomed  in  groves,  that  they 
! are  completely  hidden  from  the  sight,  until  their  shaded  thresholds  are 
j reached  unexpectedly  by  the  stranger.  One  of  these  especially  is  noticed  for 

J the  beauty  of  its  position  and  the  perfection  of  its  structure.  It  was  partic- 

[ ularly  devoted  to  a patron  saint  of  tlie  sailors,  and  was  called  by  the  Ameri- 
® cans  “ the  mariners’  temple,”  and  those  engaged  in  occupations  connected 
with  the  sea  constantly  resort  there,  to  invoke  the  aid  of,  or  to  return  thanks 
i to  the  enshrined  deity.  Grroups  of  fishermen  with  their  baskets  laden  with  the 
successful  hauls  of  the  day  gathered  within  the  precincts  of  the  sacred  place, 

I and  gratefully  symbolized,  according  to  prescribed  form,  the  gratitude  of 
their  hearts.  Shipwrecked  mariners  prostrated  themselves  before  the  idol, 
and  fulfilled  their  vows  by  the  sacrifice  of  their  queues,  and  other  exercises 
of  self-imposed  penance,  which  they  had  pledged  for  their  lives  in  the  agony 
of  impending  danger.  Within  the  shade  of  the  grove  boatmen  and  fishermen 
were  busy  repairing  their  nets,  and  surrounded  with  their  long  oars,  their 
baskets,  and  all  the  paraphernalia  of  their  business,  seemed  to  be  invoking 
a blessing  upon  their  labors,  and  propitiating  the  deity  for  good  luck  to  the 
next  day’s  fishing.  The  mariners’  temple  is  one  of  the  handsomest  structures 
in  Simoda.  A solid  stone  causeway,  leading  over  an  arched  bridge,  with  a 
low,  well  constructed  wall  on  either  side,  leads  to  the  steps  of  the  building. 
The  temple  is  built  in  the  usual  style,  with  a projecting  roof  of  tiles  orna- 
mentally arranged  in  cornices  of  flowers  and  graceful  scrolls,  and  supported 
by  lacquered  pillars.  Over  the  doorway  there  is  a fine  specimen  of  carved 
wood  work,  representing  the  sacred  crane,  on  the  wing,  symbolizing  as  it 
were  the  unsettled  life  of  the  mariner.  The  body  of  the  building  is  closed 
partly  with  wall  and  partly  with  oiled  paper  casements.  The  usual  stone 
lantern  is  found  on  the  left,  and  from  the  door  hangs  a straw  rope,  which, 
being  connected  with  a bell  inside,  is  pulled  by  the  devotee  to  ring  up  the 


476 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


deity,  that  he  may  he  aware  of  the  call,  and  be  wide  awake  to  the  spiritual 
necessities  of  his  visitor. 

The  expense  of  these  numerous  religious  establishments  must  he  very 
great,  and  the  tax  upon  the  people  of  Simoda  proportionately  burdensome, 
but  it  was  impossible  to  obtain  any  very  exact  data  in  regard  to  the  amount. 
As  the  voluntary  system  prevails  to  a great  extent,  and  ecclesiastical  pros- 
perity depends  chiefly  upon  the  generosity  of  the  pious,  the  priests  are  very 
naturally  stimulated  into  a very  vigorous  exercise  of  their  functions,  and  are 
undoubtedly  indefatigable  laborers  in  their  peculiar  field. 

The  country  about  Simoda  is  beautifully  varied  with  hill  and  dale. 
There  are  the  usual  signs  of  elaborate  Japanese  culture,  although  from  the 
more  sparse  population  of  the  neighborhood  there  is  more  land  left  in  a com- 
paratively barren  condition  than  further  up  the  bay  towards  the  capital. 
The  bottoms  and  sides  of  the  valleys  are  covered  with  gardens  and  fields, 
which  are  well  watered  by  the  streamlets  which  flow  through  every  valley, 
and  which,  by  artificial  arrangement,  are  diverted  from  their  course,  and 
pour  their  fertilizing  waters  over  the  land  from  terrace  to  terrace.  There 
are  four  principal  villages  near  Simoda.  Kaki-zaki,  or  Persimmon  point, 
lies  at  the  end  of  the  harbor  and  contains  barely  two  hundred  houses.  One 
of  its  monasteries,  known  by  the  name  of  Goku-zheu-zhi,  was  set  apart,  like 
the  Rio-  zhen-zhi,  in  Simoda,  as  a place  of  resort  for  the  foreigners ; and  with- 
in the  ground  attached  is  the  burial-place  appropriated  to  Americans.  There 
is  a good  anchorage  at  Kaki-zaki  for  junks,  and  many  of  them  take  in  their 
cargoes  there  rather  than  at  Simoda. 

Passing  over  the  hills  in  a southeasterly  direction,  we  come  to  the  village 
of  Susaki,  which,  with  its  two  hundred  houses  or  so,  hangs  upon  the  acclivity 
of  a wooded  hillside,  with  its  front  extending  down  to  the  beach  and  facing 
the  waters  of  the  inlet.  Its  inhabitants  are  generally  fishermen,  and  their 
boats,  and  even  larger  vessels,  can  approach  the  shore  at  all  states  of  the 
tide.  From  Susaki  a good  road  leads  in  a northeasterly  direction  to  the  vil- 
lage of  Sotowra,  a small  hamlet,  also  situated  on  the  seaside,  but  with  a pleas- 
ing landscape  inland,  varied  by  cultivated  fields  and  au  undergrowth  of 
dwarf  oaks.  A larger  place,  the  town  of  Shira-hama  or  White  Beach, 
extends  its  houses  along  a sandy  beach  some  three  miles  distant  from  Sotow- 
ra, and  is  comparatively  a flourishing  settlement.  Several  quarries  of 
trachyte,  or  greenstone,  are  worked  in  the  neighborhood,  and  large  quanti- 
ties of  charcoal  are  prepared  on  the  forest-crowned  hills  in  the  rear. 

Turning  westwardly  and  ascending  the  hill  beyond  Shira-hama,  the  highest 
summit  ■within  five  miles  of  Simoda  is  reached,  from  which  the  whole  south- 
ern area  and  breadth  of  the  peninsula  of  Idzu  can  be  seen  at  one  glance. 
Barren  peaks  rise  to  the  view  out  of  thickly  wooded  hills,  whose  sides  open 
into  valleys,  down  which  the  wild  vegetation  throngs  until  checked  by  the 
culture  of  the  fields  that  surround  the  busy  hamlets  at  the  bottom.  Where 


COUNTRY  AROUND  SIMODA. 


477 


the  beholder  stands  on  the  summit  of  the  hill  there  is  a small  wooden  shrine, 
almost  hidden  in  a grove  of  pines.  The  numerous  pictures,  flowers,  rags, 
copper  cash,  and  decapitated  queues  found  within,  attest  the  popularity  of 
the  Zhi-zo-bozats,  the  deity  of  the  place. 

Descending  the  hill  by  its  northwestern  slope,  the  largest  valley  of  the 
country  round  is  entered.  The  river  Inodzu-gama,  which  flows  into  the 
harbor  of  Simoda,  passes  through  this,  irrigating  the  cultivated  banks  and 
sustaining  the  commerce  of  the  various  villages  and  towns  in  the  interior. 
The  hamlet  of  Kongo,  containing  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  houses,  is  sit- 
uated on  the  river,  which  has  been  dammed  at  that  spot,  and  turns  five 
undershot  mills  for  cleaning  rice.  This  operation  is  performed  by  a very 
simple  machine,  which  consists  of  a projecting  piece  of  wood  or  stone  attach- 
ed at  right  angles  to  the  end  of  a long  lever,  which  plays  upon  a horizontal 
axis,  and  is  moved  up  and  down,  like  a pestle  working  in  a mortar. 

This  rude  machinery  is  occasionally  worked  by  water,  as  at  Kongo,  but 
more  frequently  by  a man,  who  steps  alternately  off  and  on  the  long  end  of 
the  beam.  The  river  at  Kongo  is  navigable  for  flat-bottomed  boats,  which 
frequent  the  place  for  charcoal,  grain,  stone,  and  other  products.  The  coun- 
try about  is  beautifully  diversified,  and  the  culture  of  the  land  is  carried  on 
to  an  extent  that  would  hardly  be  believed  by  one  who  was  not  familiar 
with  the  populous  countries  of  the  east.  Every  hill  is  but  a succession  of 
terraces,  rising  ore  above  the  other,  from  the  base  to  the  summit,  and  green 
with  the  growth  of  rice,  barley,  wheat  and  other  grain.  At  the  opening  of 
a smaller  valley,  which  branches  off  from  the  main  one  near  Kongo,  is  a 
small  village,  called  Kendai-zhi,  from  the  Lotus  terrace  monastery  near  by. 

From  Kongo  the  valley  widens  more  a d more  until  it  reaches  Simoda, 
where  it  forms  an  open  expanse,  like  an  alluvial  plain.  Along  the  base  of 
the  range  of  hills,  and  up  their  slopes,  in  the  direction  of  the  harbor,  the  nu- 
merous farm-houses  and  abounding  granaries,  many  of  them  of  stone,  and 
with  substantial  walls  of  the  same  material,  exhibit  a cheerful  prospect  of 
thrift  and  comfort.  Nor  are  there  wanting  evidences  of  luxuriant  enjoyment 
in  the  handsome  structure  of  the  dwelling  houses,  with  their  pleasure 
grounds  adorned  with  pastures  of  variegated  flowers,  artificial  ponds  of  gold 
fish,  and  fancy  dwarf  shade  and  fruit  trees.  West  of  Simoda  the  villages  are 
smaller,  and  the  hills  which  flank  them  of  less  height.  In  that  direction 
there  are  no  villages  of  a shorter  distance  than  five  miles  from  the  town  of 
Simoda.  Near  two  seaside  settlements,  towards  the  southwest,  the  inhabi- 
tants have  excavated  large  chambers  in  the  cliffs,  some  hundred  feet  from  the 
shore,  in  which  they  store  the  sea  weed,  which  is  a favorite  article  for  chew- 
ing, as  tobacco  is  used  with  us,  and  whither  the  fishermen  occasionally  resort 
for  shelter.  The  lower  hills  in  every  direction  are  covered  with  wood,  from 
which  large  supplies  of  charcoal  are  made,  which  is  extensively  used  for  fuel 
for  domestic  and  manufacturing  purposes. 


478 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


The  topographical  characteristics  of  Simoda  are  such  as  to  indicate  a 
healthful  climate.  Its  situation  on  the  extremity  of  a peninsula,  looking 
seaward,  and  the  elevated  ground  which  surrounds  the  town,  secure  the 
fresh  breezes  of  the  sea  and  a freedom  from  miasmatic  influences.  Simoda 
itself  lies  low,  hut  the  soil  is  dry,  and  the  stream  which  passes  through  it 
flows  rapidly  and  with  a clear  current  of  pure  water.  It  cannot  he  very 
cold,  as  Simoda  is  at  the  level  of  the  sea,  hy  the  equable  temperature  of 
which  the  winter  season  is  necessarily  tempered.  The  hills  from  under 
which  the  town  snugly  reposes  protect  it  from  the  full  severity  of  the  blasts 
from  the  snowy  summits  of  the  distant  mountains.  The  climate  is  more  or 
less  variable  in  the  winter  and  spring.  The  pressure  of  snow  upon  the  lofty 
peaks,  although  there  is  seldom  frost  or  snow  at  Simoda  itself,  and  the  not 
unfrequent  rains  with  the  ever  necessary  fogs,  give  an  occasional  humidity 
and  rareness  to  the  atmosphere,  which  are  chilling  to  the  senses,  and  must  be 
productive  of  occasional  inflammatory  diseases,  such  as  are  frequent  in  the 
spring  and  winter  with  us.  The  change  of  the  wind  alternates  often  between 
the  warm  sea  breezes  from  the  south,  and  the  cold  blasts  from  the  snow-cap- 
ped mountains  inland,  and  produces  the  usual  effects,  doubtless,  of  such  vari- 
ations. In  the  summer  it  is  occasionally  very  hot  in  the  day  time,  but  the 
nights  are  refreshed  by  the  sea  breezes.  From  April  19th  to  May  13th,  a 
record  of  the  thermometer  gives  72'^  as  the  highest,  and  58°  as  the  lowest 
point,  and  of  the  barometer  29.38  and  30.00  As  the  season  advances  the 
mercury  rises,  no  doubt,  much  higher,  reaching  probably  85°  of  Fahrenheit, 
or  more.  Simoda  is  liable  to  the  ordinary  affections  of  temperate  climates, 
but  there  seems  no  reason  to  suspect  that  it  has  a special  tendency  to  any 
epidemic  diseases. 

Since  the  treaty  of  Kanagawa,  by  which  the  port  was  opened  to  inter- 
course with  the  Americans,  Simoda  has  been  separated  from  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  principality  of  Idzu,  and  constituted  an  imperial  city,  the  authorities 
of  which  are  appointed  directly  by  the  government  at  Yedo.  There  is 
a governor  or  general  superintendent  of  the  municipal  and  commercial 
affairs  of  the  place,  with  a fiscal  assistant  or  treasurer,  whose  particular 
function  has  regard  to  the  revenues.  Subordinate  to  these  two  officials, 
there  are  the  same  number  of  prefects  or  bugio,  who  again  have  under  them 
various  collectors  and  interpreters,  whose  business  is  the  practical  adminis- 
tration of  affairs  in  the  various  departments  of  government  and  trade. 
The  limit  of  the  jurisdiction  of  the  imperial  officers  is  marked  by  six  guard 
stations,  neither  of  which  is  over  a mile  and  a half  from  the  town,  placed 
on  all  the  principal  roads  leading  to  Simoda.  Beyond  these,  the  inhabitants 
of  the  country  are  amenable  as  before  to  their  own  local  government,  while 
within  them  all  persons  are  under  the  newly  appointed  authorities. 


' * 


.^*^5 -t-.,  « f.V;;*  •- 

j!?'"  ' '■ 


V' t**- 


■«F; 


CHAPTER  XXII 


Survey  and  description  0|f  the  harbor  of  Simoda. — Discipline  in  the  squadron. — Intercourse  with  the  an* 
thoritics  of  Simoda. — Kura-kawa-kahei,  the  Prefect. — His  disposition  to  produce  trouble. — Treatment 
of  the  American  officers. — Remonstrances  of  the  Commodore. — Equivocation  of  the  Prefect. — He  is 
frightened  into  propriety. — Efforts  of  two  Japanese  gentlemen  clandestinely  to  leave  their  country  in 
the  squadron. — Commodore's  conduct. — Buddh  st  temples  at  Simoda, — Prefect  again  shows  his  petty 

hostility. — His  prevarications  and  falsehoods. — Funeral  of  an  American  on  shore. — Insult  offered  to  ^ 

American  officers  on  shore. — Prefect's  further  falsehoods. — Compelled  to  apologize,  and  informed  tliat 
his  insolence  would  not  be  borne  in  future. — Friendly  intercourse  with  the  people. — Departure  for  Ha- 
kodadi. — Volcano  of  Oho-sima — The  Kuro-siwo,  or  Japanese  “ gulf  stream.” — Straits  of  Sangar.— 

Fogs. — Harbor  of  Hakodadi. — Directions  for  entering. 


N the  Commodore’s  arrival  at 
the  port  of  Simoda,  he  immedi- 
ately organized  a surve^dng  party 
for  the  complete  examination  of 
the  harbor,  and,  during  his  stay, 
succeeded  in  obtaining  a thorough 
knowledge  of  all  the  points  of 
nautical  interest  to  the  navigator. 
The  harbor  of  Simoda  is  near 
the  southeastern  extremity  of  the 
peninsula  of  Idzu,  which  termi- 
nates at  the  cape  of  that  name, 
and  bears  S.  W.  by  W.,  at  a dis- 
tance of  forty-five  miles  from 
Cape  Sagami,  at  the  entrance  of 
the  lower  bay  or  gulf  of  Yedo. 
To  the  northward  of  the  harbor, 
a high  ridge  of  mountains  inter- 
sects the  peninsula,  and  south 
of  this,  all  the  way  to  the  cape, 
the  land  is  broken  by  innumerable  peaks  of  less  elevation.^  There  are  sev- 
eral islands  and  prominent  rocks,  which  are  picturesque  features  iu  the  view, 
and  important  indications,  which  require  to  be  carefully  considered  by  those 


480 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


approaching  Simoda  from  the  sea.  Rock  island,  in  latitude  34°  33'  .50'' 
N.,  longitude  138°  57'  16 " B.,  is  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  high 
and  a third  of  a mile  long,  with  precipitous  shores,  and  a surface  of  irregu- 
lar outline.  Covering  the  top  there  is  a thick  growth  of  shrubs,  grass, 
weeds,  and  moss.  From  the  summit  of  this  island  overfalls  were  seen, 
bearing  N.  ^ W..  distant  a mile  or  a mile  and  a half,  which  may  have  been 
caused  by  rocks  or  reefs.  An  effort  was  made  to  investigate  the  cause,  but 
without  success,  in  consequence  of  the  strong  current  and  the  fresh  winds. 
The  Japanese  fishermen,  however,  deny  that  there  is  any  danger  to  navigation 
in  that  direction.  North  by  west  from  Rock  island,  distant  two  miles,  are 
the  Ukona  rocks,  which  are  really  two  in  number,  though  at  a distance  they 
generally  appear  as  one.  The  larger  reaches  a height  of  seventy  feet.  Be- 
tween these  rocks  and  Rock  island  there  is  a current  setting  east  northeast- 
wardly, and  running  at  a rate  of  quite  four  miles  an  hour.  From  Rock, 
Centre  island,  so  called  from  its  being  the  point  from  which  the  treaty 
limits  are  measured,  bears  N.  4 E.,  at  a distance  of  five  and  a half  miles. 
• and  from  the  two  Ukona  rocks,  N.  by  E.  E.,  distant  three  and  a half  miles. 

Centre  island  is  high,  conical  in  shape,  and  is  covered  with  a full  growth 
of  trees,  while  through  its  base  passes,  from  one  side  to  the  other,  a natural 
cave.  Its  latitude  was  found,  by  careful  observation,  to  be  34°  39'  49  ' N., 
and  its  longitude  138°  57'  50  ' E.,  with  a variation  of  52'  westwardly. 
High  water,  full  and  change,  five  hours.  The  extreme  rise  of  the  tide  is 
five  feet  seven  inches  upon  the  shores  of  the  island,  and  the  mean  rise  three 
feet.  Buisako  is  the  name  of  an  islet  which,  covered  with  trees  and  shrubs, 
and  about  forty  feet  in  height,  lies  N.  N.  E.  from  Centre  island.  Off  the 
village  of  Susaki,  at  a distance  of  one-third  of  a mile  from  the  shore,  is  a 
ledge  of  rocks  upon  which  the  swell  is  always  breaking. 

Vessels  bound  to  the  harbor  of  Simoda  from  the  southward  and  west- 
ward should  make  Cape  Idzu,  latitude  34°  32'  N.,  longitude  138°  51'  E., 
from  which  Rock  island  bears  E.  S.  E.  4 E.,  distant  about  six  miles.  If 
the  weather  is  at  all  clear,  the  chain  of  islands  at  the  entrance  of  the  lower 
bay  or  gulf  of  Yedo  will,  at  the  same  time,  be  plainly  visible.  Between 
Rock  island  and  the  main  land  there  are  a number  of  rocks  projecting  above 
water,  among  which  the  Japanese  junks  freely  pass;  but  a ship  should  not 
attempt  the  passage  inside  the  island,  unless  in  case  of  urgent  necessity,  as 
the  northeasterly  cun-ent.  which  sweeps  along  this  coast,  seems  to  be  at  this 
point  capricious  both  in  direction  and  velocity.  Giving  Rock  island  the  berth 
of  a mile,  the  harbor  of  Simoda  will  be  in  full  view,  bearing  N.  4 dis- 
tant five  miles.  Vandalia  bluff,  on  the  east  side  of  the  entrance,  may  be 
recognized  by  a grove  of  pines  on  its  summit,  and  the  village  of  Susaki, 
which  is  situated  about  one-third  of  the  way  between  the  bluff  and  a sharp 
point  called  Cape  Diamond,  making  out  to  the  eastward  of  the  entrance  to 
the  harbor.  A vessel  standing  in  from  Rock  island  will  probably  pass 


HARBOR  OF  S I M O D A . 


481 


through  a number  of  tide-rips ; but  soundings  will  not  be  obtained  by  the 
hand-lead  until  near  the  entrance  of  the  harbor,  when  the  navigator  will  find 
himself  in  from  seventeen  to  twenty-four  fathoms.  Should  the  wind  be 
from  the  northward  and  fresh,  it  would  be  expedient  to  anchor  at  the  mouth 
of  the  harbor  until  it  lulls  or  shifts,  or  until  the  vessel  can  be  conveniently 
warped  in,  as  the  breezes  usually  blow  in  fiaws  and  are  always  baffling. 

Approaching  from  the  northward  and  eastward,  a vessel  can  pass  on 
either  side  of  the  island  of  Oho-sima,  from  the  centre  of  which  Cape  Dia- 
mond bears  W.  S.  W.  f W.,  distant  about  twenty  miles.  The  navigator  ap- 
proaching from  the  east  will  not  hi  d the  harbor  opening  until  he  is  well 
inside  of  Cape  Diamond.  Between  Oho-sima  and  Simoda  no  dangers  are 
known  to  exist,  but  the  northeasterly  current  must  be  borne  constantly  in 
mind,  particularly  at  night  and  in  thick  weather.  Its  general  strength  is 
from  two  to  three  miles  per  hour ; but  as  this,  as  well  as  its  direction,  is 
much  influenced  by  the  local  winds,  headlands,  islands,  rocks,  and  other 
causes,  neither  can  be  relied  on. 

Should  Oho-sima  be  obscured  by  thick  weather  before  reaching  Cape 
Diamond,  the  pilot  should  endeavor  to  sight  Bock  island,  for  there  are  no 
very  conspicuous  objects  on  the  main  land  by  which  the  stranger  can  recog- 
nize the  harbor  at  a distance,  and  the  shore  appears  as  one  unbroken  line. 
To  the  northward  of  Cape  Diamond  is  the  bay  of  Sira-hama,  which  is  quite 
deep,  and  as  it  has  several  sand  beaches  it  may  be  taken  for  Simoda ; but  as 
this  bay  is  approached.  Cape  Diamond  will  shut  in  the  Ukona  rocks  and 
Bock  island  to  the  southward,  while  in  the  Simoda  roads  they  are  both  visi- 
ble from  all  points.  ’ To  the  westward  of  the  harbor  there  are  several 
beaches  and  banks  of  sand,  which,  as  they  can  be  plainly  discerned  at  the 
distance  of  six  or  eight  miles,  will  serve  as  good  landmarks. 

A vessel  from  the  southward  and  eastward  should  pass  to  the  west  of 
Meac-sima,  which  may  be  known  by  a remarkable  snow-white  clifi"  on  its 
western  side,  and  a patch  on  the  summit  toward  the  north.  To  the  south- 
ward and  westward  of  the  island  there  are  groups  of  dangerous  rocks,  some 
fifteen  or  twenty  feet  high,  which  were  called  by  the  Commodore,  Bedfield, 
after  the  well-known  scientific  investigator  of  that  name.  One  is  in  lati- 
tude 33°  56'  13"  N.,  and  longitude  138°  48'  31"  E. ; the  other  in  latitude 
33°  57'  31"  N.,  and  in  longitude  138°  49'  13"  E. 

There  are  but  two  hidden  dangers  in  the  harbor.  The  first  is  the  South- 
ampton rock,  so  called  from  the  ship  which  touched  upon  it,  and  lying  in 
mid-channel,  bearing  N.  ^ W.  from  Vandalia  bluff,  between  which  and  Cen- 
tre island  it  is  situated  about  three-fourths  of  the  way.  The  rock  is  esti- 
mated to  be  about  twenty-five  feet  in  diameter,  and  has  two  fathoms  of 
water  covering  it.  It  was  mai’ked  by  the  surveyors  with  a white  spar-buoy. 
The  other  concealed  danger  is  the  Supply  rock,  which  bears  S.  by  W.,  at  a 
31 


482 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


short  distance  from  Buisako  islet,  and  has  a sharp  edge  with  eleven  feet  of 
water  upon  it.  A red  spar-buoy  indicates  its  position. 

The  general  discipline  of  the  squadron  had  been  excellent  during  the 
whole  expedition,  and  under  circumstances  calculated  to  test,  with  some  de- 
gree of  severity,  the  government  of  the  officers  and  the  obedience  of  the 
men.  From  the  necessity  of  conciliating  the  strange  people  of  Japan,  and 
conforming,  in  some  respects,  to  their  habits  of  non-intercourse  with  foreign- 
ers, it  required  great  tact,  on  the  part  of  those  having  authority  on  board 
ship,  to  reconcile  the  natural  desire  of  occasional  liberty  on  the  part  of  the 
sailors  with  the  rigid  reserve  of  the  Japanese.  This  was,  however,  accom- 
plished with  general  success,  and  there  was  but  little  occasion  for  any  but  the 
ordinary  exercise  of  the  rules  of  discipline  to  secure  the  preservation  of  that 
good  order  which  was  the  characteristic  of  all  the  ships  of  the  squadron. 
Neglect  of  duty  and  small  offences  were  promptly  rebuked  and  punished  by 
the  usual  penalties,  and  great  severity  was  rarely  called  for.  On  the  19th 
of  April,  however,  it  was  found  necessary  to  convene  a general  court-mar- 
tial on  board  the  Mississippi  for  the  trial  of  several  seamen,  and  the  result 
was  the  finding  of  two  of  the  men  guilty  of  desertion.  It  was,  however, 
but  technical  desertion,  consisting  in  what  Jack  calls  “French,”  meaning 
“ taking  French  leave,”  by  wandering  off  from  a boat  ashore,  without  permis- 
sion, to  look  for  drink.  The  laws  of  the  service,  however,  properly  enough, 
deem  such  conduct  desertion.  The  sentence  was  duly  read  in  all  the  ships 
of  the  squadron,  and  the  delinquents  suffered  the  usual  penalty  of  confine- 
ment for  a time  and  stoppage  of  pay. 

On  the  third  day  after  reaching  Simoda,  April  21st,  the  Commodore, 
accompanied  by  a small  suite  of  officers,  landed,  and  paid  an  official  visit  to 
Kura-Kawa-Kahei,  the  prefect.  The  party  was  received  with  the  usual 
formal  courtesies  by  the  Japanese  official  and  Moryama  Yenoske,  who  had 
come  to  Simoda  to  exercise  his  functions  as  an  interpreter,  and  to  aid,  by 
his  experience,  in  carrying  out  the  conditions  of  the  treaty  just  negotiated  at 
Kanagawa.  The  Commodore,  after  partaking  of  refreshments,  walked 
through  the  town  to  take  a general  survey,  and  entered  various  temples, 
which  are  the  chief  objects  of  interest  to  the  stranger  at  Simoda.  On  his 
return  to  the  ship  he  was  accompanied  by  several  of  the  Japanese  officials, 
who  proposed  to  make  some  arrangement  for  the  supply  of  such  provisions 
as  might  be  required  by  the  squadron. 

Presuming  upon  the  privileges  secured  by  the  treaty,  the  officers  began 
now  to  frequent  the  shore,  and  stroll  freely  about  the  streets  of  the  town 
and  the  neighboring  country.  The  common  people,  as  had  been  elsewhere 
observed,  seemed  very  much  disposed  to  welcome  the  strangers  and  engage 
in  friendly  converse  with  them.  They  exhibited  their  usual  curiosity,  and 
thronged  about  the  Americans,  examining  their  dress,  and,  with  almost 
childish  eagerness  and  delight,  fingered  the  officers’  buttons,  swords,  and 


JAPANESE  SUKVEILLANCE  REPELLED.  483 


gay  accoutrements,  and,  pointing  to  tliem,  would  ask,  in  their  pantomimic 
way,  the  English  names  for  each  article  which  struck  their  fancy.  It  was 
soon  discovered,  however,  that  the  Japanese  authorities  were  not  disposed  to 
allow  of  this  free  intermingling  of  the  people  with  the  Americans,  and  no 
sooner  was  it  observed  than  various  armed  soldiers  or  policemen  came  up 
and  dispersed  their  countrymen.  Not  satisfied  with  the  exercise  of  this  se- 
vere discipline  upon  the  poor  Japanese,  the  officials  seemed  determined  to 
practise  their  authority  upon  the  American  officers.  It  was  found  that, 
wherever  the  latter  went,  they  were  followed  by  a squad  of  soldiers,  who 
watched  every  movement,  and  dogged  their  steps  with  the  pertinacity  of  a 
pack  of  hounds.  The  people,  under  the  orders  of  the  local  authorities,  fled, 
and  the  town,  with  its  shops  closed  and  its  streets  deserted,  was  as  sad  as  if 
it  had  been  devastated  by  the  plague.  Even  in  their  strolls  into  the  country, 
the  American  oflicers  found  that  they  could  not  divest  themselves  of  the 
perpetual  presence  and  jealous  watchfulness  of  the  Japanese  sjnes,  who  were 
evidently  resolved  to  restrict  the  freedom  of  their  visitors,  and  put  them 
under  the  most  rigid  surveillance. 


The  Commodore,  upon  being  made  aware  of  this  treatment  of  his  officers, 
felt  greatly  indignant,  as  it  was  in  violation  of  the  stipulations  of  the  trea- 
ty, and  he  determined  to  bring  the  authorities  of  Simoda,  whom  he  held 
responsible,  to  account.  He  accordingly  dispatched  his  flag  lieutenant  and 
his  two  interpreters  on  shore,  to  call  upon  the  prefect,  and  lay  before 
him  certain  complaints  which  were  specified  in  a memorandum,  in  which  the 
Commodore  expressed  his  dissatisfaction  at  the  manner  in  which  his  offi- 
cers were  treated  on  going  ashore,  and  protested  against  their  being  followed 
by  soldiers,  the  dispersion  of  the  people,  and  the  closing  of  the  shops. 
These,  he  declared,  were  at  variance  with  the  stipulations  of  the  treaty; 
and  threatened,  if  the  annoyances  should  continue,  he  would  sail  to  Yedo 
with  his  whole  squadron  and  demand  an  explanation.  The  Commodore  also 
took  occasion  to  insist  upon  a suitable  place  being  set  apart  on  shore  for  a 
resort  for  himself  and  officers ; and  as  he  proposed  a visit  to  the  island  of 
Oho-sima,  requested  that  proper  provisions  should  be  made  for  the  journey, 
a junk  be  provided,  and  certain  Japanese  officials  selected  to  accompany  the 
American  expedition. 

The  prefect,  upon  hearing  this  protest  of  the  Commodore,  replied,  that 
the  Dutch  at  Nagasaki  were  always  followed  by  twelve  or  fourteen  Japanese 
soldiers,  and  seemed  to  think  that  such  a precedent  should  be  a rule  of  con- 
duct for  the  Americans.  He  was,  however,  told  that  the  treatment  of  the 
Dutch  was  not  to  be  taken  for  a moment  as  a criterion  by  which  the  Japa- 
nese authorities  were  to  judge  of  what  was  proper  in  their  relations  with 
the  Americans,  who  had  a “ treaty  of  amity  and  intercourse  ” with  Japan  ; 
and  coming,  as  they  did,  to  Simoda  as  friends,  they  would  insist  upon  being 
treated  as  such,  and  suffer  no  infringement  of  privileges  which  had  been 


484 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


guarantied  by  a solemn  compact.  The  prefect,  moreover,  was  told  that  the 
Americans  intended  no  harm  to  the  people,  hut,  on  the  contrary,  desired  the 
most  friendly  relations  with  them,  and  the  freest  intercourse,  without  being 
watched  and  restrained  by  soldiers,  acting  under  the  orders  of  their  superiors. 
Such  a surveillance  as  had  hitherto  been  practised  was  what  Americans 
were  not  accustomed  to,  and  particularly  as  it  would  seem  to  indicate  that 
they  were  intent  upon  the  commission  of  some  outrage. 

This  resolute  language  produced  its  desired  effect  upon  the  prefect,  who 
excused  his  conduct  upon  the  plea  that  he  had  left  Yoku-hama  before  the 
signing  of  the  treaty,  and  had,  in  consequence,  not  been  aware  that  it  con- 
tained the  clause  “ free  intercourse.”  He  would  he  obliged,  he  continued, 
to  refer  to  his  superioi’s  at  Yedo  for  instructions  on  this  point,  and  ascer- 
tain how  they  construed  that  article;  hut,  in  the  meanwhile,  he  would 
give  orders  that  the  houses  should  not  he  closed,  and  try  the  experiment 
of  allowing  the  officers  to  visit  the  shore  without  being  followed  by  sol- 
diers. 

The  prefect  then  readily  acceded  to  the  Commodore’s  demands  in  regard 
to  a place  of  resort  and  the  visit  to  Oho-sima,  saying  that  any  of  the  tem- 
ples were  at  his  disposition,  where  the  best  accommodation  Simoda  afforded 
would  he  prepared  for  him,  and  that  a junk,  two  boats,  and  certain  Japa- 
nese attendants  would  he  immediately  provided  for  those  persons  of  the 
squadron  the  Commodore  wished  to  send  to  Oho-sima.  After  an  expression 
from  the  prefect  of  courtesy,  and  the  hope  that  trifles  would  not  he  permit- 
ted to  interrupt  the  friendly  feeling  subsisting  between  the  Americans  and 
the  Japanese,  the  interview  closed. 

The  various  officers  of  the  squadron  now  visited  the  shore  daily,  and  for 
a time  there  was  apparently  less  disposition  to  interfere  with  their  move- 
ments, or  watch  their  proceedings.  On  one  of  these  occasions  a party  had 
passed  out  into  the  country  beyond  the  suburbs,  when  they  found  two  Japa- 
nese following  them  ; but,  as  they  were  supposed  to  be  a couple  of  spies  on 
the  watch,  little  notice  was  at  first  taken  of  them.  Observing,  however, 
that  they  seemed  to  be  approaching  as  if  stealthily,  and  as  though  desirous  of 
seeking  an  opportunity  of  speaking,  the  American  officers  awaited  their  com- 
ing up.  On  being  accosted,  the  Japanese  were  observed  to  be  men  of  some 
position  and  rank,  as  each  wore  the  two  swords  characteristic  of  distinction, 
and  were  dressed  in  wide  but  short  trowsers  of  rich  silk  brocade.  Their 
manners  showed  the  usual  courtly  refinement  of  the  better  classes,  but  they  ex- 
hibited the  embarrassment  of  men  who  evidently  were  not  perfectly  at  their 
ease,  and  were  about  doing  something  of  dubious  propriety.  They  cast 
their  eyes  stealthily  about,  as  if  to  assure  themselves  that  none  of  their 
countrymen  were  at  hand  to  observe  their  proceedings,  and  then  approach- 
ing one  of  the  officers  and  pretending  to  admire  his  watch-chain,  slipped 


A JAPANESE  LETTER 


485 


within  the  breast  of  his  coat  a folded  paper.*  They  now  significantly,  with 
the  finger  upon  the  lips,  entreated  secresy,  and  rapidly  made  off. 

During  the  succeeding  night  about  two  o’clock,  a.  m.,  (April  25th,)  the 
officer  of  the  mid  watch,  on  hoard  the  steamer  Mississippi,  was  aroused  by 
,a  voice  from  a boat  alongside,  and  upon  proceeding  to  the  gangway,  found  a 
couple  of  J apanese,  who  had  mounted  the  ladder  at  the  ship’s  side,  and 
upon  being  accosted,  made  signs  expressive  of  a desire  to  be  admitted  on 
board. 

They  seemed  very  eager  to  be  allowed  to  remain,  and  showed  a very  evi- 

* This  paper  proved  to  be  a letter  in  Japanese,  of  which  the  following  is  a literal  trans- 
lation by  Mr.  Williams,  the  interpreter  of  the  squadron  : 

“ Two  scholars  from  Yedo,  in  Japan,  present  this  letter  for  the  inspection  of  ‘ the  high 
officers  and  those  who  manage  affairs.’  Our  attainments  are  few  and  tiifling,  as  we  our- 
selves are  small  and  unimportant,  so  that  we  are  abashed  in  coming  before  you ; we  are 
neither  skilled  in  the  use  of  arms,  nor  are  we  able  to  discourse  upon  the  rules  of  strategy 
and  military  discipline  ; in  trifling  pursuits  and  idle  pastimes  our  years  and  months  have 
slipped  away.  We  have,  however,  read  in  hooks,  and  learned  a little  by  hearsay,  what  are 
the  customs  and  education  in  Europe  and  America,  and  we  have  been  for  many  years  desirous 
of  going  over  the  ‘ five  great  continents,’  but  the  laws  of  our  country  in  all  maritime  points 
are  very  strict ; for  foreigners  to  come  into  the  country,  and  for  natives  to  go  abroad,  are 
both  immutably  forbidden.  Our  wish  to  visit  other  regions  has  consequently  only  ‘ gone 
to  and  fro  in  our  own  breasts  in  continual  agitation,’  like  one’s  breathing  being  impeded  or 
his  walking  cramped.  Happily,  the  arrival  of  so  many  of  your  ships  in  these  waters,  and 
stay  for  so  many  days,  which  has  given  us  opportunity  to  make  a pleasing  acquaint- 
ance and  careful  examination,  so  that  we  are  fully  assured  of  the  kindness  and  liberality 
of  your  excellencies,  and  your  regard  for  others,  has  also  revived  the  thoughts  of  many 
years,  and  they  are  urgent  for  an  exit. 

“ This,  then,  is  the  time  to  carry  the  plan  into  execution,  and  we  now  secretly  send 
you  this  private  request,  that  you  will  take  us  on  board  your  ships  as  they  go  out  to  sea  ; 
we  can  thus  visit  around  in  the  five  great  continents,  even  if  we  do  in  this,  slight  the  pro- 
hibitions of  our  own  country.  Lest  those  who  have  the  management  of  affairs  may  feel  some 
chagrin  at  this,  in  order  to  effect  our  desire,  we  are  willing  to  serve  in  any  way  we  can  on 
board  of  the  ships,  and  obey  the  orders  given  us.  For  doubtless  it  is,  that  when  a lame 
man  sees  others  walking  he  wishes  to  walk  too  ; but  how  shall  the  pedestrian  gratify  his 
desires  when  he  sees  another  one  riding  ? We  have  all  our  lives  been  going  hither  to  you, 
unable  to  get  more  than  thirty  degrees  east  and  west,  or  twenty-five  degrees  north  and 
south  ; but  now  when  we  see  how  you  sail  on  the  tempests  and  cleave  the  huge  billows, 
going  lightning  speed  thousands  and  myriads  of  miles,  skirting  along  the  five  great  conti- 
nents, can  it  not  be  likened  to  the  lame  finding  a plan  for  walking,  and  the  pedestrian  see- 
ing a mode  by  which  he  can  ride  ? If  you  who  manage  affairs  will  give  our  request  your 
consideration,  we  will  retain  the  sense  of  the  favor;  bnt  the  prohibitions  of  our  country  are 
still  existent,  and  if  this  matter  should  become  known  we  should  uselessly  see  ourselves 
pursued  and  brought  back  for  immediate  execution  without  fail,  and  such  a result  would 
greatly  grieve  the  deep  humanity  and  kindness  you  all  bear  towards  others.  If  you  are 
willing  to  accede  to  this  request,  keep  ‘ ■wrapped  in  silence  our  error  in  making  it’  until 
you  are  about  to  leave,  in  order  to  avoid  all  risk  of  such  serious  danger  to  life  ; for  when, 
by-and-bye,  we  come  back,  our  countrymen  ■wiU  never  think  it  worth  while  to  investigate 
bygone  doings.  Although  our  words  have  only  loosely  let  our  thoughts  leak  out,  yet  truly 


486 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN, 


dent  determination  not  to  return  to  the  shore,  hy  the  desire  they  expressed 
of  casting  off  their  boat,  utterly  regardless  of  its  fate.  The  captain  of  the 
Mississippi  directed  them  to  the  flag-ship,  to  which,  on  retiring  to  their  boat, 
they  pulled  off  at  once.  Having  reached  her  with  some  difSculty,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  heavy  swell  in  the  harbor,  they  had  hardly  got  upon  the  lad- 
der and  mounted  to  the  gangway,  when  their  boat  got  adrift,  either  hy 
accident,  or  from  being  let  g d intentionally.  On  their  reaching  the  deck,  the 
officer  informed  the  Commodore  of  their  presence,  who  sent  his  interpreter 
to  confer  with  them  and  learn  the  purposes  of  their  untimely  visit.  They 
frankly  confessed  that  their  object  was  to  be  taken  to  the  United  States, 
where  they  might  gratify  their  desire  of  travelling,  and  seeing  the  world. 
They  were  now  recognized  as  the  two  men  who  had  met  the  officers  on  shore, 
and  given  one  of  them  the  letter.  They  seemed  much  fatigued  hy  their 
boating  excursion,  and  their  clothes  showed  signs  of  being  travel  worn,  al- 
though they  proved  to  he  Japanese  gentlemen  of  good  position.  They  both 
were  entitled  to  wear  the  two  swords,  and  one  still  retained  a single  one, 
but  they  had  left  the  other  three  in  the  boat  which  had  gone  adrift  with 
, them.  They  were  educated  men,  and  wrote  the  mandarin  Chinese  with 
fluency  and  apparent  elegance,  and  their  manners  were  courteous  and  highly 
refined.  The  Commodore,  on  learning  the  purpose  of  their  visit,  sent  word 
that  he  regretted  that  he  was  unable  to  receive  them,  as  he  would  like  very 
much  to  take  some  Japanese  to  America  with  him.  He,  however,  was 
compelled  to  refuse  them  until  they  received  permission  from  their  govern- 
ment, for  seeking  which  they  would  have  ample  opportunity,  as  the  squadron 
would  remain  in  the  harbor  of  Simoda  for  some  time  longer.  They  were 
greatly  disturbed  by  this  answer  of  the  Commodore,  and  declaring  that  if 
they  returned  to  the  land  they  would  lose  their  heads,  earnestly  implored  to 
be  allowed  to  remain.  The  prayer  was  firmly  but  kindly  refused.  A long 
discussion  ensued,  in  the  course  of  which  they  urged  every  possible  argu- 
ment in  their  favor,  and  continued  to  appeal  to  the  humanity  of  the  Ameri- 
cans. A boat  was  now  lowered,  and  after  some  mild  resistance  on  their  part 
to  being  sent  ofl",  they  descended  the  gangway  piteously  deploring  their  fate. 


they  are  sincere  ; and  if  your  excellencies  are  pleased  to  regard  them  kindly,  do  not  doubt 
them  nor  oppose  our  wishes.  We  together  pay  our  respects  in  handing  this  in.  April  11.” 

A small  note  was  enclosed,  of  which  the  following  is  a translation  : “ The  enclosed  letter 
contains  the  earnest  request  we  have  had  for  many  days,  and  which  we  tried  in  many  way.s 
to  get  off  to  you  at  Yoku-hama,  in  a fishing-boat,  by  night ; hut  the  cruisers  were  too  thick, 
and  none  others  were  allowed  to  come  alongside,  so  that  we  were  in  great  uncertainty  how 
to  act.  Hearing  that  the  ships  were  coming  to  Simoda  we  have  come  to  take  our 
chance,  intending  to  get  a small  boat  and  go  olf  to  the  ships,  hut  have  not  succeeded. 
Trusting  your  worships  will  agree,  we  will,  to-morrow  night,  after  aU  is  quiet,  be  at  Kaki- 
zaki  in  a small  boat,  near  the  shore,  where  there  are  no  houses.  There  we  greatly  hope 
you  to  meet  us  and  take  us  away,  and  thus  bring  our  hopes  to  fruition.  April  25.” 


CONSEQUENCES  OF  THE  VI  SIT  OP  THE  JAPANESE.  487 

and  were  landed  at  a spot  near  where  it  was  supposed  their  boat  might  have 
drifted. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day,  Yenoske,  the  chief  interpreter,  who 
had  come  to  Simoda  from  Yedo  for  the  express  pui’pose  of  requesting  the 
postponement  of  the  expedition  to  Oho-sima,  which  was  conditionally  grant- 
ed by  the  Commodore,  came  on  board  the  Powhatan,  and  requested  to  see 
the  flag-lieutenant,  to  whom  he  stated,  that  “last  night  a couple  of  demented 
Japanese  had  gone  off  to  one  of  the  American  vessels,”  and  wished  to  know 
if  it  had  been  the  flag-ship ; and  if  so,  whether  the  men  had  been  guilty  of 
any  impropriety.  The  flag-lieutenant  replied,  that  it  was  difiicult  to  retain 
any  very  precise  recollection  of  those  who  visited  the  ships,  as  so  many  were 
constantly  coming  from  the  shore  in  the  watering  boats  and  on  business,  but 
he  assured  the  interpreter  that  no  misdemeanor  could  have  been  committed, 
or  he  would  have  been  aware  of  the  fact.  The  interpreter  was  then  asked, 
whether  the  Japanese  he  referred  to  had  reached  the  shore  in  safety,  to 
which  the  very  satisfactory  answer  that  “ they  had  ” was  received. 

The  Commodore,  upon  hearing  of  the  visit  of  the  interpreter  and  the  ap- 
parent anxiety  of  the  Japanese  authorities  in  regard  to  the  conduct  of  the 
two  strange  visitors  to  the  ships,  sent  an  officer  on  shore  in  order  to  quiet 
the  excitement  which  had  been  created,  and  to  interpose  as  far  as  possible 
in  behalf  of  the  poor  fellows,  who  it  was  certain  would  be  pursued  with  the 
utmost  rigor  of  Japanese  law.  The  authorities  were  thanked  for  the  solici- 
tude they  had  expressed  lest  the  Americans  should  have  been  inconvenienced 
by  any  of  their  people,  and  assured  that  they  need  not  trouble  themselves 
for  a moment  with  the  thought  that  so  slight  a matter  had  been  considered 
otherwise  than  a mere  trivial  occurrence  unworthy  of  any  investigation.  The 
Japanese  were  further  informed  that  they  need  give  themselves  no  anxiety 
for  the  future,  as  none  of  their  countrymen  should  be  received  on  board  the 
American  ships  without  the  consent  of  the  authorities,  as  the  Commodore 
and  his  ofl&cers  were  not  disposed  to  take  advantage  of  their  confidence  or 
act  in  any  way  that  would  be  inconsistent  with  the  spirit  of  the  treaty.  If 
the  Commodore  had  felt  himself  at  liberty  to  indulge  his  feelings,  he  would 
have  gladly  given  a refuge  on  board  his  ship  to  the  poor  Japanese,  who  ap- 
parently sought  to  escape  from  the  country  from  the  desire  of  gratifying  a 
liberal  curiosity,  which  had  been  stimulated  by  the  presence  of  the  Ameri- 
cans in  Japan.  There  were  other  considerations  which,  however,  had  higher 
claims  than  an  equivocal  humanity.  To  connive  at  the  flight  of  one  of  the 
people  was  to  disobey  the  laws  of  the  Empire,,  and  it  was  the  only  true 
policy  to  conform,  in'  all  possible  regards,  to  the  institutions  of  a country  by 
which  so  many  important  concessions  had  already  been  reluctantly  granted. 
The  Empire  of  Japan  forbids  the  departure  of  any  of  its  subjects  for  a for- 
eign country  under  the  penalty  of  death,  and  the  two  men  who  had  fled  on 
board  the  ships  were  criminals  in  the  eye  of  their  own  laws,  however  inno- 


488 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


cent  they  might  have  appeared  to  the  Americans.  Moreover,  although 
there  was  no  reason  to  doubt  the  account  the  two  Japanese  gave  of  them- 
selves, it  was  possible  they  were  influenced  by  other  and  less  worthy  motives 
than  those  they  professed.  It  might  have  been  a stratagem  to  test  Ameri- 
can honor,  and  some  believed  it  so  to  be.  The  Commodore,  by  his  careful 
elforts  to  impress  upon  the  authorities  how  trifling  he  esteemed  the  offence, 
hoped  to  mitigate  the  punishment  to  which  it  was  amenable.  The  event 
was  full  of  interest,  as  indicative  of  the  intense  desire  for  information  on 
the  part  of  two  educated  Japanese,  who  were  ready  to  brave  the  rigid  laws 
of  the  country,  and  to  risk  even  death  for  the  sake  of  adding  to  their 
knowledge.  The  Japanese  are  undoubtedly  an  inquiring  people,  and  would 
gladly  welcome  an  opportunity  for  the  v.xpansion  of  their  moral  and  intel- 
lectual faculties.  The  conduct  of  the  unfortunate  two  was,  it  is  believed, 
characteristic  of  their  countrymen,  and  nothing  can  better  represent  the  m- 
tense  curiosity  of  the  people,  while  its  exercise  is  only  prevented  by  the 
most  rigid  laws  and  ceaseless  watchfulness  lest  they  should  be  disobeyed. 
In  this  disposition  of  the  people  of  Japan,  what  a field  of  speculation,  and, 
it  may  be  added,  what  a prospect  full  of  hope  opens  for  the  future  of  that 
interesting  country ! 

Some  days  subsequently,  as  a party  of  ofiicers  were  strolling  in  the 
suburbs,  they  came  upon  the  prison  of  the  town,  where  they  recognized  the 
two  unfortunate  Japanese  immured  in  one  of  the  usual  places  of  confine- 
ment, a kind  of  cage,  barred  in  front  and  very  restricted  in  dimensions.  The 
poor  fellows  had  been  immediately  pursued  upon  its  being  discovered  that 
they  hud  visited  the  ships,  and  after  a few  days  they  were  pounced  upon 
and  lodged  in  prison.  They  seemed  to  bear  their  misfortune  with  great 
equanimity,  and  were  greatly  pleased  apparently  with  the  visit  of  the  Amer- 
ican officers,  in  whose  eyes  they  evidently  were  desirous  of  appearing  to  ad- 
vantage. On  one  of  the  visitors  approaching  the  cage,  the  Japanese  wrote 
on  a piece  of  board  that  was  handed  to  them  the  following,  which,  as  a 
remarkable  specimen  of  philosophical  resignation  under  circumstances  which 
would  have  tried  the  stoicism  of  Cato,  deserves  a record ; 

“ When  a hero  fails  in  his  purpose,  his  acts  are  then  regarded  as  those 
of  a villain  and  a robber.  In  public  have  we  been  seized  and  pinioned  and 
caged  for  many  days.  The  village  elders  and  head  men  treat  us  disdain- 
fully, their  oppressions  being  grievous  indeed.  Therefore,  looking  up  while 
yet  we  have  nothing  wherewith  to  reproach  ourselves,  it  must  now  be  seen 
whether  a hero  will  prove  himself  to  be  one  indeed.  Regarding  the  liberty 
of  going  through  the  sixty  States  as  not  enough  for  our  desires,  we  wished 
to  make  the  circuit  of  the  five  great  continents.  This  was  our  hearts’  wish 
for  a long  time.  Suddenly  our  plans  are  defeated,  and  we  find  ourselves  in 
a half-sized  house,  where  eating,  resting,  sitting,  and  sleeping  are  difficult ; 


BAD  TEMPER  OF  THE  PREFECT. 


489 


how  can  we  find  our  exit  from  this  place?  Weeping,  we  seem  as  fools; 
laughing,  as  rogues.  Alas  ! for  us ; silent  we  can  only  be. 

“ISAGI  KOODA, 

“ KWANSUCHI  MANJI.” 

The  Commodore,  on  being  informed  of  the  imprisonment  of  the  two 
Japanese,  sent  his  flag-lieutenant  on  shore  to  ascertain  unofiicially  whether 
they  were  the  same  who  had  visited  the  ships.  The  cage  was  found  as  de- 
scribed, but  empty,  and  the  guards  of  the  prison  declared  that  the  men  had 
been  sent  that  morning  to  Yedo,  in  obedience  to  an  order  from  the  capital. 
They  had  been  confined,  it  was  stated,  for  going  off  to  the  American  ships, 
and  as  the  prefect  had  no  authority  to  act  in  the  matter,  he  had  at  once  re- 
ported the  case  to  the  imperial  government,  which  had  sent  for  the  prisoners, 
and  then  held  them  under  its  jurisdiction.  The  fate  of  the  poor  fellows  was 
never  ascertained,  but  it  is  hoped  that  the  authorities  were  more  merciful 
than  to  have  awarded  the  severest  penalty,  which  was  the  loss  of  their 
heads,  for  what  appears  to  us  only  liberal  and  highly  commendable  curiosity, 
however  great  the  crime  according  to  the  eccentric  and  sanguinary  code  of 
Japanese  law.  It  is  a comfort  to  be  able  to  add,  that  the  Commodore 
received  an  assurance  from  the  authorities,  upon  questioning  them,  that  he 
need  not  apprehend  a serious  termination. 

The  large  Buddhist  temple,  the  Rio-shen-zhi,  or  great  peace  monastery, 
was  the  place  appropriated  by  the  authorities,  in  accordance  with  the 
demands  of  the  Commodore,  for  his  use  and  that  of  his  officers.  Most  of  the 
Japanese  temples  have  apartments  separate  from  the  ecclesiastical  part  of 
the  establishment,  which  are  used  for  lodging  and  entertaining  strangers  and 
distinguished  visitors.  They  are  also  employed  occasionally  for  various  pub- 
lic gatherings  on  festival  and  market  days ; and  bazaars,  for  buying  and  sell- 
ing, are  not  unfrequently  opened ; thus  converting  tlie  temple  into  a place 
for  the  free  exercise  of  all  the  roguery  of  trade,  if  not  literally  into  a “ den 
of  thieves.”  As  the  supply  of  furniture  was  scant  in  the  lodging  department 
of  the  Rio-shen-zhi,  chairs  and  other  appliances  of  comfort  were  brought  from 
the  ships,  and  the  quarters  were  made  tolerably  luxurious.  In  order  to  fa- 
miliarize the  Japanese  people  with  their  presence,  the  Commodore  and  his 
officers  frequently  resorted  to  their  apartments  on  shore,  and  found  a walk 
in  the  pleasure  grounds  which  surrounded  them,  and  on  the  wooded  hills  at 
the  back,  a pleasant  diversion  from  the  routine  of  ship’s  duty. 

There  was,  notwithstanding  the  promise  of  the  prefect,  very  little  im- 
provement in  the  conduct  of  the  authorities,  and  the  Americans  still  found 
their  liberty  much  restricted,  and  their  privacy  inteiTupted  by  the  jealous 
watchfulness  and  intrusive  olSciousness  of  the  soldiers  and  spies.  The  Commo- 
dore himself,  on  one  occasion,  when  proceeding  through  the  town  in  company 
with  several  of  his  officers,  found  that  he  was  constantly  preceded  by  two 


490 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


J apanese  functionaries,  wlio  ordered  all  the  people  they  met  to  retire  withit 
their  houses  and  close  the  doors.  The  shopmen  were  evidently  forbidden  to 
sell  their  wares  to  the  strangers,  for  the  most  trifling  articles  which  they 
might  desire  to  purchase  could  not  be  obtained  on  any  terms.  The  Com- 
modore found  it  necessary  again  to  protest  against  this  illiberal  treatment, 
and  sent  his  flag-lieutenant  to  the  prefect  to  lay  before  him  certain  com- 
plaints and  to  insist  upon  their  causes  being  immediately  removed.  The 
prefect  was  accordingly  called  upon,  and  informed  that  it  appeared  that  he 
was  determined  to  evade  the  full  execution  of  the  stipulations  of  the  treaty, 
since,  by  allowing  his  spies  or  soldiers  to  follow  the  Americans,  and  by  order- 
ing the  people  to  withdraw  from  the  streets  and  to  close  their  houses,  he  was 
placing  every  obstruction  in  the  way  of  that  friendly  intercourse  with  the 
Japanese  which  was  guarantied  by  the  compact  solemnly  entered  into  be- 
tween Japan  and  the  United  States.  The  prefect  was  then  assured,  that  if 
these  annoyances  should  continue,  the  Commodore  would  stop  all  relations 
with  the  town  and  return  to  Yedo,  as,  although  he  had  been  eight  days  at 
Simoda,  there  had  been  very  little  improvement  in  the  conduct  of  the 
authorities,  and  his  patience  was  exhausted. 

The  prefect  excused  himself  by  averring  that  the  Commodore  was  mis- 
taken in  his  allegations,  and  that  the  soldiers  were  present  for  the  protection 
of  the  visitors,  and  were  engaged,  not,  as  was  supposed,  in  ordering  the 
peojJe  to  withdraw  and  close  their  houses,  but  in  directing  them  to  welcome 
the  Americans,  and  open  their  doors  to  them.  Upon  the  flag-lieutenant, 
however,  urging  that  his  personal  experience  proved  the  contrary,  the 
prefect  said  then  that  his  orders  had  been  misunderstood,  and  he  would 
renew  them  and  see  that  they  were  executed,  that  the  Commodore  might 
have  no  reason  to  complain  thereafter.  In  regard  to  trading  with  the 
Americans,  the  prefect  declared  that  he  had  received  no  instructions  to  al- 
low of  it  until  the  opening  of  a bazaar.  He  was  then  answered  that  the 
otficei's  merely  wanted  some  small  articles  for  their  own  use,  and  any  pur- 
chases they  might  make  could  not  be  considered  as  coming  within  the  tech- 
nical understanding  of  the  term  “ trade.”  It  was  then  agreed,  after  some 
resistance  on  the  part  of  the  prefect  and  a long  discussion,  that  whenever  an 
American  wished  to  buy  any  article  he  should  give  an  order  for  it  to  the 
shopman,  who  would  be  directed  to  take  the  order  and  the  purchase  to  the 
interpreter,  by  whom  the  article  would  be  sent  to  the  ships.  The  prefect 
then  referred  to  the  case  of  the  two  Japanese  who  had  clandestinely  visited 
the  steamers,  and  seemed  solicitous  of  obtaining  some  information  in  regard 
to  their  conduct,  but  his  inquiries  were  abruptly  checked  by  the  answer  that 
the  Commodore  was  not  to  be  questioned  by  any  of  the  subordinates  of  the 
government. 

As  the  Americans,  subsequent  to  this  last  interview  with  the  prefect, 
began  to  frequent  the  shops  and  select  articles  for  purchase,  it  was  found  ne- 


AN  AMERICAN  FUNERAL  ON  SHORE. 


491 


cessary  to  establisli  some  temporary  currency.  It  was  accordingly  arranged, 
since  the  Japanese  money,  from  the  strict  laws  which  governed  its  cir- 
culation, could  not  he  used  in  dealings  with  foreigners,  that  United  States 
coins  should  he  received  hy  the  shopmen  at  Simoda.  The  value  of  these  was 
estimated  comparatively  with  the  Chinese  copper  cash,  with  which  the  Japa- 
nese were  familiar,  at  the  rate  of  1,600  Chinese  cash  to  one  silver  dollar. 
This  the  Japanese  readily  assented  to,  and  became  soon  as  eager  as  any 
other  trading  people  to  become  possessed  of  the  money  of  the  Americans. 

On  the  2d  of  May  the  Macedonian  arrived  from  the  Bonin  Islands  with 
a very  welcome  supply  of  fine  turtles,  which  were  distributed  among  the  sev- 
eral ships  of  the  squadron  and  greatly  enjoyed.  The  market  of  Simoda  was 
not  well  supplied  with  fresh  meats ; for,  in  consequence  of  the  prevailing 
Buddhism  and  the  simple  habits  of  the  people,  there  were  but  few  animals 
which  could  be  obtained  for  food.  The  poultry  were  very  scarce,  and  the 
few  cattle  in  the  place  were  too  much  valued  as  beasts  of  burden  to  be  read- 
ily ofiPered  for  sacrifice  to  the  carnivorous  propensities  of  strangers ; so  the 
arrival  of  the  turtles  was  very  gratefully  welcomed  by  those  on  board  ship 
who,  with  the  exception  of  a supply  of  fish  and  vegetables,  had  been  so  long 
confined  to  a sea-diet  of  biscuit  and  salt  junk. 

Two  days  subsequent  to  the  arrival  of  the  Macedonian  the  Lexington 
was  dispatched  for  Lew  Chew,  and  on  the  6th  of  May  the  Macedonian, 
Vandalia,  and  Southampton  preceded  the  steamers  and  sailed  for  Hako- 
dadi. 

One  of  the  sailors  on  board  the  Powhatan  having  unfortunately  fallen 
from  aloft  and  died  soon  after,  it  became  necessary  to  make  some  provision 
for  his  burial. 

The  Japanese  authorities  readily  assented  to  the  request  that  he  should 
be  buried  ashore.  A place  of  interment  was  accordingly  selected  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  village  of  Kaki-zaki,  and  thenceforward  appropriated  as 
the  burial  place  for  Americans.  On  the  day  of  the  funeral  several  Japanese 
officials  came  on  board  ship,  and  saying  that  their  laws  required  it,  asked  to 
inspect  the  body.  They,  however,  politely  prefaced  their  demands  with  the 
remark  that  it  was  a formality  about  which  the  prefect  and  they  themselves 
could  exercise  ro  discretion,  but  that  they  had  no  doubt  it  might  be  dispensed 
with  for  the  future,  on  a requisition  being  made  to  the  commissioners.  As  the 
coffin  was  still  unnailed,  and  there  seemed  no  good  reason  for  refusing  to 
^rant  the  request  of  the  Japanese  officials,  they  were  allowed  to  see  the 
body.  The  burial  then  took  place,  according  to  the  usual  Christian  cere- 
monies, in  the  place  on  shore  which  had  been  appropriated  for  the  purpose. 

Everything  seemed  now  to  be  on  the  most  friendly  footing,  and  it  was 
with  no  little  surprise  and  vexation  that  the  Commodore  heard,  from  the  re- 
ports of  some  of  his  officers,  of  an  outrage  which  called  for  a prompt  rebuke, 
and  the  demand  for  an  apology  from  the  local  authorities.  The  Commo- 


492 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


(lore’s  first  impulse,  in  fact,  was  to  dispatch  a guard  of  marines  on  shore  to 
arrest  the  Japanese  officials  who  had  been  guilty,  but,  upon  reflection,  he 
determined  to  send  his  lieutenant  to  call  upon  the  prefect  and  to  lay  before 
him  the  facts  of  the  outrage,  and  to  insist  upon  the  fullest  explanation  and 
apology.  The  occurrence  was  simply  this  : three  of  the  officers  went  ashore 
to  amuse  themselves  in  the  neighborhood  of  Simoda  with  their  fowling- 
pieces,  and  after  a day’s  shooting,  which  was  prolonged  to  a late  hour,  they 
betook  themselves  to  one  of  the  temples  as  a resting-place.  As  the  evening 
was  too  far  advanced  to  think  of  returning  to  the  ships,  it  was  proposed 
that  the  sportsmen  should  spend  their  night  in  the  lodging  apartment  con- 
nected with  the  monastery.  With  a view  courteously  to  avoid  any  misun- 
derstanding, the  officers  first  informed  Tabroske,  the  interpreter,  of  their  in- 
tention, which  was  supposed  to  be  in  perfect  conformity  with  the  understand- 
ing with  the  authorities,  who  had  specifically  declared  that  either  of  the 
temples  was  at  the  disposition  of  the  Commodore  and  his  officers  for  a 
resting-place.  The  three  gentlemen  had  hardly,  however,  entered,  and 
prepared  themselves  for  a night’s  rest  upon  the  soft  mats  of  the  apartment, 
when  a great  noise  at  the  entrance,  and  the  subsequent  thronging  in  of  a 
troop  of  soldiers,  led  by  Tatsnoske  and  a number  of  Japanese  officials, 
disturbed  their  prospect  of  repose,  and  greatly  aroused  the  indignation  of  the 
officers.  The  Japanese  intruded  themselves  unceremoniously  into  the  sleep- 
ing apartment,  and  rudely  insisted  on  the  Americans  leaving  on  the  instant 
and  returning  to  the  ships. 

Tatsnoske  and  another  official,  finding  that  their  urgent  appeals  were 
unheeded,  left  with  the  intention,  as  they  said,  of  going  to  see  the  Commo- 
dore in  reference  to  the  matter.  In  their  absence,  the  remaining  officials 
and  soldiers  became  still  more  rude  and  insolent,  but  were  soon  brought  to  a 
civil  silence  and  driven  in  fright  from  the  apartment  by  the  formidable  atti- 
tude of  the  three  officers,  who  stood  to  their  arms,  and  significantly  cocked 
their  revolvers.  There  was  no  further  interruption  to  the  tranquillity  of 
the  officers,  but  a guard  was  stationed  in  another  part  of  the  temple,  where 
they  remained  during  the  whole  night. 

Tlie  prefect  was  disposed  at  first  to  justify  the  conduct  of  his  subordi- 
nates when  the  case  was  laid  before  him.  He  declared  that  the  American 
officers  were  in  the  wrong  for  not  having  given  previous  notice  of  their 
intention  to  stay  on  shore,  and  because  they  had  gone  to  a temple  which  had 
not  been  especially  designated  for  their  use.  t 

When  the  prefect  was  set  right  in  regard  to  these  false  countercharges, 
he  shifted  his  ground,  and  urged  that,  as  the  treaty  had  not  yet  gone  into 
effect,  the  Americans  could  not  yet  claim  the  advantages  it  was  supposed  to 
secure.  This  view  was,  of  course,  emphatically  objected  to,  and  the  prefect, 
moreover,  was  informed  that  the  Commodore  was  not  willing  to  discuss  with 
him  the  subject  of  the  interpretation  of  the  treaty,  as  it  did  not  concern  him. 


INTEECOUESE  AT  SIMODA. 


493 


It  was  then  proposed  by  the  prefect  that  the  matter  complained  of  should  he 
submitted  to  the  commissioners  for  their  arbitration.  This  was  peremptorily 
declined,  and  an  immediate  apology  for  the  outrage,  or  a categorical  refusal, 
insisted  upon.  The  Japanese  official  was  not  yet  willing  to  come  directly 
to  the  point,  and  lingered  in  the  discussion  of  the  minor  details  of  the  ques- 
tion, in  the  course  of  which  he  stated  that  it  was  a Japanese  custom  to 
appoint  guards  for  the  ‘protection  of  strangers.  He  was  then  indignantly 
told  that  the  Americans  required  no  such  protection,  as  they  were  well  able 
to  protect  themselves  on  all  occasions,  and  that  one  of  the  articles  of  the 
treaty  was  framed  for  the  express  purpose  of  securing  freedom  from  that 
very  surveillance  alluded  to.  The  prefect  was  then  emphatically  assured 
that  the  Americans  would  never  submit  with  impunity  to  such  treatment,  as 
it  was  not  only  an  infringement  of  the  stipulations  of  the  treaty,  hut  a vio- 
lation of  the  laws  of  hospitality,  and  an  outrage.  The  prefect  now  disavowed 
the  whole  proceeding,  saying  that  his  subordinates  had  acted  upon  their  own 
responsibility  and  without  his  knowledge,  and  that  he  regretted  its  occurrence. 
This  apology  was,  of  course,  accepted,  with  a reminder,  however,  that  for  the 
future  the  Commodore  could  make  no  distinction  between  the  prefect’s  own 
acts  and  those  of  his  subordinates,  but  that  the  former  would  be  held  respon- 
sible in  all  cases. 

The  prefect  then  expressed  a desire  to  restrict  the  stay  of  officers  during 
the  night  on  shore  to  cases  of  necessity,  but  any  such  qualification  of  the 
privilege  was  positively  denied;  and  as  the  Japanese  “could  not,  of  course, 
judge  of  the  necessity  which  might  require  the  American  officers  to  remain 
on  shoi’e,  they  must  decide  that  for  themselves.” 

All  difficulty  now  being  removed,  there  was  no  further  interruption  to 
the  friendly  intercourse  between  the  people  of  Simoda  and  their  American 
visitors.  There  were  daily  and  most  intimate  relations  with  the  authorities, 
who  seemed  anxious  to  facilitate  the  views  of  the  Commodore,  and  superin- 
tend the  supplying  of  his  vessels  with  water,  and  all  the  provisions  their 
scant  resources  afforded.  As  the  day  was  now  approaching  the  9th  of  May, 
which  had  been  appointed  for  meeting  the  J apanese  officials  at  Hakodadi, 
the  Commodore  took  his  departure  for  that  place  in  his  flag-ship,  the  Pow- 
hatan, accompanied  by  the  steamer  Mississippi.  The  Macedonian,  Vandalia, 
and  Southampton  had  sailed  previously  for  the  same  port.  The  store-ship 
Supply  was  left  at  Simoda.  Previous  to  the  Commodore’s  departure,  he  had 
offered  a passage  to  the  interpreter  Tatsnoske,  or  any  other  Japanese  person- 
age whose  presence  might  be  required  at  Hakodadi ; this  offer,  however,  was 
declined,  as,  with  their  usual  ceremonious  obedience  to  their  superiors,  they 
were  fearful  of  taking  any  step,  however  trifling  in  itself,  without  being  for 
tified  by  the  authority  of  the  imperial  government.  The  Commodore  had 
now  been  twenty-five  days  in  the  harbor  of  Simoda,  and  as  much  of  his  time 
had  been  spent  in  tedious  negotiation  with  the  local  authorities,  who  perti- 


494 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


naeiously  disputed  at  every  step  what  had  been  previously  conceded  by 
their  superiors,  he  was  glad  to  vary  the  dull  business  in  which  he  had  been 
necessarily  involved  by  the  disputatiousness  of  the  prefect  of  Simoda  and  his 
satellites.  He  had,  however,  succeeded  in  making  a thorough  survey  of  the 
harbor,  had  acquired  a considerable  knowledge  of  the  place  and  its  resources, 
and,  above  all,  impressed  the  people  with  a just  idea  of  the  friendly  relations 
he  wished  to  establish  with  them,  and  taught  the  authorities  that  no  infringe- 
ment, in  the  slightest  degree,  of  the  stipulations  of  the  treaty  of  Yoku- 
hama  would  be  allowed  to  pass  with  impunity. 

On  leaving  the  outer  harbor,  Oho-sima  and  other  islands  of  the  cluster, 
lying  at  the  entrance  of  the  Griilf  of  Yedo,  came  into  full  sight.  For  the 
sake  of  examining  the  former,  and  observing  more  closely  the  volcano  on  it, 
the  steamers  were  steered  so  as  to  pass  near  its  southern  end.  The  volcano 
was  in  a state  of  active  eruption,  and  there  seemed  to  be  either  several  cra- 
ters, or  one  of  great  extent,  as  the  vapor  and  smoke  could  be  seen  rising  at 
short  intervals  and  at  different  places  along  the  crest  of  a ridge  of  mountains 
which  extended  to  a distance  of  four  or  five  miles.  After  passing  Oho-sima, 
the  steamers  hauled  up  for  Cape  King,  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  the 
position  of  that  important  headland  by  the  meridian  observations.  Up  to 
the  southern  end  of  Oho-sima  there  was  but  little  current  discovered,  but 
after  reaching  the  channel  between  that  island  and  Cape  King  it  was  ob- 
served to  run  with  considerable  rapidity  in  a direction  nearly  east,  and  on 
doubling  the  Capes  its  velocity  increased  still  more. 

In  running  along  the  coast  between  Capes  Susaki,  Serofama,  and  Fira- 
tatsi,  or  as  the  last  is  most  generally  called.  Cape  King,  the  three  prominent 
southern  headlands  of  the  promontory  of  Awa,  there  was  a good  view  of  the 
laud,  and  every  one  was  struck  with  the  extraordinary  extent  and  perfection 
of  its  cultivation.  Every  portion  of  earth,  from  the  base  to  the  very  sum- 
mits of  the  mountains,  was  terraced  and  planted  with  grain,  and  innumerable 
towns  and  villages  were  seen  crowding,  in  all  directions,  the  hiU  sides  and 
the  valleys. 

Cape  King,  Firatatsi,  the  southeastern  extremity  of  the  island  of  Nip- 
pon, and  included  within  the  district  of  Awa,  is  in  latitude  34°  53'  15" 
north,  and  in  longitude  140°  18'  50’'  east,  according  to  the  observations 
taken  on  board  the  steamers  Powhatan  and  Mississippi  during  the  voyage. 
The  headland,  which  forms  the  cape,  runs  off  in  an  easterly  direction  to  a 
low  point  that  rises  gradually  inland,  and  about  two  miles  from  the  extrem- 
ity of  this  point  is  a cone-shaped  elevation  crowned  by  a tuft  of  trees.  A 
little  more  than  half  way  between  Cape  King  and  Cape  Sirofama,  near  the 
shore,  is  another  conical  hill,  also  topped  with  trees,  which  offers  a good 
land-mark.  A sti’ange  navigator,  first  making  this  part  of  the  Japanese 
coast,  might  mistake  Cape  King  for  an  island.  Vessels  bound  to  Simoda 
from  the  east  should  endeavor  to  make  Cape  King,  and  after  getting  it  to  bear 


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KURO-SIWO  — JAPANESE  GULF-STREAM.  495 


north,  at  a distance  of  six  miles,  should  steer  for  the  southern  end  of  Oho- 
sima,  which  can  be  seen,  in  this  position,  in  clear  weather.  After  passing 
the  southern  end  of  Oho-sima,  the  navigator  should  steer  west  for  the  har- 
bor. No  specific  account  is  here  given  of  the  currents,  which  are  rapid  and 
irregular  throughout  the  Grulf  of  Yedo,  The  only  sure  guides,  therefore, 
are  the  charts,  the  cross-bearings  of  the  more  prominent  islands,  and  a good 
look-out.  Along  this  part  of  the  coast,  the  influence  of  the  stream,  called 
by  the  Japanese,  Kuro-siwo,  was  quite  perceptible.  It  never  ceases  to  run 
in  a northeasterly  direction. 

On  this  current  the  observations  of  our  officers  are  particularly  interest- 
ing. A detailed  report  thereon,  was  made  by  Lieutenant  Bent.  We  here 
present  merely  the  general  results  attained  by  the  gentlemen  of  the  expe- 
dition. They  found  on  the  coast  of  Japan  a stream  analogous,  in  many  re- 
spects, to  the  “ gulf  stream  ” on  our  Atlantic  coast. 

This  commences  on  the  south  end  of  the  island  of  Formosa,  and  is  un- 
doubtedly part  of  the  great  equatorial  current  of  the  Pacific.  The  larger 
portion  of  this  current,  when  it  reaches  the  point  just  named,  passes  off  into 
the  China  sea ; while  the  other  part  is  deflected  to  the  northward,  passing 
along  the  eastern  coast  of  Formosa,  where  its  strength  and  character  are 
unequivocally  shown,  and  extending  itself,  at  times,  as  far  to  the  eastward 
as  the  Lew  Chew  islands,  where  the  increased  temperature  of  the  water 
shows  the  presence  of  a torrid  current.  Its  northwardly  course,  however, 
continues  as  far  as  the  parallel  of  26°,  when  it  bears  off  to  the  northward 
and  eastward,  washing  the  whole  southeastern  coast  of  Japan  as  far  as  the 
Straits  of  Sangar,  and  increasing  in  strength  as  it  advances.  At  the  chain 
of  islands  south  of  the  Grulf  of  Yedo,  about  the  meridian  of  140°  E.,  its 
maximum  strength  on  one  occasion  was  observed  to  be  seventy-two,  seventy- 
four,  and  eighty  miles  per  diem,  respectively,  on  three  successive  days. 
From  the  south  end  of  Formosa  to  the  Straits  of  Sangar,  its  average  velo- 
city was  found  to  be  from  thirty-five  to  forty  miles  per  day,  at  all  seasons 
when  our  ships  traversed  it.  Its  precise  width  south  of  the  Gulf  of  Yedo 
was  not  satisfactorily  ascertained,  but  enough  was  discovered  to  make  it 
certain  that  it  reaches  to  the  southward  of  Fatsicio,  and  it  extends  perhaps 
even  to  the  Bonin  Islands  in  latitude  26°  N. 

In  the  latitude  of  40°  N.  and  to  the  eastward  of  the  meridian  14.3°  B. 
the  stream  turns  more  to  the  eastward,  and  thus  allows  a cold  counter- 
current  to  intervene  between  it  and  the  southern  coast  of  the  island  of 
Ye;so.  Our  hydrographers  could  not  positively  ascertain  the  fact,  but  they 
believed  that  this  hyperborean  current,  found  on  the  coast  of  Yesso,  passes  to 
the  westward  through  the  Straits  of  Sangar  down  through  the  Japan  sea, 
between  Corea  and  the  Japanese  islands,  finding  an  outlet  through  the  For- 
mosa channel  into  the  China  sea,  The  data  they  had.  together  with  the 


496 


EXPKDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


known  fact  that  a strong  southwardly  current  prevails  between  Formosa  and 
the  coast  of  China,  particularly  during  the  northeast  monsoon,  when  the  north- 
wardly current  along  the  east  coast  of  Formosa  continues  unimpeded,  would 
seem  to  give  probability  to  this  conjecture  of  the  gentlemen.  The  south- 
west monsoon  may  possibly  affect  this  counter-current,  and  force  it  to  mingle 
its  waters  with  those  of  the  Kuro-siwo,  or  “ J apanese  gulf  stream,”  between 
the  north  end  of  Formosa  and  the  southwest  extremity  of  Japan.  The 
Vandalia  was  ordered  from  Hakodadi,  to  pass  westward  through  the  Straits 
of  Sangar  and  proceed  to  China,  on  the  western  side  of  Japan.  One  object 
of  this  was  to  make  observations  on  current  and  temperature;  but,  unfortu- 
nately, the  Commodore  left  China  before  the  report  was  made,  and  it  has 
never  reached  him. 

The  existence  of  this  counter-current,  however,  is  so  well  known  by  ves- 
sels trading  on  the  coast  of  China,  that  they  seldom  attempt  to  beat  to  the 
northward  through  the  Formosa  channel,  but  usually  make  the  passage  to 
the  eastward  of  Formosa  during  adverse  winds,  even  though  such  winds 
may  be  stronger  on  the  east  side  of  the  island  than  in  the  Formosa  channel. 
Lieutenant  Bent  traced  also  some  striking  analogies  between  this  Kuro- 
si  wo  (great  stream)  of  Japan,  and  our  gulf  stream.  His  observations  were 
strikingly  confirmatory  of  the  views  that  have  been  expressed  both  by  Mr. 
Redfield  and  Lieutenant  M.  F.  Maury,  as  to  the  cause  of  the  deflection  of 
the  Atlantic  gulf  stream  to  the  eastward,  and  the  cold  counter-current  be- 
low or  between  it  and  the  shore.  The  first  is  not  caused  by  the  water  im- 
pinging on  land,  and  being  thereby  turned  to  the  east,  but  by  the  greater 
rotative  velocity  of  the  latitudes  at  and  near  the  equator,  which  throw  the 
gulf  stream  eastward ; and  the  second  is  produced  by  the  tardy  rotation  of 
the  high  latitudes  operating  on  the  cold  counter-current  setting  southward 
from  the  pole  and  throwing  it  to  the  west,  along  the  shores  and  soundings 
of  our  Atlantic  coast.  The  Grand  Bank  itself,  Mr.  Bedfield  thinks,  is  less 
a cause  than  an  effect.  Now  there  are  precisely  similar  currents,  warm  and 
cold,  with  the  same  relative  position,  too,  on  the  coast  of  Japan.  It  may  be 
that  the  first  northward  direction  of  both  currents  may  be  produced  by  the 
configuration  of  the  eastern  sides  of  America  and  Asia  respectively,  but 
their  turn  to  the  eastward  afterwards  is  probably  not  influenced  by  any 
agency  of  the  land  in  its  shape  or  position. 

There  are  other  analogies  which  Mr.  Bent  remarked.  These  are  found 
in  the  strata  of  cold  water  in  the  gulf  stream,  marked  by  professor  Bache 
on  the  charts  of  the  coast  survey  in  the  report  of  1853,  and  corresponding 
strata,  derived  entirely  from  the  observations  made  on  our  Japan  expedition. 
A comparison  of  temperatures  of  the  two  streams  (Atlantic  and  Pacific) 
showed  a striking  coincidence.  The  maximum  was  the  same ; but  in  the 
Kuro-siwo,  the  difference  between  its  temperature  and  that  of  the  ocean. 


VOYAGE  TO  HAKODADI. 


497 


proper  to  the  latitude  where  taken,  was  somewhat  greater  than  in  the  gulf 
stream. 

There  is  also  a sea-weed  floating  in  the  Kuro-siwo,  similar  in  appearance 
to  the  fucus  natans  of  the  gulf  stream;  specimens  of  it  were  collected, 
but  unfortunately  lost  before  reaching  the  hands  of  the  scientiflc  botanists 
to  whom  it  was  to  be  submitted.  We  cannot  therefore  say  it  was  the  same 
plant  in  the  classifications  of  science;  but  to  a sailor’s  eye  there  was  no 
difference  between  it  and  the  weed  of  the  gulf  stream.  Lieutenant  M.  F. 
Maury  is  of  the  opinion  that  this  current  in  the  Pacific  has  its  origin  in  the 
Indian  Ocean,  where  the  temperature  is  much  greater  than  in  the  Caribbean 
sea,  and  where  the  waters,  obstructed  on  the  north  by  tropical  lands,  must 
somewhere  make  a current  by  which  to  escape ; but  this  supposition  appears 
to  us  questionable. 

While  steering  along  the  shore  to  the  northward,  the  steamers,  being 
about  six  miles  from  the  land,  and  off  Isomura,  approached  a fleet  of  fishing- 
boats,  where  there  was  noticed  a discoloration  of  the  water  and  an  unusual 
drift  of  sea-weed.  Soundings  were  then  taken  with  the  deep-sea-lead,  and 
seventy-four,  and  then  eighty  fathoms,  with  a bottom  of  fine  black  sand, 
were  found.  The  vessels  still  continuing  to  run  along  the  shore  within  five 
or  six  miles,  and  Dai-ho-saki  or  White  Cape  being  made,  another  cluster 
of  fishing-boats  was  noticed  under  sail,  apparently  trailing  for  fish.  About 
them  the  water  was  observed  broken  and  discolored,  and  when  the  steamers 
had  reached  within  a mile  of  the  spot,  their  engines  were  stopped,  and  the 
lead  again  thrown,  when  soundings  were  obtained  in  thirty  fathoms,  coral 
bottom.  The  ships’  course  being  changed  from  northeast  by  east  to  south- 
east, and  running  slowly  and  cautiously,  they  came  suddenly  on  the  eastern 
edge  of  the  broken  water  into  twenty-one  fathoms,  with  what  is  called  over- 
falls,  and  a bottom  of  coral  as  before.  There  seemed  every  reason  to 
believe,  from  these  indications,  that  there  was  a dangerous  ledge  lying 
directly  in  the  way  along  the  coast,  at  a distance  from  the  laud  where  such 
a danger  would  be  hardly  looked  for.  The  Commodore  would  have  an- 
chored and  examined  this  ledge  had  it  not  been  for  the  near  approach  of 
night ; and  as  for  waiting  until  next  day,  the  necessity  of  being  at  Hako- 
dadi  on  the  19th  of  May,  made  it  advisable  not  to  lose  any  time  by  delay. 
It  is  true,  with  good  weather,  there  was  every  reason  to  expect  that  the 
voyage  might  be  accomplished  in  a day  or  two  before  the  time  appointed, 
but  with  the  frequency  of  fogs  about  the  Straits  of  Sangar,  and  the  experi- 
ence of  the  vexatious  detentions  caused  by  those  annoyances,  there  could  be 
no  certainty  in  the  calculation. 

During  the  day-time  the  course  was  kept  along  the  coast,  although  at  night 
the  ships  were  hauled  a little  off.  On  the  15th  of  May,  Cape  Kurosaki 
came  into  sight,  with  its  elevated  peaks  in  the  interior  covered  with  snow. 
The  atmosphere  was  fresh  and  invigorating,  the  mean  temperature  of  the 
32 


498 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


air  being  59°  of  Fahrenheit,  and  that  of  the  water  55°.  The  water  was 
perfectly  smooth,  with  an  oily  aspect  from  the  surface,  being  covered  with  a 
substance  which  was  supposed  to  be  the  excrement  of  whales,  of  which 
large  numbers  of  various  kinds,  as  well  as  of  porpoises,  were  seen.  At 
daylight,  on  the  16th,  the  course  was  shaped  at  an  angle  approaching  the 
coast,  and  although  the  land  had  been  for  awhile  out  of  sight,  it  was  now 
again  made,  and  traced  along  until  the  ships  reached  the  northeastern 
extremity  of  Nippon,  called  by  the  Japanese  Sirija  Saki.  The  southern 
and  eastern  coast  of  Japan  from  Cape  Sirofama,  as  far  as  was  observed, 
is  not  so  high  as  that  on  the  western  side  of  the  Gulf  of  Yedo.  It  is, 
however,  of  sufficient  height  to  be  observed,  in  tolerably  clear  weather,  at 
a distance  of  forty  miles.  On  getting  abreast  of  Cape  Sirija  Saki,  the 
Strait  of  Sangar,  which  separates  Nippon  from  Yesso,  was  full  in  view,  with 
the  high  land  of  the  latter  island  distinctly  visible  ahead.  The  course  was  now 
steered  directly  for  Hakodadi,  but  on  getting  into  the  middle  of  the  strait 
a current  or  tide  was  encountered,  which  probably  accelerated  the  eastern 
one,  until  the  two  reached  a combined  velocity  of  six  knots.  This  power- 
ful current  prevented  the  steamers  from  reaching  port  that  night,  and  it 
was  thought  advisable  to  put  the  heads  of  the  steamers  seaward.  This 
would  not  have  been  necessary  if  any  reliance  could  have  been  placed  upon 
the  continuance  of  clear  weather.  The  engines  were  so  managed  as  to 
expend  little  coal,  and  still  to  retain  the  position  of  the  vessels ; consequent- 
ly, on  taking  the  cross-bearings  at  daylight,  it  was  found,  notwithstanding 
the  current,  that  the  ships  had  not  shifted  their  places  a mile  from  where 
they  had  been  when  night  set  in. 

Scarcely,  however,  had  the  steamers  stood  again  for  their  destined  port 
when  a dense  fog  came  on  and  obscured  every  object  from  sight,  so  that  it 
was  found  necessary  to  head  the  steamers  towards  the  east.  The  sun,  how- 
ever, on  approaching  the  zenith,  cleared  away  the  fog,  and  fortunately  hearings 
were  distinguished  which  served  as  a guide  to  the  port.  As  the  cape,  called 
by  the  Japanese  Surro-kubo,  and  which  the  Commodore  named  Cape  Blunt, 
in  honor  of  his  friends  Edmund  and  George  Blunt,  of  New  York,  was 
approached,  there  could  be  discerned  over  the  neck  of  laud  which  connects 
the  promontory  of  Treaty  Point  * with  the  interior,  the  three  ships  of  the 
squadron  which  had  been  previously  cispatched,  safely  at  anchor  in  the 
harbor  of  Hakodadi.  At  the  approach  of  the  steamers,  in  obedience  to  the 
previous  instructions  of  the  Commodore,  boats  came  off  from  the  ships  with 
officers  prepared  to  pilot  in  the  Powhatan  and  Mississippi,  which  finally  came 
to  anchor  at  nine  o’clock  on  the  morning  of  the  17th  of  May. 

The  spacious  and  beautiful  bay  of  Hakodadi,  which  for  accessihility  and 
safety  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  world,  lies  on  the  north  side  of  the  Strait 


* So  called  on  tke  American  charts. 


w 


IIAIIOD.VDI,  FKOM  THE  B.\Y. 


j i>-  'ViKijiirf  i^j  ^ann.l  iJf  » ^ 

h^?kM^  '«^•JAr,fr^4  ^ ■ ‘;lJ).*;...fV 

' ■‘  ’^j  "‘**''*'^**f'^ 

A H.Ot  i*W  .•H4i<l»-'»vj|tiyx4^- 

..  ", 

«'»*  . ‘««I^-.,j., 


. , m 


'^.U 


^ :-!5a 


-.  r-T-..*  1 -t.HijT  ♦« 

'w  • ■ u*  * 

'•'StC-  **►  ■^■‘•> '♦J*  4WH|  “ 

fe'c*(^:i':  S -.r 

■■  *'«»•  *-w-  ^ ' 


5'  ..Q;  :.  .HI'  T?  ^1 

■vv  .^’  '!i'^  *%‘y'^^r-'‘''  V'  ' '•^^ 

f‘^  -"'f'  ■■''»■'■-  ‘ *4 

•i5®  .'c'N  ¥*'  * ''^: ^ ■■  . 

"''%  , »V  . t-A'l  .'  ^ _ _ iWWfcUl''!  S’'"!  oiyi* 

f»#|4i  19  0"" 


i^t  ,ilti‘i 


^■.4  > *•■■»■*<  .i/4K 


' li  ■■ 


'i'iVk  m^'  li‘Xj  V 

;'^«^-^r-*A«rj<.in  t»^ 


K <?*  ’ VuV-rMf  ^ vH-Pu: 

i*ic'.-.'>r#‘i^%^i& ;«»,  ,'i.^  - .7.  '^  «■(]{  J 

''»•-, fvi.;  *i^i^'ri*i')  ?-'7  .; , .)r..*.  v*<< 

> L <*•  ^'M^ibnCm  I ' i/uiiV  ■.■^i  »vJj|iiR e<ni>t),*i  r • 1^.,  ‘I, .It-*! 

■ - * . . ‘>'  . 

♦ ■*- «r  MS^  *;  ■•  •-  <if'*^*  '.i./'f;v'«  " ■■“ ' 


HAEBOB  OF  HAKODADI. 


499 


of  Sangar,  wliicli  separates  the  Japanese  islands  of  Nippon  and  Yesso,  and 
about  midway  between  Sirija-saki,*  the  northeast  point  of  the  former  and 
I’tbe  city  of  Matsmai.  The  bay  bears  from  the  cape  N.W.  ^ W.  distant 
about  forty-five  miles,  and  is  four  miles  wide  at  its  entrance  and  runs  five 
'miles  into  the  land. 

The  navigation  of  the  Straits  of  Sangar,  as  far  as  it  was  examined  by 
the  officei’s  of  the  expedition,  proved  to  be  safe  and  convenient,  and  the 
entrance  to  the  port  of  Hakodadi  as  accessible  as  that  of  Simoda,  which  is 
saying  everything  in  its  favor.  Like  Simoda,  Hakodadi  has  an  outer  and 
inner  harbor,  the  former  being  formed  by  the  bay,  which  is  somewhat  of 
horse-shoe  shape.  And  here,  too,  as  at  Simoda,  a dangerous  obstruction 
was  timely  discovered  and  buoyed  out,  consisting  of  a long  spit  of  shoal 
water,  making  out  from  the  centre  of  the  town  to  an  extent  of  about  twelve 
hundred  yards.  The  inner  harbor  is  the  southeastern  arm  of  the  bay,  and 
is  completely  sheltered,  with  regular  soundings  and  excellent  holding  ground. 
For  expansiveness  and  safety  from  all  winds  it  has  not  its  superior  in  the 
world,  with  anchorage  of  five  to  seven  fathoms,  and  room  to  moor  a hundred 
sail.  The  inner  harbor  is  formed  by  a bold  peaked  promontory  standing 
well  out  from  the  high  land  of  the  main,  with  which  it  is  connected  by  a low 
sandy  isthmus,  giving  it,  consequently,  in  the  distance,  the  appearance  of 
an  island.  It  may  be  readily  recognized  by  the  navigator  from  the  outline 
of  the  land,  and,  on  approaching  from  the  eastward,  after  passing  Cape 
Suro-kubo,  or  Cape  Blunt,  which  forms  a conspicuous  headland,  twelve 
miles  east  by  south  from  the  town,  the  junks  at  anchor  in  the  harbor  will 
be  visible  over  the  low  isthmus. 

To  enter  the  harbor  the  navigator  must,  after  rounding  the  promontory 
of  Hakodadi,  and  giving  it  a berth  of  a mile  to  avoid  the  calms  under  the 
headland,  steer  for  the  sharp  peak  of  Komaga-daki,  bearing  about  north, 
until  the  east  peak  of  the  saddle  bearing  about  N.E.  by  N.,  opens  to  the 
westward  of  the  round  knob  on  the  side  of  the  mountain ; then  haul  up  to 
the  northward  and  eastward,  keeping  them  open  until  the  centre  of  the  sand 
hills  on  the  isthmus,  which  may  be  recognized  by  the  dark  knolls  upon  them, 
bears  S.  E.  by  E.  f E.  This  will  clear  a spit  which  makes  out  from  the 
western  point  of  the  town  in  a north-northwesterly  direction,  two-thirds  of  a 
mile.  Though  this  spit  would  be  a danger  in  entering  the  harbor,  it,  in 
fact,  makes  the  anchorage  more  safe  by  its  forming  a natural  breakwater, 
sheltering  vessels  at  anchor  inside  of  it  from  all  inconvenient  swell.  Then 
bring  the  sand  hills  a point  on  the  port  bow,  and  stand  in  until  the  western 
extremity  of  the  town  bears  S.  W.  ^ W.,  when  the  best  berth  will  be  secured 
with  five-and-a-half  or  six  fathoms  water.  If  it  should  be  desirable  to  get  a 

* Sfiki,  in  tlie  Japanese  language,  means  “ cape  ; ” consequently  it  should  more  prop- 
ei’ly  be  called  Cape  Sirija. 


500 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


little  nearer  in,  haul  up  a little  to  the  eastward  of  south  for  the  low  rocky 
peak  which  will  he  just  visible  over  the  sloping  ridge  to  the  southward  and 
eastward  of  the  town.  A vessel  of  moderate  draught  may  approach  within 
a quarter  of  a mile  of  Tsuki  Point,  where  there  is  a building  yard  for 
junks.  This  portion  of  the  harbor  is  generally  crowded  with  native  vessels, 
and  unless  the  want  of  repairs,  or  some  other  cause,  renders  a close  berth 
necessary,  it  is  better  to  remain  further  out. 

If  the  peak  or  saddle  should  be  obscured  by  clouds  or  fog  after  doubling 
the  promontory,  it  will  be  necessary  to  steer  N.  by  E E.,  until  the  sand 
hills  are  brought  upon  the  bearing  previously  given,  when  it  will  be  proper 
to  proceed  as  there  directed.  A short  distance  from  the  tail  of  the  spit  is 
a detached  sand  hank,  with  three-and-a-half  fathoms  of  water  upon  it,  the 
outer  edge  of  which  was  marked  by  the  ofScers  of  the  expedition  with  a 
white  spar  buoy.  Between  this  and  the  spit  there  is  a narrow  channel,  with 
five  or  six  fathoms’  depth  of  water.  Vessels  may  pass  on  either  side  of  the 
buoy,  but  it  is  more  prudent  to  go  to  the  northward  of  it.  Should  the 
wind  fail  before  reaching  the  harbor,  there  will  be  found  a good  anchorage 
in  the  outer  roads,  with  a depth  of  from  ten  to  twenty-five  fathoms. 


Cdiuidii  Creek,  L>uy  llakuilava. 


I' 


CHAPTEU  XXIII 


Visit  from  the  authorities  at  Hakodadi. — Their  ignorance  that  a treaty  had  been  made. — Visit  to  authori- 
ties, and  explanation  of  affairs  to  the  Japanese. — Answer  of  tlie  officials  at  Hakodadi. — Their  friendli- 
ness and  courtesy. — Visits  and  rambles  of  the  Americans  on  shore. — Houses  allotted  for  ttieir  tempo- 
rary accommodation. — Descrii)tion  of  Hakodadi. — Ilesemblance  to  Gibraltar.— Cleanliness  of  streets. 
— Pavements  and  sewers. — Division  into  districts  under  Ottonas. — Pack  horses  ti.sed,  no  wheel  car- 
riages.— Town  very  thriving. — Buildings  described. — Preparations  against  fires  in  the  city. — Skill  of 
carpenters  and  house-joiners. — Shops,  tlieir  construction  and  goods. — Carvings  in  wood. — Furniture. — 
Chairs  and  tables. — Fashion  in  eating. — Tea,  how  prepared,  fire  for  boiling  the  kettle. — Kitchens,  sta- 
bles, and  gardens. — Fire-proof  warehouses. — Traffic  at  the  shops. — Buddhist  temples. — Grave-yards. — 
Praying  by  machinery. — Inscriptions  on  Tombs. — Sintoo  temples. — Shrines  by  the  way-side. — Gate- 
ways on  the  roads. — Pn»spects  for  Christianity  in  Japan. — Weak  military  defences  of  Hakodadi. — Sur- 
rounding country. — Look-out  for  ships  approaching. — Japanese  telesc(jpe. — Geology  of  the  country. — 
Mineral  spring. — Natural  cave. — Culinary  vegetables. — Commerce  and  fisheries. — Japanese  junks. — 
Ship  yards. — Few  birds. — Fish  abundant. — Wild  quadrupeds. — Fox  considered  as  the  devil. — Horses 
much  used. — Kagos. — Climate  of  Hakodadi. — Population  and  physical  characteristics  of  the  people. — 
Ainos  or  hairy  Kuriles. — Mechanical  skill  of  the  Japanese.— Carpentry  and  masonry. — Coopers. — Iron 
ore  workers. — Blacksmiths,  their  bellows. — Copper  much  used  in  junk  building. — Spinning  and  weav- 
ing.— Dyed  cottons. — Silk  fabrics. — Lacquered  ware. — Printing,  drawing,  and  painting. — Sculpture. — 
Architecture. — General  intelligence. — Information,  derived  through  the  Dutch  at  Nagasaki,  from  Eu- 
ropean publications. — Japanese  game  of  chess. — Cards. — Loto. — Ball  and  Jackstraws  among  the 
children. 


HE  steamers  had  been 
at  anchor  hut  a few 
hours  when  a boat, 
which,  from  the  usual 
black  striped  flag  and 
emblazoned  standard  at 
the  stern,  was  known  to 
be  a government  craft, 
was  seen  slowly  to  ap- 
proach the  flag-ship. 
Her  build  was  very 
much  like  those  boats 
elsewhere  seen,  hut  of 
a heavier  make  and 
clumsier  model.  Her 
eight  boatmen  were 
dressed  in  the  livery — 
dark  blue  and  white — 
and  marked  on  the  hack 
with  the  arms  of  the  dignitary  in  whose  service  they  were.  Their  boat  was 


502 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


T 


rowed  instead  of  being  sculled,  and  made  less  speed  than  was  usual  with  the 
Japanese  government  boats.  As  soon  as  it  arrived  alongside  of  the  Pow- 
hatan several  Japanese  officials  came  on  board.  On  their  arrival  they  were 
presented  with  the  letter  the  Commodore  bore  from  the  Japanese  commis- 
sioners, and  a copy  of  the  treaty  in  the  Chinese  language.  They  stated  that 
the  officers  from  Yedo,  who  had  been  delegated  to  meet  the  Americans  at 
Hakodadi,  had  not  yet  come ; and  that  the  people  had  been  greatly  alarmed 
at  the  arrival  of  the  ships,  as  there  had  been  no  previous  intimation  of  the 
intended  visit  of  the  squadron,  and  they  had  not  even  heard  of  the  treaty, 
or  of  the  opening  of  Simoda.  The  Japanese  officials  were  then  informed  that 
on  the  next  day  a delegation  of  his  officers  would  be  sent  by  the  Commo- 
dore on  shore  to  confer  with  the  authorities. 

Preparations  were  immediately  made,  on  the  arrival  of  the  steamers,  for 
a complete  survey  of  the  harbor,  and  this  having  once  been  begun  was  car- 
ried on  diligently  during  the  stay  of  the  ships,  until  a very  effectual  exam- 
ination of  the  whole  harbor  was  made,  as  had  been  the  case  at  Simoda. 

On  the  succeeding  morning,  (May  18,)  as  had  been  appointed,  the  flag- 
lieutenant,  accompanied  by  two  American  interpreters,  Mr.  M illiams  and 
Mr.  Portman,  and  the  Commodore’s  secretary,  paid  a visit  to  the  governor. 
On  their  arrival  at  the  government  house,  the  governor  Yendo  Matzaimon 
presented  himself  in  company  with  Ishuka  Konzo  and  Kudo  Mogoro,  two 
of  the  principal  pei’sonages  of  his  suite.  The  Americans  were  received  with 
the  usual  ceremonious  courtesies,  and,  being  seated  in  a handsome  hall  with 
the  ordinary  appointments  of  a Japanese  apartment,  were  ready  to  proceed 
at  once  to  business.  The  governor  was  a middle-aged  man,  with  a very  be 
nevolent  expression  of  face,  and  of  the  characteristic  mild  and  courteous 
manners ; and  his  companions,  though  obsequious  in  the  presence  of  their 
superiors,  were  also  very  creditable  specimens  of  Japanese  gentlemen.  The 
conference  hall  was  large,  and  opened  by  a wide  open  doorway  from  a nar- 
row courtyard,  in  which  could  be  seen  various  entrances  with  carved  wood 
cornices,  and  stair-cases  leading  to  other  apartments  of  the  building. 
Windows  and  doorlights,  constructed  in  form  like  our  own,  but  with  paper 
panes,  lighted  the  place,  and  handsome  mats  carpeted  the  floor,  while  there 
was  but  the  ordinary  meagre  supply  of  furniture,  consisting  only  of  a half 
dozen  camp  stools.  A shallow  recess  at  one  end  of  the  room,  with  an 
elaborate  carved  moulding  along  the  border,  contained  the  usual  arm-chair 
and  idols,  showing  it  to  be  dedicated  to  the  rites  both  of  hospitality  and  of 
family  worship.  Attendants  frequently^  passed  in  and  out  with  supplies  of 
tea,  cakes,  confectionary,  pipes  and  tobacco,  and  the  governor  and  his  com- 
panions were  never  forgetful  of  their  duties  as  hosts,  but  politely  pressed 
their  guests  at  every  moment  to  refresh  themselves. 

The  American  oflicers  now  explained  the  object  of  their  visit,  and  stated 
in  effect  that  the  Commodore  had  come  to  Hakodadi  with  his  squadron  to 


H AKODADI. 


503 


carry  out  the  stipulations  of  the  treaty  between  the  United  States  and  Ja- 
pan, agreed  upon  on  the  Blst  of  March,  and  that  any  deviation  from  the 
spirit  and  letter  of  that  treaty  on  the  part  of  the  authorities  of  Yesso  would 
lead  to  serious  consequences.  It  was  then  demanded  that  arrangements 
should  be  made  at  Hakodadi,  as  had  been  at  Simoda,  securing  to  the  Ameri- 
cans the  privilege  of  going  where  they  chose,  through  the  streets  or  out  into 
the  country,  into  the  shops  and  public  buildings.  It  was  further  required 
that  the  shopkeepers  and  market  people  should  be  allowed  to  sell  their  ar- 
ticles, and  that  a temporary  currency  be  established  for  the  mutual  conve- 
nience of  buyer  and  seller ; that  three  different  houses  or  temples  be  appro- 
priated by  the  authorities  as  places  of  resort  severally  for  the  Commodore, 
the  officers,  and  the  artists  of  the  expedition ; that  such  supplies  as  the 
country  afforded  be  furnished  to  the  ships  according  to  a fixed  tariff  of 
prices,  and  that  not  only  articles  of  necessity,  but  those  productions  of 
Yesso  and  specimens  of  natural  history  which  might  be  objects  of  curiosity 
and  interest  in  America,  be  also  provided,  for  which  a just  price  would  be 
paid. 

The  governor,  on  hearing  these  demands,  asked  for  a delay  until  the 
officers  appointed  by  the  commissioners,  whom  the  Commodore  had  stated 
he  expected,  should  arrive  with  instructions  from  Yedo.  The  governor 
accounted  for  the  delay  in  the  arrival  of  the  Japanese  officials  by  the  long 
distance  of  the  capital  from  Hakodadi,  saying  that  it  was  a journey  of  thirty- 
seven  days’  length  in  winter  and  thirty  in  summer.  He  also  declared  that 
he  had  no  special  commands  himself  but  what  were  contained  in  the  letter 
presented  by  the  Commodore,  which  merely  commended  the  Americans  to 
the  ordinary  welcome  and  good  treatment,  and  enjoined  upon  the  authori- 
ties to  supply  the  ships  with  provisions  and  water.  After  some  discussion, 
in  the  course  of  which  the  American  officers  reiterated  their  demands  and 
the  governor  his  objections,  it  was  agreed  that  the  view^s  of  the  authorities 
of  Hakodadi  should  be  stated  at  length  in  writing,  and  submitted  next  day 
for  the  consideration  of  the  Commodore. 

Accordingly,  on  the  succeeding  morning,  the  following  communication 
was  received  from  the  governor  and  his  coadjutors  : “ Hakodadi  is  an  out- 
lying, remote  region,  and  its  population  sparse  and  ignorant,  so  that  when 
your  honorable  ships  arrived  recently  in  this  place,  all,  both  old  and  young, 
fled  away  into  the  interior,  although  the  local  officers  ordered  them  not  to 
scatter.” 

“ You  have  come  to  this  place  under  the  impression  doubtless  that  it 
was  an  extensive  region  and  well  settled,  not  with  the  least  desire  to  rob  or 
rudely  force  your  way  into  it  without  permission.  The  common  people 
here  being  ignorant  and  easily  alarmed,  we  have  been  unable  to  get  them  to 
come  before  us,  so  that  we  could  instruct  them  in  this  matter  personally, 
for  such  is  their  waywardness;  and  it  accounts  for  their  timidity,  as  you  saw 


504 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


yesterday  when  you  and  other  officers  went  through  the  streets,  and  for 
there  being  no  business  doing.  But  after  this  you  may  go  on  shore,  no 
obstructions  will  be  put  in  the  way  of  your  walking,  nor  will  the  people  be 
rude  to  you.” 

“ This  place  is  as  it  were  no  bigger  than  a pill  or  a speck,  and  the  coun- 
try in  its  vicinity  is  sterile,  and  produces  almost  nothing.  The  provisions 
and  other  necessaries  are  brought  from  other  principalities,  quite  unlike  the 
rich  regions  of  Simoda  and  Uraga,  and  we  fear  the  list  now  given,  (deer 
skins,  dried  fish,  fish  oil,  salt  salmon,  surume,  a sort  of  fish,  saccharine  fucus 
laminaria,  and  a roe  of  salmon,)  meagre  as  it  is,  will  by  no  means  meet  your 
desires  after  you  have  examined  it,  but  rather  dissatisfy  you.  As  for  what 
has  been  hitherto  supplied  no  prices  are  asked.” 

“ Yesterday  you  spoke  of  maintaining  friendly  relations  with  us,  and  this 
surely  involves  the  duty  on  both  sides  of  adhering  to  right,  and  nothing 
should  be  done  to  hinder  amicable  feelings.  We  are  placed  here  in  charge 
of  the  public  halls,  and  to  rule  the  people,  as  our  chief  duty,  which  cannot 
be  evaded ; and  though  to  let  you  have  the  halls  as  you  desire  might  be 
agreeable  to  you,  yet  the  result  would  be  very  heavy  and  serious  to  us,  and 
the  people  would  hardly  know  to  whom  to  look  as  their  rulers.  If  you 
press  the  matter  to  this  degree,  and  insist  on  three  buildings,  will  it  be 
consistent  with  your  professions  of  friendship  ? ” 

“ Yesterday,  your  gentlemen  explained  to  us  several  particulars  having 
reference  to  intercourse  with  us,  to  wit : that  on  the  31st  of  March  a treaty 
was  formed  at  Yoku-hama,  between  the  high  officers  of  our  respective  coun- 
tries, and  in  compliance  with  that,  you  had  come  to  Hakodadi  to  carry  its 
provisions  into  effect,  in  the  same  manner  as  had  been  done  at  Simoda,  re- 
specting trade  and  procuring  three  houses  for  resting  at,  and  wherein  to  make 
drawings.” 

“ It  is  a matter  of  great  surprise  to  us  that,  since  a treaty  has  been 
formed  at  Y^oku-hama,  no  orders  or  letters  have  reached  us  from  court  on 
this  matter,  nor  did  the  communication  you  brought  us  from  Uraga  contain 
any  reference  or  explanation  on  these  points,  which  we  now  learn  from  your- 
selves for  the  first  time.  Yet,  to  follow  out  a course  of  action  ourselves, 
before  receiving  any  directions  from  the  throne,  is  a very  serious  matter,  we 
can  assure  you ; for  the  undeviating  usage  of  all  our  principalities  is  first  to 
attend  to  those  commands,  and  can  we  here  be  expected  to  transgress  it  ? 
Whether  the  matter  be  of  great  or  small  moment,  if  it  appertain  to  the 
state,  it  must  be  referred  to  the  prince,  and  he  makes  a clear  statement  to  the 
Emperor,  and  acts  after  he  obtains  special  commands.  You  yourselves,  gen- 
tlemen, after  all  your  experience  at  Yoku-hama  and  Simoda,  cannot  but  be 
aware  that  such  is  the  usage  and  law  in  this  country.  Yet  such  articles  of 
provisions  as  we  have  here,  eggs,  fowls,  green  fish,  ducks,  and  other  commodi- 
ties, as  well  as  rambling  about  the  country,  going  into  villages,  markets  and 


DESCRIPTION  OF  HAKODADI. 


505 


shops,  albeit  they  are  contemptible  and  dilapidated,  mean  and  rude,  quite 
beneath  the  slightest  regard  or  care,  are  temporarily  allowed,  and  that  which 
you  require  will  be  furnished.” 

After  the  flag-lieutenant,  who  had  been  delegated  to  receive  the  above 
communication,  had  explained  in  regard  to  the  “ hall  ” alluded  to,  that  it 
was  only  desired  by  the  Commodore  to  use  those  parts  of  the  temples  usual- 
ly appropriated  to  lodgers,  as  temporary  places  of  resort,  and  not  to  take 
possession  of  their  ecclesiastical  establishments,  the  governor  seemed  greatly 
relieved,  as  he  evidently  supposed  that  it  was  the  intention  in  some  way  to 
interfere  with  their  national  worship.  The  governor  then  having  announced 
that  it  was  the  intention  of  “ Matsmai  Kangeayou,  great  officer  of  the  fami- 
ly of  the  Prince  of  Matsmai,”  to  call  upon  the  Commodore  next  day,  the 
American  officers  took  their  leave. 

After  this  preliminary  negotiation,  the  officers  of  the  ships  began  daily 
to  visit  the  land,  and  they  walked  freely  through  the  streets,  frequented  the 
shops  and  temples,  and  strolled  without  interference  into  the  neighboring- 
country.  Three  houses  were  finally,  after  several  conferences,  assigned,  one 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  Commodore,  another  for  his  officers,  and  a 
third  for  the  artists,  and  a bazaar  opened  daily,  where  the  various  articles 
of  Japanese  art  and  manufacture  could  be  obtained  at  fair  prices,  a dollar, 
which  is  equal  to  about  three  of  their  silver  coins,  called  itcliaioo,  passing 
current  for  4,800  copper  cash.  With  this  greater  freedom  of  intercourse 
on  shore,  the  Americans  soon  became  tolerably  acquainted  with  Hakodadi 
and  its  people,  and  we  may  here  appropriately  introduce  some  description 
of  them,  while  we  intermit  for  the  present  the  relation  of  the  further  pro- 
gress of  the  tedious  negotiations  with  the  authorities. 

The  town  of  Hakodadi,  or  Hakodate,*  lies  on  the  southern  coast  of  the 
island  of  Yesso,  in  latitude  41°  49'  22"  north,  and  longitude  140°  47'  45'^ 
east,  being  situated  on  the  western  bank  of  a small  peninsula,  which  forms 
one  side  of  the  harbor.  The  meaning  of  the  Japanese  word  Hakodadi  is 
“ box  shop,”  but  what  gave  rise  to  the  name  it  is  not  easy  to  understand,  as 
some  of  the  best  informed  inhabitants  themselves  seem  unacquainted  with 
the  origin  of  the  term.  The  appearance  of  the  place  on  entering  the  harbor 
is  striking  and  picturesque.  The  town  stretches  for  the  space  of  three  miles 
along  the  base  of  a lofty  promontory  divided  into  three  principal  peaks, 
which  reach  a height  of  from  six  hundred  to  a thousand  feet.  Their  lofty 
summits  are  bare,  and  often  covered  with  snow  | their  upper  slopes  are  but 
scantily  clothed  with  underwood  and  some  scattered  pines,  while  below, 
where  the  mountains  begin  to  rise  from  the  level  land,  there  is  a rich  profu- 
sion of  verdant  growth,  with  groves  of  wide-spreading  cypresses,  tall  forest 
maples  and  fruit-bearing  trees,  the  plum  and  the  peach.  This  abundant 


Golovnin,  in  his  “ Recollections,”  calls  the  town  Chakodade,  hut  erroneously. 


506 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN, 


vegetation  presents  a pleasing  contrast  to  the  bolder  and  more  barren  aspect 
of  the  bigber  acclivities  and  summits  of  the  surrounding  bills.  The  town 
thus  appears  to  be  nestling  in  repose  under  the  cover  of  the  shade  of  the 
trees  in  the  midst  of  a scene  of  rural  beauty,  while  all  around  in  the  dis- 
tance is  the  wild,  bleak  massiveness  of  nature.  A low,  sandy  isthmus,  scan- 
tily verdant  here  and  there  with  a few  patches  of  kitchen  gardens,  connects 
the  peninsula  upon  which  the  houses  are  built  to  the  main  land.  Coarse, 
hard  rocks  of  trachyte,  thrown  up  by  volcanic  agency,  separate  the  alluvial 
sand  from  the  mountainous  region  in  the  interior,  and  add  to  the  wildness 
of  the  scene.  The  Japanese  have  quarried  the  rocks  here  and  there,  and 
various  hewn  surfaces,  with  cut  blocks  lying  about,  prove  the  art  and  busy 
industry  of  the  people.  These  quarries  supply  them  with  stone  for  con- 
structing their  sea  walls,  jetties,  dykes,  foundations  for  their  houses,  and 
other  building  purposes. 

The  town  contains  over  a thousand  houses,  which  mostly  stretch  along 
in  one  main  thoroughfare  near  the  seaside,  while  the  remainder,  forming  two 
or  three  parallel  streets,  hang  upon  the  ascent  of  the  hill  in  the  rear. 
Every  one  on  board  the  ships  who  had  visited  Gibraltar  was  struck  with  the 
resemblance  of  Hakodadi,  from  its  position  and  general  aspect,  to  that 
famous  fortified  town.  There  was  the  isolated  hill,  on  the  base  and  accliv- 
ity of  which  the  houses  were  built  corresponding  to  the  rock  of  Gibraltar ; 
there  was  the  low  neck  of  land  reaching  to  the  elevated  region  beyond, 
like  the  neutral  ground  which  separates  the  English  fortress  from  the  Span- 
ish territory,  and  a receding  country  and  capacious  bay  surrounding  Hako- 
dadi, as  well  as  Gibraltar,  to  strengthen  the  resemblance  between  the  two. 
Moreover,  the  position  of  the  Japanese  town  on  the  Strait  of  Sangar,  with 
the  high  land  of  Nippon  and  its  towns  of  Say  and  Mimaga  at  the  south,  like 
that  of  Gibraltar,  overlooking  the  narrow  channel  which  connects  the  At- 
lantic and  Mediterranean,  and  commands  the  opposite  and  elevated  coast  of 
Africa,  with  the  towns  of  Tangier  and  Ceuta  clothing  its  heights,  served  to 
confirm  the  similarity  of  features  with  which  every  one  whose  travelled  ex- 
perience allowed  of  comparison  was  greatly  impressed. 

Hakodadi  belongs  to  the  imperial  fief  of  Matsmai,  and  is  the  largest 
town  on  the  island  of  Tesso,  with  the  exception  of  Matsmai,  from  which  it 
is  distant  about  thirty  miles  in  an  easterly  direction.  An  excellent  road 
not  far  from  the  seacoast  connects  the  two  places,  and  a large  trade  is  car- 
ried on  between  them  and  by  both  with  several  small  towns  on  the  island  of 
Nippon,  on  the  southern  side  of  the  Strait  of  Sangar,  or,  as  it  should  be 
properly  called,  Tsugara. 

The  town  of  Hakodadi  is  regularly  built  with  streets  running  at  right 
angles  with  each  other.  They  are  between  thirty  and  forty  feet  in  width, 
and  are  carefully  macadamized  to  allow  of  the  proper  draining  of  water. 
There  are  open  gutters  on  each  side,  which  receive  the  drij^pings  of  the 


rcii'ecl  biJ  i^zrl:.  X T/i^n-  ''>X.  ’■ 


HAKODADI. 


507 


houses  and  the  washings  of  the  streets,  and  also  well  constructed  sewers, 
through  which  the  surplus  water  and  the  refuse  are  poured  into  the  hay. 
The  side  walks,  which  are  frequently  paved,  are  curbed  with  stone  planted 
on  edge  as  with  us,  but  as  no  wheeled  carriages  are  found  in  the  town,  the 
middle  of  the  street  is  used  indiscriminately  in  dry  weather  by  the  pedes- 
trian. Hakodadi,  like  all  the  Japanese  towns,  is  remarkably  clean,  the 
streets  being  suitably  constructed  for  draining,  and  kept,  by  constant 
sprinkling  and  sweeping,  in  a neat  and  healthful  condition.  Wooden 
picket  fences  with  gates  cross  the  streets  at  short  intervals ; these  are 
opened  for  the  passage  of  the  people  during  the  day,  but  closed  at  night. 
The  same  municipal  regulations  obtain  in  Hakodadi  as  in  all  the  other 
towns  of  Japan ; the  inhabitants  of  the  several  streets  form  so  many 
separate  communities,  as  it  were,  responsible  for  the  conduct  of  each  other, 
each  governed  by  an  official  called  “ ottona,”  who  is  also  held  responsible  for  the 
good  order  of  the  people  under  his  especial  charge,  and  these  ottonas  are  also 
made  responsible  for  the  conduct  of  each  other.  The  gates  and  picket 
fences  would  seem  to  mark  out  the  separate  fields  of  duty  of  these  officials. 
At  one  side  of  the  street,  among  the  houses,  there  is  ordinarily  a sentry-box  for 
a watchman,  whose  duty  it  is  to  guard  the  town  against  disturbance,  and  give 
early  notice  of  the  occurrence  of  fire.  A general  quiet  pervades  the  streets 
without  those  ordinary  signs  of  busy  activity  which  belong  to  a trading 
city.  No  carriages  or  laden  wagons  rumble  along  the  road,  no  clamorous 
dealers  claim  the  preference  of  the  purchase  of  their  wares,  no  busy  pedlars 
or  itinerant  hucksters  cry  their  articles  for  sale,  and  no  turbulent  mob  dis- 
turbs the  general  peace  and  tranquillity.  An  almost  universal  quiet  pre- 
vails in  the  streets,  broken  only  at  times  by  a stout  horse-boy  yelling  to  his 
obstinate  beast  of  burden,  either  an  unruly  nag  or  lumbering  ox,  and  an  offi- 
cious attendant  of  some  great  man  shouting  out  to  the  people  to  prostrate 
themselves  before  his  coming  master,  or  perhaps  the  clanging  of  the  ham- 
mer of  a workman  busy  in  some  neighboring  forge.  Still  the  stranger  is 
impressed  with  the  idea  that  Hakodadi  is  a thriving  town,  when  he  beholds 
the  occasional  droves  of  laden  pack-horses  slowly  pacing  through  the 
streets,  the  hundreds  of  junks  at  anchor  in  the  harbor,  the  numerous  boats 
rapidly  gliding  across  the  bay,  and  the  many  richly  dressed  two-sworded 
Japanese  gentlemen  and  officials  pompously  stalking  about  or  riding  richly 
caparisoned  horses. 

The  buildings  in  Hakodadi  ar  emostly  of  one  story,  with  attics  of 
varying  heights.  The  upper  part  occasionally  forms  a commodious  apart- 
ment, but  is  ordinarily  merely  a dark  cockloft  for  the  storage  of  goods  and 
lumber,  or  the  lodging  of  servants.  The  height  of  the  roofs  is  seldom 
more  than  twenty-five  feet  from  the  ground.  They  slope  down  from  the 
top,  projecting  with  their  eaves  beyond  the  wall,  are  supported  by  joints  and 
tie-beams,  and  are  mostly  covered  with  small  wooden  shingles  of  about  the 


508 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


size  of  the  hand.  These  shingles  are  fastened  by  means  of  pegs  made  of 
bamboo,  or  kept  in  their  places  by  long  slips  of  board,  ■which  have  large 
rows  of  cobble  stones  put  upon  them  to  prevent  their  removal.  The  stones 
are,  however,  said  to  have  the  additional  advantage  of  hastening  the  melting 
of  the  snow,  which  during  the  winter  season  is  quite  abundant  at  Hakodadi. 
The  gable  ends,  as  in  Dutch  houses,  face  towards  the  street,  and  the  roofs 
projecting  to  some  distance,  serve  as  a cover  and  a shade  to  the  doors.  All 
the  roofs  of  the  houses  in  front  are  topped  with  what  at  first  was  supposed 
to  be  a curious  chimney  wrapped  in  straw,  but  which  upon  examination 
turned  out  to  be  a tub,  protected  by  its  straw  envelope  from  the  effects  of 
the  weather,  and  kept  constantly  filled  with  water,  to  be  sprinkled  upon  the 
shingled  roofs,  in  case  of  fire,  by  means  of  a broom,  which  is  always  de- 
posited at  hand,  to  be  ready  in  an  emergency.  The  people  would  seem  to 
be  very  anxious  on  the  score  of  fires,  from  the  precautions  taken  against 
them.  In  addition  to  the  tubs  on  the  tops  of  the  houses,  there  are  wooden 
cisterns  arranged  along  the  streets,  and  engines  kept  in  constant  readiness. 
These  latter  have  very  much  the  general  construction  of  our  o’wn,  but  are 
deficient  in  that  important  part  of  the  apparatus,  an  air  chamber,  and  con- 
sequently they  throw  the  water,  not  with  a continuous  stream,  but  in  short, 
quick  jets.  Fire  alarms,  made  of  a thick  piece  of  plank,  hung  on  posts  at 
the  corners  of  the  streets,  and  protected  by  a small  roofing,  which  are  struck 
by  the  watchman,  in  case  of  a fire  breaking  out,  showed  the  anxious  fears  of 
tlie  inhabitants,  and  the  charred  timbers  and  ruins  still  remaining  where  a 
hundred  houses  had  stood  but  a few  months  before,  proved  the  necessity  of 
the  most  careful  precautions. 

A few  of  the  better  houses  and  the  temples  are  neatly  roofed  with 
brown  earthen  tiles,  laid  in  gutter  form.  The  poorer  people  are  forced  to 
content  themselves  with  mere  thatched  hovels,  the  thatch  of  which  is  often 
overgrown  with  a fertile  crop  of  vegetables  and  grass,  the  seeds  of  which 
have  been  deposited  by  vagrant  crows.  The  walls  of  the  buildings  are 
generally  constructed  of  pine  boards,  fastened  lengthwise,  with  a layer 
inside  and  out,  to  the  framework,  which  is  jointed  with  admirable  skill. 
The  boards  in  front  and  rear  are  made  to  slide  horizontally  in  grooves  like 
shutters.  At  night  they  are  barred  fast,  and  in  the  day-time  entirely  re- 
moved, to  allow  of  the  light  to  pass  freely  through  the  paper  screens  behind 
them.  As  in  Simoda,  the  roofs  project  beyond  the  walls  of  the  houses,  and 
serve  as  a shelter,  in  front  for  the  display  of  goods,  and  in  the  rear  for  the 
carrying  on  of  various  domestic  operations.  The  Japanese  wood-work  is 
never  painted,  although  in  the  interior  of  the  houses  it  is  occasionally  var- 
nished or  oiled;  the  buildings  consequently  have  a mean  and  thriftless  look. 
In  the  wintry,  moist  climate  of  Hakodadi,  the  effect  of  weather  upon  the 
unpainted  pine  boards  was  strikingly  apparent,  causing  them  to  contract 


I 


JAI’ANKSE  KITCHEN  AND  IIAI.I,. 


WRITING  IMPLEMENTS. 


DWELLINGS  AT  HAKODADI. 


509 


mould  and  rot,  so  that  the  whole  town  had  a more  rusty,  ruined  appearance 
than  its  age  should  indicate. 

Previous  to  building  a house  the  ground  is  beaten  smooth,  and  the  floor 
is  raised  about  two  feet  above  it,  leaving  a space  in  front  and  by  one  of  the 
sides,  which  serves  for  a path  to  the  rear,  and  a place  to  store  heavy  goods, 
as  the  roof  projects  over  and  protects  it  from  the  weather. 

In  the  shops  the  whole  front  is  often  taken  out  to  display  their  con- 
tents, but  in  the  dwellings  and  the  mechanics’  establishments,  there  is  usual- 
ly a barred  lattice  of  bamboo  to  hide  the  inmates  from  passing  observation. 
Each  house  has  a charm  placed  over  the  lintel  or  doorpost,  consisting  of 
the  picture  of  a god,  a printed  prayer,  or  a paper  inscribed  with  some  com- 
plicated characters,  designed  to  protect  the  dwelling  from  Are  or  any  other 
calamity. 

The  raised  floor,  which  covers  nearly  the  whole  area  of  the  house,  is 
covered  with  white  mats  made  soft  and  thick  by  being  lined  at  the  bottom 
with  straw.  These  are  very  neatly  woven  and  bound  with  cloth,  and  are  all 
of  the  uniform  size  prescribed  by  law,  being  three  feet  by  six,  and  placed  in 
rows  upon  the  floor  so  neatly  as  to  have  the  appearance  of  one  piece.  Up- 
on these  mats  the  people  sit  to  take  their  meals,  to  sell  their  wares,  to 
smoke  their  pipes,  to  converse  with  their  friends,  and  lie  down  at  night 
without  undressing  themselves  to  go  to  sleep,  adding,  however,  a quilted 
mat  for  a cover,  and  the  equivocal  comfort  of  a hard  box  for  a pillow. 
The  houses  are  generally  lighted,  as  has  been  frequently  observed,  with 
windows  of  oiled  paper,  though  mica  and  shells  are  occasionally  used 
instead. 

The  interior  of  the  houses  is  plain  and  simple  in  arrangement,  but  always 
scrupulously  neat  and  clean.  There  are  in  some  of  the  better  mansions  oc- 
casional wood  carvings  of  exquisite  workmanship,  though  not  very  elaborate 
in  design.  The  paper  windows  and  sliding  screens  which  divide  the  apart- 
ments are  often  adorned  with  paintings  of  landscape  and  birds.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  panels,  the  walls  of  the  room  are  frequently  hung  with  gaily 
painted  paper,  which,  being  arranged  as  rolling  maps  are  with  us,  is  movable 
at  pleasure.  The  stork,  or  crane,  a bird  held  sacred  by  the  Japanese,  and 
the  winged  tortoise,  and  the  porpoise,  or  dolphin  of  the  ancients,  are  favorite 
designs  in  all  these  decorations,  whether  of  wood,  carving  or  painting,  in 
the  various  buildings. 

The  furniture  of  a Japanese  house  is  particularly  meagre,  consisting  iu- 
variablj"  of  nothing  but  the  floor  mats  and  the  household  utensils,  which  are 
few  and  simple.  As  squatting,  not  sitting,  is  almost  the  invariable  prac- 
tice, there  seems  no  occasion  for  chairs,  although  they  were  sometimes 
fouud,  and  invariably  supplied  on  state  occasions.  These  are  clumsy  contri- 
vances, with  coarse  leathern  seats,  and  a framework  like  that  of  the  com- 
mon camp  stool,  which  is  readily  folded  up  when  not  used.  At  the  confer- 


510 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN, 


ences  with  the  authorities,  the  subordinate  officers,  both  American  and 
J apanese,  were  seated  on  sedans  or  benches  covered  with  a red  crape,  while 
the  Commodore  and  the  highest  native  dignitaries  were  honored  with  stools, 
which  occasionally  had  the  comfortable  addition  of  arms  and  backs  to  them. 
The  national  posture  of  all  classes,  however,  in  Japan,  when  at  rest,  is 
crouching  either  upon  the  knees,  or  on  the  haunches  with  their  legs  crossed. 
The  latter  is  common  among  the  lower  classes,  and  is  jironounced  decided- 
ly vulgar  by  the  fashionables,  who  invariably  assume  the  former. 

Tables  are  not  generally  used,  but  on  the  occasion  of  the  public  enter- 
tainments given  to  the  American  officers,  the  narrow  red  crape-covered 
benches  were  appropriated  for  the  spread  of  the  feast,  the  dishes  being  raised 
to  the  proper  height  for  the  guest  by  means  of  the  ordinary  lacquered  stands 
of  a foot  in  height  and  fourteen  inches  square.  The  Japanese  eat  from 
these  raised  trays  while  squatting  upon  their  mats,  and  the  unsocial  practice 
thus  obtains  of  each  person  taking  his  food  by  himself.  Some  lacquered 
cups,  bowls,  and  porcelain  vessels,  the  invariable  chopsticks,  and  an  occa- 
sional earthenware  spoon,  comprise  the  ordinary  utensils  used  in  eating. 
They  drink  their  soups  directly  out  of  the  bowl,  as  a hungry  child  might, 
after  seizing  with  their  chopsticks  the  pieces  of  fish  which  are  generally  float- 
ing in  the  liquid.  Their  tea-kettles,  which  are  always  at  hand  simmering 
over  the  fire  in  the  kitchen,  are  made  of  bronze,  silver,  or  of  fire  proof  earth- 
enware. In  the  centre  of  the  common  sitting  room  there  is  a square  hole 
built  in  with  tiles  and  filled  with  sand,  in  which  a charcoal  fire  is  always 
kept  burning,  and  suspended  above  is  the  tea-kettle  supported  by  a tripod. 
There  is  thus  constantly  a supply  of  hot  water  for  making  tea,  which  is 
invariably  handed  to  the  visitor  on  his  arrival.  The  beverage  is  prepared 
as  with  us,  but  very  weak.  The  cup  is  generally  of  porcelain,  with  a wooden 
lacquered  cover.  The  tea  is  not  ordinarily  sweetened,  though  at  Hakodadi 
sugar  was  often  used.  The  better  houses  are  warmed,  but  very  imperfectly, 
by  metal  braziers  placed  on  lacquered  stands  containing  burning  charcoal, 
which  are  moved  readily  from  room  to  room  as  they  may  be  required.  In 
tlie  cottages  of  the  poor,  there  being  but  little  ventilation  from  their  contract- 
ed size,  and  no  places  of  issue  for  the  smoke,  the  burning  charcoal  in  the 
fixed  central  fireplaces  becomes  a great  nuisance.  In  the  more  pretentious 
establishments,  where  there  is  plenty  of  space  and  holes  in  the  roof  or  in  the 
walls  for  the  escape  of  smoke,  while  the  charcoal  is  not  brought  in  until  per- 
fectly ignited,  this  mode  of  heating  the  apartments  is  more  endurable.  At 
Hakodadi  the  people  seemed  to  sufier  a great  deal  from  the  wintry  weather, 
the  poorer  classes  kept  much  within  doors,  huddled  about  their  meagre  fires 
in  their  hovels,  which,  without  chimneys,  and  with  but  a scant  light  from  the 
paper  windows,  were  exceedingly  cold,  gloomy,  and  comfortless.  The  richer 
people  strove  to  make  themselves  more  comfortable  by  enveloping  their 


DOMESTIC  LIFE,  HAKODADI. 


511 


bodies  in  a succession  of  warm  robes,  but  succeeded  indifferently,  as  they 
were  constantly  complaining  of  the  severity  of  the  weather. 

It  is  by  the  charcoal  fires  in  the  centre  of  the  sitting  apartment  that 
the  water  for  tea  is  boiled,  the  saki  heated,  and  sundry  small  dishes  cooked ; 
but  in  the  larger  establishments  there  is  a kitchen  besides,  where  the  family 
cooking  is  got  up.  This  is  generally  provided  with  a stove,  like  an  ordi- 
nary French  cooking  apparatus,  in  which  wood  is  often  burned,  but  this  is 
an  article  they  are  very  economical  in  using. 

Connected  with  most  of  the  dwellings  in  Hakodadi  there  is  a yard,  in 
which  there  are  out-houses  used  for  kitchens  or  stables.  There  is  also  fre- 
quently a garden  where  vegetables  in  small  quantities  are  raised,  flowers 
cultivated,  and  shade-trees  and  ornamental  shrubs  planted.  Some  of  the 
leading  men  of  the  place  have  handsome  residences  upon  elevated  situations, 
a little  back  of  the  town.  Their  houses  are  of  the  ordinary  construction, 
but  much  larger  in  dimensions.  The  superior  wealth  and  luxurious  tastes 
of  their  proprietors  are  shown  chiefly  in  the  handsoine  gardens  and  pleasure 
grounds.  These  are  tastefully  planted  with  fruit  and  shade  trees,  and 
bounded  with  green  hedges,  while  beds  of  variegated  flowers  contrast  their 
bright  hues  with  the  green  verdure  of  the  foliage  and  the  lawns  of  grass. 
There  seems,  in  the  high  fences  which  guard  from  the  eyes  of  the  passer  by 
the  sight  of  these  luxurious  delights,  a desire  for  that  privacy  which  betokens 
a love  of  retirement  and  a fastidious  appreciation  of  the  reserved  comforts  of 
home. 

As  in  Simoda,  there  are  large  fire-proof  warehouses,  used  for  the  storage 
of  valuable  goods.  They  are  built  with  a great  deal  more  care  than  the  or- 
dinary shops  and  other  buildings,  and  have  walls  two  feet  thick,  made  of 
dried  mud  and  cobbles,  and  faced  with  stone,  while  their  roofs  are  securely 
constructed  of  earthen  tiles.  These  warehouses  are  generally  two  stories  in 
height,  the  upper  one  having  window  shutters  of  wood  sheathed  with  iron. 
Their  exterior  is  sometimes  covered  with  a coat  of  fine  plaster,  which,  with 
their  substantial  structure,  gives  them  a neatness  and  solidity  of  aspect 
which  contrasts  greatly  with  the  flimsy  stained  look  of  the  ordinary  houses. 
They  are  probably  depots  for  the  storage  of  goods  which  belong  to  the  gov- 
ernment, and  are  kept  with  great  care  and  guarded  watchfully. 

The  shops  in  Hakodadi  generally  contain  such  goods  as  are  of  a cheap 
sort,  and  adapted  to  the  restricted  wants  of  a poor  population.  The  stock 
is  made  up  of  a miscellaneous  assortment  of  coarse,  thick  cottons,  inferior 
silks,  common  earthen  and  China  ware,  lacquered  bowls,  cups,  stands  and 
chopsticks,  cheap  cutlery,  and  ready-made  clothing.  Furs,  leather,  felted 
cloths,  glass-ware,  or  copper  articles,  are  rarely  seen,  nor  are  books  and  sta- 
tionery very  common.  The  provision  shops  contain  I’ice,  wheat,  barley, 
pulse,  dried  fish,  seaweed,  salt,  sugar,  saki,  soy,  charcoal,  sweet  potatoes, 
flour,  and  other  less  necessary  articles,  and  all  apparently  in  abundant  quan- 


512 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


titles.  There  is  no  public  market  in  the  town,  as  neither  beef,  pork  nor 
mutton  are  eaten,  and  very  little  poultry.  Vegetables,  and  a preparation 
made  of  beans  and  rice  flour,  which  has  the  consistency  and  appearance  of 
cheese,  are  hawked  about  the  streets,  and  form  a considerable  portion  of  the 
diet  of  the  people.  The  signs  of  the  shops,  in  accordance  with  the  general 
practice  in  Japan,  are  inscribed  on  the  paper  windows  and  doors,  in  various 
well-known  devices  and  cyphers,  either  in  Chinese  or  Japanese  characters. 
The  shopmen  were  at  first  very  shy,  and  showed  but  little  disposition  to  sell 
their  goods  to  the  Americans ; but  when  they  became  somewhat  more  famil- 
iar with  the  strangers,  the  characteristic  eagerness  of  tradesmen  developed 
itself  to  the  full,  and  the  Hakodadi  merchants  showed  themselves  as  clever 
at  their  business  as  any  Chatham  street  or  Bowery  salesman  with  us.  They 
bustled  about  the  raised  platform  upon  which  they  were  perched,  pulled  out 
the  drawers  arranged  on  the  walls,  and  displayed  their  goods  to  the  greatest 
advantage  when  they  thought  there  was  a chance  of  catching  the  eye  and 
pleasing  the  taste  of  a passing  American.  They  were  always  very  jealous, 
however,  of  their  prerogatives,  and  were  exceedingly  annoyed  if  any  of  their 
purchasers  stepped  upon  the  platform,  w'hich  was  their  trading  sanctum,  and 
as  carefully  guarded  against  intrusion  as  the  “ behind  the  counter  ” of  a New 
York  shopman.  The  purchaser  ordinarily  stood  under  the  roof,  on  the 
ground,  in  the  sjiace  which  intervened  between  the  sidewalk  and  the  eleva- 
ted shop  floor.  Some  of  the  more  impatient  and  intrusive  Yankees,  how- 
ever, would  occasionally  spring  up,  and  pulling  out  the  goods,  handle  them 
very  unceremoniously,  not,  however,  without  a serious  protest  on  the  part 
of  the  sellers,  who  sometimes  were  so  annoyed  that  official  complaints  were 
made  by  them  to  the  authorities.  The  shopkeepers  had  always  a fixed  price 
for  their  goods,  and  all  attempts  to  beat  them  down  were  useless,  and  gener- 
ally rebuked  by  an  expression  of  displeasure. 

There  are  four  large  Buddhist  temples  in  Hakodadi,  one  of  which, 
called  the  Zhiogen-zhi,  or  the  country’s  protector,  is  a good  specimen  of 
Japanese  architecture.  It  was  built  by  the  townspeople  about  twenty  years 
since,  and  is  kept  in  excellent  repair.  The  tiled  roof  rises  fully  sixty  feet 
from  the  ground,  and  is  supported  by  an  intricate  arrangement  of  girders, 
posts,' and  tie-beams,  resting  upon  large  lacquered  pillars.  This  temple  is 
one  of  the  most  conspicuous  objects  seen  when  entering  the  harbor.  The 
principal  apartment  in  the  interior  is  elaborately  carved  and  richly  gilded. 
The  carving  and  sculpture  about  the  altar,  the  niches,  and  cornices,  are  of 
wood  and  brass,  and  show  very  skilful  workmanship.  The  designs  are  dra- 
gons, phoenixes,  cranes,  tortoises,  and  other  subjects  associated  with  the  re- 
ligious worship  of  Buddha.  The  main  floor  is  elevated  six  feet  above  the 
gound,  and  covered,  as  usual,  with  thick  mats.  There  are  three  separate 
shrines,  each  containing  an  image,  the  one  in  the  nave  being  the  largest  and 
most  highly  adorned.  A sort  of  architrave  descends  between  the  pillars,  so 


TEMPLES  OF  HAKODADI, 


513 


contrived  that,  with  the  aid  of  folding  screens,  the  shrines  may  he  readily 
partitioned  off.  There  are  six  priests  attached  to  the  establishment,  and 
their  quarters  and  those  which  are  provided  for  visitors  are  models  of 
neatness  and  cleanliness.  The  temples  in  Japan,  as  in  China,  are  often 
used  for  places  of  concourse  or  entertainment,  and  on  such  occasions  the 
altars  and  shrines  are  covered  or  removed,  which  so  changes  the  aspect  of 
the  interior  that  no  one  would  suspect  that  he  was  in  a house  of  worship. 
On  the  visit  of  the  American  squadron  one  of  the  temples  was  appropriated 
for  a bazaar — a worldly  use  that  the  ecclesiastics,  so  far  from  objecting  to 
highly  approved  of,  as  it  added  considerably  to  their  revenue,  the  rent  of 
the  apartments  being  their  perquisite  on  the  occasion. 

In  the  enclosure  before  the  Zhiogen-zhi  there  is  a grove  of  large  spread- 
ing cypresses,  in  the  shade  of  which  there  are  several  outer  buildings,  and  a 
shed  which  covers  six  small  stone  images  of  deities.  On  either  side  of  the 
avenue  which  leads  to  the  temple  there  are  pairs  of  stone  candelabras,  and 
near  by, the  statue  of  a goddess  with  a child  in  her  arms.  A copper  nimbus 
or  glory  surrounds  the  heads  of  all  these  idols,  and  reminds  the  Christian 
visitor  of  what  he  may  have  seen  in  some  churches  of  his  own  country. 

Next  to  the  Zhiogen-zhi,  in  a southerly  direction,  is  the  Zhetsa-zhi  or 
True-acting  monastery,  an  older  and  somewhat  dilapidated  building.  There 
are  several  small  sheds  in  the  yard  in  front  of  this  temple,  one  of  which 
protects  from  the  weather  a subscription-box  and  a handsomely  sculptured 
stone  candelabra.  The  priests  have  shown  considerable  taste  in  the  cul- 
tivation and  arrangement  of  the  garden  and  pleasure  grounds  in  the  rear 
of  the  building. 

Near  the  main  street,  which  extends  along  the  bay,  in  an  enclosure 
beautifully  shaded  with  willows  and  firs  of  remarkable  growth,  is  the  Kono- 
zhi,  or  High  Dragon  temple,  so  called  from  a large  dragon  carved  along  the 
entablature  in  front ; there  is  also  a carp  fish,  some  six  feet  long,  skilfully 
cut  out  of  wood,  extending  in  an  upright  direction  on  the  right  side  of  the 
porch.  This  temple  is  a large  edifice,  and,  although  now  falling  to  decay, 
bears  in  its  elaborate  ornaments  and  its  expensive  appointments  signs  of 
having  been  once  in  great  esteem.  Within  the  grounds  which  enclose  it  are 
various  richly  adorned  gateways,  stone  statues,  candelabras,  and  shrines,  all 
showing  more  or  less  skilful  design  and  workmanship.  The  fourth  and  last 
of  the  Buddhist  temples  is  called  the  Shiomio-zhi,  or  the  monastery  of 
Buddha’s  name,  but  presents  nothing  of  especial  interest  to  distinguish  it 
from  the  others. 

Each  of  these  temples  has  its  adjoining  grave-yard,  filled  with  tombs 
and  monuments  characteristic  of  the  Japanese  people  and  their  religious  be- 
lief. Near  each  grave,  as  at  Simoda,  there  are  square  posts  and  boards, 
with  the  names  of  the  dead,  quotations  from  the  canonical  Buddhist  books, 
lines  of  poetry,  and  moral  and  religious  apothegms,  generally  referring  to 
33 


514 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


the  vanity  of  this  world,  and  the  felicity  of  Buddha’s  heaven  in  the  next. 
There  was  a curious  contrivance  found  in  one  of  the  burial  places,  consist- 
ing of  a tall  post,  in  which  an  iron  wheel  was  inserted.  The  post  was 
placed  upright,  and  being  square  presented  four  surfaces,  on  each  of  which 
was  one  or  two  of  the  following  inscriptions  or  prayers  : 

“ The  great  round  mirror  of  knowledge  says,  ‘ wise  men  and  fools  are 
embarked  in  the  same  boat ; ’ whether  prospered  or  afflicted,  both  are  row- 
ing over  the  deep  lake ; the  gay  sails  lightly  hang  to  catch  the  autumnal 
breeze ; then  away  they  straight  enter  the  lustrous  clouds,  and  become  par- 
takers of  heaven’s  knowledge.” 

“ The  believing  man  Hanyo  Shenkaman,  who  no  longer  grows  old.” 

“The  believing  woman,  once  called  Yuenning:  Happy  was  the  day 
she  left.” 

“ Multitudes  fill  the  graves.” 

“ To  enable  to  enter  the  abodes  of  the  perfect,  and  to  sympathize  fully 
with  the  men  of  the  world,  belongs  to  Buddha.  It  is  only  by  this  one 
vehicle,  the  coffin,  we  can  enter  Hades.  There  is  nought  like  Buddha; 
nothing  at  all.” 

“ We  of  the  human  race  with  hearts,  minds,  and  understandings,  when 
we  read  the  volumes  of  Buddha,  enjoy  great  advantages.” 

“ He  whose  prescience  detects  knowledge,  says : as  the  floating  grass  is 
blown  by  the  gentle  breeze,  or  the  glancing  ripples  of  autumn  disappear 
when  the  sun  goes  down,  or  as  the  ship  returns  home  to  her  old  shore,  so  is 
life : it  is  a smoke,  a morning  tide.” 

“ Buddha  himself  earnestly  desires  to  hear  the  name  of  this  person,  (who 
is  buried,)  and  wishes  he  may  go  to  life.” 

“ He  who  has  left  humanity  is  now  perfected  by  Buddha’s  name,  as  the 
withered  moss  is  by  the  dew.” 

“ The  canon  of  Buddha  says,  all  who  reach  the  blissful  land  wUl  be- 
come so  that  they  cannot  be  made  to  transmigrate,  (or  change  for  the 
worse.)” 

The  square  post  upon  which  these  inscriptions  were  cut  was  nearly  eight 
feet  in  length,  and  near  the  centre,  at  a convenient  height  to  be  reached  by 
the  hand,  was  affixed,  vertically,  a wheel,  which  moved  readily  on  an  axle 
that  passed  through  the  post.  Two  small  iron  rings  were  strung  upon  each 
of  the  three  spokes  of  the  large  wheel.  Every  person  who  twisted  this  in- 
strument in  passing  was  supposed  to  obtain  credit  in  heaven  for  one  or 
more  prayers  on  the  post,  the  number  being  graduated  according  to  the 
vigor  of  the  performer’s  devotion,  and  the  number  of  revolutions  effected. 
The  jingle  of  the  small  iron  rings  was  believed  to  secure  the  attention  of 
the  deity  to  the  invocation  of  the  devotional,  and  the  greater  the  noise,  the 
more  certain  of  its  being  listened  to.  This  praying  by  wheel  and  axle 
would  seem  to  be  the  very  perfection  of  a ceremonious  religion,  as  it  reduces 


TEMPLE  OF  l!EX-TIXG. 


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PEAYING  BY  MACHINEEY.  * 


515 


it  to  a system  of  mechanical  laws,  which, 
provided  the  apparatus  is  kept  in  order, 
a result  easily  obtained  by  a little  oil, 
moderate  use,  and  occasional  repairs,  can 
be  readily  executed  with  the  least  possi- 
ble expenditure  of  human  labor,  and  with 
all  that  economy  of  time  and  thought 
which  seems  the  great  purpose  of  our  ma- 
terial and  mechanical  age.  Hue,  in  his 
interesting  account  of  his  travels  in  Thi- 
bet, speaks  of  an  improvement  on  the 
machine  we  have  described,  where  the  ap- 
paratus was  turned  by  water  power,  and 
very  appropriately  styles  it  a prayer  mill. 
In  the  course  of  the  progress  of  the  J ap- 
anese  in  the  mechanical  arts,  this,  with 
their  usual  readiness  in  adopting  new  im- 
provements, will  no  doubt  be  introduced, 
or  perhaps  the  more  effective  power  of 
steam  will  be  applied  to  their  praying 
machines,  and  with  the  introduction  of 
steamboats  and  railroads  may  commence 
an  era  of  locomotive  devotion. 

There  are  three  large  Mia^  or  Sintoo 
temples,  in  Hakodadi,  called  respectively 
the  Sheumei,  the  Hachiman,  and  the  Pen- 
ten,  dedicated  to  national  deified  heroes 
and  gods.  They  are  not  in  so  flourish- 
ing condition  as  their  competitors,  the 
Buddhist  temples,  which  have  gained  the 
ascendancy,  and  are  fast  absorbing  the 
whole  devotional  interests  of  the  Jap- 
anese people.  The  Sintoo  places  of  wor- 
ship are  generally  got  up  on  a cheaper 
scale,  and  are  much  less  resorted  to. 
They  have  no  burying  grounds  attached, 
and  are  not  surrounded  by  any  defined  enclosure.  There  are,  however,  sev- 
eral gateways,  with  ornaments  sculptured  on  stone  spanning  the  approach, 
but  the  area  which  surrounds  the  temples  is  open  and  the  public  road  passes 
through  it.  A curator  with  his  family,  whose  duty  it  is  to  keep  the  idols 
polished  up  and  the  sacred  grounds  in  a tidy  condition,  generally  resides  on 
or  near  the  premises.  The  Hachiman  house  of  worship  presents  a pecu- 
liarity in  its  architecture  not  elsewhere  observed,  which  consists  of  a pro- 


516 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


jection  from  the  roof  like  a dormer  window,  underneath  which  there  is  an 
entablature  adorned  with  a few  carvings  in  wood.  The  effect,  in  an  archi- 
tectural point  of  view,  is  good,  as  it  relieves  the  blankness  of  a great  ex- 
panse of  roof,  and  is  in  harmony  with  the  ornaments  of  the  eaves  below. 

Upon  the  summits  and  acclivities  of  the  hills  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Hakodadi,  and  in  niches  and  small  shrines  under  shadow  of  groves  of  cy- 
press and  other  trees  by  the  wayside,  are  frequent  stone  statues  of  Buddha, 
venerable  with  age  and  moss-grown,  about  four  feet  high,  elevated  upon 
small  pedestals,  and  the  innumerable  offerings  of  copper  cash,  rags,  flowers, 
and  written  papers,  strewed  before  them,  prove  the  large  number  of  devotees 
and  the  attention  of  the  people  to  their  devotional  duties.  The  Japanese 
resort  frequently  to  these  roadside  deities,  and  the  higher  they  are  perched, 
and  the  more  inaccessible  their  aproach,  the  greater  is  esteemed  the  merit  in 
invoking  them.  These  idols  are  supposed  to  have  great  power  in  warding 
off  the  storms  or  disasters  to  which  mariners  on  that  inhospitable  coast  are 
exposed,  and  most  of  the  offerings  are  made  with  a view  to  propitiate  Bud- 
dha and  his  associate  deities  in  the  event  of  an  approaching  danger.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  statues,  there  are  distributed  along  the  roads  and  pathways 
frequent  stone  slabs  with  inscriptions  and  a gallows-shaped  gateway,  fanci- 
fully carved  and  ornamented  beams,  with  two  vertical  and  a single  horizon- 
tal one  crossing  them  at  the  top.  These  are  never  passed  by  the  pious 
Japanese  without  a genuflexion  and  the  utterance  of  a passing  prayer;  and 
so  frequent  are  the  stoppages  in  consequence,  that  the  American  officers, 
when  strolling  into  the  country  under  the  guidance  of  a native,  found  their 
journey  indefinitely  prolonged,  and  their  patience  sorely  taxed. 

The  question  naturally  arises,  what,  upon  a survey  of  the  whole  ground, 
are  the  prospects  of  now  presenting  Christianity  to  the  Japanese  mind  with 
any  hope  of  a favorable  reception?  To  this  subject  Mr.  Jones,  the  chap- 
lain, naturally  directed  his  thoughts,  and  his  sound  judgment,  added  to  his 
known  pious  zeal,  entitles  his  opinions  to  the  respect  of  Christians  of  all 
denominations.  He  thus  writes : 

“ Apart  from  governmental  influence,  I think  there  would  be  no  great 
difficulty  in  introducing  Christianity;  hut  the  government  would  interfere 
most  decidedly.  I performed  funeral  services  on  shore  four  times  : once  at 
Yoku-hama,  twice  at  Hakodadi,  and  once  at  Simoda;  in  every  instance  in 
the  presence  of  the  Japanese,  and,  in  most,  when  large  numbers  were 
collected.  They  always  behaved  well.  Japanese  officers  were  present,  with 
their  insignia,  on  all  occasions.  I thus  became  known  among  the  people 
everywhere  as  a Christian  clergyman,  or,  to  follow  their  signs  for  designa- 
ting me,  as  ‘ a praying  man.’  Instead  of  this  producing  a shrinking  from 
me,  as  I had  supposed  it  would,  I found  that  I had  decidedly  gained  by  it  in 
their  respect,  and  this  among  officials  as  well  as  commoners.  At  our  last 
visit  to  Simoda  we  found  a new  governor,  it  having  now  become  a royal  in- 


h f f I-  'o  it'' ' 'if  V 


' ..  K ■’' 


fjjt  if*,.i(i-'<'  } :i'*'  ',  ' f' 

, _ , , . . I • ^ j • t'  ■.  ' 

■•  - • -B|V>  I.  Ik.  • %■«  ■ ' Vb  1 


In-?’  '•'.'‘-a:’-'''<’T  ■'  ''‘=-  -;■  -V^i'': 

k . ..  •**&_  /.•iJ.k  :jlatj,X  ...  . .I.'l.,  . . T ..  . ‘ -i'.  rt  ■ ? ;*...f«.'.  . .■  f 


Li'<  *i<fW''  •'. ‘-*i.;w''  ■■>«■.  .'V'^'.:/'  ' , ■ - "I'.  ■■  ;■  ' V-.'  ■ .■•■  <; 

fe'nv  4"-A^'r-  ;-'-r 


p}’  •■  Iv.;  . ••^'"■'Vi  >?r 


' (ii  I,  /■'■'(^ 


tr;r*' 


• ^ ■ 


#J  •■'^fyi 


J£.__*-  I'-  • ;V  ivs.  ’*■-  Vm.  .iv.  m I 


••-pjirkr*.^  .:.'  ! • 'r.v-  -.7-.  ; ^ • 

l^r.  ’ <‘h^-’''  “i?  -i*lv‘v:'  -jW  " 

r’  5*  ■ * •*"  •■  ’ ‘ ’ . ■ . • • ^ '.  . • .^  i**9^  ^ 

L->  ■ V> 

L|C  j"  *'  f WA' ■'•’■‘.^  ' 

»J».  ‘ ,iK.,». j 

fctvi  . , "'W*  " 

ln&3L‘.  . -lA  1 ...  fr  .v.ai, . -tr  ...v 


.TP*"  • • , :a  \ .,• 


^ i'^ 


l^f-^  ^ . ,:  ,■ : A ' > >.  ..  -.  -;  ->-  ' ■ ' ' - ■ \ V ■•^;, 

l-w  .,(  ~irr  -.jijs^  ■it^a  ..  4/«A’-y;^kV  •'.;/-  ■ ■■.;■:.«  .»V'  v7 

^■-  ' ■.  -i  1 . . '*  ' .'  fr  ' ’ ',.■’  . tV-'t  .,•/,  'fel’ 


j|fi'  v*'»*>’* 

' ' ■*  il^ 


■ 09  , ’ 

['fli  .l>.Vlr;...,r 


[jA-  ,h 


...  A . •■'  • • '■  '';*W 

-.j.  r-' : " ' •■'  " W It  V.f  o ■*• .,'.  \ 

t -'A*  ' 

, Ait  'J  ■ e^V--  ; ' ' ' 

.„.'  Lr«>---  ■ .'.■*>  ' '■  - 

A -J  ^.iW-  . ■ ■ • ■ 


RJ 


.^- 


(,v  '•  . . 


iM- 


I 


IN  Fl'l-l.  DlilibS.  SIMUl'A 


PROSPECTS  FOR  CHRISTIANITY. 


517 


stead  of  a provincial  town.  This  governor  was  an  affable,  yet  dignified,  man, 
of  very  polished  manners,  and  would  compare  favorably  with  tbe  best  gen- 
tlemen in  any  country.  At  the  bazaar,  amid  the  buying,  &c.,  I was  led  up 
to  him  by  one  of  the  officials  and  introduced  as  a clergyman.  The  gover- 
nor’s countenance  brightened  up  as  my  office  was  announced,  and  his  saluta- 
tion and  treatment  of  me  became  additionally  courteous.  I mention  this, 
however,  for  what  it  may  be  worth.  There  was  no  seeming  aversion  to  me 
because  I was  a minister  of  Christianity.  The  government,  however, 
beyond  all  doubt,  is  exceedingly  jealous  about  our  religion  ; but  the  Japa- 
nese officials,  as  well  as  the  people,  are  so  inquisitive,  and  so  observant  of  all 
that  comes  within  their  reach,  that,  doubtless,  after  a time,  they  might  be 
brought  to  see  the  difference  between  ourselves  and  the  Romanists.  Against 
the  latter  they  have  a deep-seated  dislike.  Until  they  do  understand  that 
difference,  no  form  of  Christianity  can  probably  get  foothold  in  Japan.” 

There  is  little  appearance  of  military  defence  about  Hakodadi,  though  its 
position  would  seem  to  offer  advantages  for  rendering  it  almost  impregnable. 
Beyond  the  town,  however,  in  an  easterly  direction,  there  are  two  earthen 
forts  dug  out  of  the  ground,  and  intended,  apparently,  to  guard  the  entrance 
to  the  harbor.  Stakes  or  palisades  are  driven  in  along  the  cuttings  to 
prevent  the  earth  from  caving  in,  and  to  aid  in  the  defence.  Two  wooden 
buildings  stand  near  by,  which  are  connected  with  magazines  underneath 
the  excavated  area  of  the  forts.  Within  these  latter  is  a pavement  of  stone 
and  embrasures  of  four  feet  in  width,  opening  in  the  eastern  embankment 
looking  seaward,  and  made  apparently  for  only  two  guns.  On  the  beach  at 
the  eastern  end  of  the  main  street,  there  is  a building,  with  a broad  enclo- 
sure, which  seems  to  be  intended  for  purposes  of  fortification,  although  from 
the  absence  of  cannon  and  other  warlike  appointments,  it  may  be  only  used 
for  a parade  ground.  There  are  better  specimens  of  military  defence  in 
Japan  than  those  rude  constructions,  as,  for  example,  at  Uraga,  where 
several  stone  forts  exist,  built  according  to  better  principles  of  art,  although 
there  are  probably  none  in  the  whole  country  which  could  withstand  a slight 
cannonading  from  European  or  American  ships  of  war,  or  even  an  attack 
from  a few  well  armed  boats. 

The  country  about  Hakodadi,  though  picturesque  to  the  view,  did  not 
present  such  attractions  for  the  pedestrian  as  that  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Simoda.  The  environs  are  comparatively  rude  and  uncultivated,  and  the 
land  is  so  broken  by  the  hills  and  mountainous  elevations,  that  the  roads 
are  necessarily  steep,  irregular,  and  toilsome  to  the  traveller.  The  isolated 
rock  at  the  base,  and  on  the  side  of  which  the  town  is  built,  is  steep  and  rough, 
but  is  ascended  by  a winding  path  to  the  top.  The  summit  commands  a 
fine  view  of  the  harbor,  and  was  often  scaled  by  the  officers  of  the  expe- 
dition, where  they  were  reminded  of  the  high  advance  in  art  of  the  country 
by  finding  an  observatory,  or  look-out  for  vessels,  supplied  with  a telescope 


518 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


of  J apanese  manufacture,  being  arranged  -with  glasses  like  our  own,  inserted 
in  a tube  of  bamboo. 

The  geological  features  of  the  hill  itself  are  of  considerable  interest. 
It  is  composed  of  a variety  of  granite,  the  sienite,  generally  gray,  though 
occasionally  of  a reddish  tint,  in  which  crystals  of  tourmaline  are  more  or 
less  abundantly  diffused.  On  the  southwestern  side  of  the  promontory,  the 
rock  has  been  first  torn  apart  by  some  subterranean  force,  leaving  a crevice 
about  twenty  feet  in  width,  and  subsequently  another  upheaving  movement 
has  forced  up,  so  as  to  fill  the  space  partially,  a rocky  substance,  similar  to 
the  mountain  in  kind,  but  with  no  tourmaline,  and  a softer  feldspar,  having 
the  character  of  the  porphyritic  formation.  At  this  point  a mineral  spring 
issues  from  the  crevices  of  the  rock.  It  is  considerably  impregnated  with 
sulphuretted  hydrogen  gas,  as  was  very  evident  from  its  taste  and  odor,  is 
warm  to  the  touch,  and  one  of  the  surgeons  reports  it  as  “ sitting  lightly  on 
the  stomach.”  Its  gases  and  odor  are  lost,  however,  by  being  kept  even  for 
a short  time.  The  water  contains  chloride  of  sodium,  and  probably  some 
mineral  sulphate  or  sulphuret.  The  intelligent  medical  officer  Dr.  Green, 
to  whose  account  we  are  indebted  for  our  information,  further  reports  it  to 
be  medicinally  somewhat  diuretic  and  slighty  aperient,  and  infers  that  it 
would  be  probably  beneficial  in  some  cutaneous  diseases  and  chronic  com- 
plaints, where  the  secretions  are  disordered  or  suppressed.  The  natives, 
who  accompanied  the  Americans  to  the  spring,  made  signs  that  the  water 
was  not  good  to  drink,  but  excellent  to  bathe  in;  and  the  erection  of  a pre- 
siding deity  in  its  neighborhood,  and  the  frequent  use  of  it  by  the  inhabit- 
ants for  washing  themselves,  proved  a high  appreciation  of  its  qualities. 

A few  hundred  yards  west  of  the  sulphur  spring,  at  the  back  of  the 
town,  is  a natural  cave  in  the  mountain.  It  opens  from  the  sea  into  a steep, 
perpendicular  cliif,  and  can  be  entered  only  by  means  of  a boat.  It  is  about 
thirty  feet  high,  a dozen  or  so  in  width,  and  the  water  at  the  entrance  has  a 
depth  of  nearly  twenty  feet.  A party  from  the  ships  penetrated  it  until  the 
darkness  of  the  interior  became  so  great  that  objects  could  no  longer  be 
distinguished ; it  was  found,  however,  by  groping  along,  that  the  cave 
branched  off  to  the  right  and  left,  with  apparently  the  same  depth  of  water 
and  the  same  height  of  roof  as  at  the  entrance.  Within,  a perfect  calmness 
reigned,  the  water  being  almost  motionless,  and  the  atmosphere  close  and  un- 
disturbed by  a breath  of  wind.  When  the  light  was  sufficient,  the  bottom 
could  be  seen  glistening  brightly  with  a deposit  of  white  sand.  When 
storms  prevail,  there  must  be  a great  rushing  of  waters,  and  war  of  the 
winds,  through  this  cavernous  channel.  The  entrance  to  the  cave  is  arched, 
and  the  rocky  cliif  in  which  it  opens  has  a columnar  formation,  extending 
from  the  curve  of  the  arch,  high  up  the  rock.  At  first  sight  it  was  sup- 
posed to  be  basalt,  as  it  had  a similar  appearance  to  the  columns  of  the 
Giant’s  Causeway  in  Ireland ; but  on  fiu-ther  investigation,  the  geological 


w 


h 


FISHING,  HAKODADI. 


TO  "a  ^ a -t  u w i>  o 

siM,  •^i!lv*'i«’«iS^  V.ifM  mA*  «( i.t  ootu.lji 

. . w . ' ,,'  .aiiilkit-.m 

nWkM  Mtfll  unr  <^ia«<u/pk,| 

vn  »(brt 

*,  <so(fl  hair  t'l  •■: 

f"-  '^k .iia  ia<M«U.i«n'. i-^J 
• «v/Ti4'a^»i»r1r.’^»  >#1  u *x;3*‘j^ 

^«i  |iw t,*j.  HI  Ini^ruiM  . 

W44?  iJlliV  Aitw  Ti»<i  if  iru/ iJttAr  f 

5,,  ' r>  ■-'^,  „-  ,.l^.  yj,i 


■'■*>'  t ^ - ^r- 

> t(^i>i^r  hrt9>94^ 

^ l,nr^  §f«feifr»il  liftlJ  **1 

'i^ic4a^^s*n.»^ T */  ^^^’/;(Hv3#^r#<ifa*w  'uil  la  VujjM 

-i-.iiTHf 


,,iig, 


wu  It  I Am 


m 


it*.i,i-W  ’■*’ 


-J'  ■■'  ' ^ ■ ■*  ■ .t.  '-*^^  fi^yh'  Uiti.  ,v^r»| 

fT*ate  v.)'.ij^-^W«wi’.ri3f'  i’*>*^W*  .»1 '.JWflJt, 

'Z-jAV  hi  h^#kf  -tiiji  >»?  i..^«^: 

'W'  ^t*' ikiiitw  dmi^-^4*  h* 

«<awi  «#j,^,.»li»FaJ^!(';#hfi*i».^  1>. 

Pr<^.WSt6.K  v'llt  Jti  n>^v, 

xntffii/  wj^;  Jl»lht-ri‘Ht:  J'  ^Tr4i/ift(f,T,4^ 

i»ini  'W»Y  i» 

J,J^u 

>n  taT-i  v^iihutif 

liji^l^aiU  ^ai  iail^t  »v»i(T 

fSt'^iJT  M }(»(li»ir1<i  4*>a 

iiKa.ll«  Wj  m»«  ■Sl^’iif  (/-wttit  Jn 

,J  'lUWjiiifXi  iait«-  .s«<i«r'>iiii»>ji)a  hi”  Iy  hii'‘  ^whiK^J  a 

’til«it,f'’h(tt>yiu  ,ivt)t  ftjwv^i^^y  i^XiL»(ri)«{.s  • inttH  "iiat«/(i^  -iJCU  ^lti(4(Wi^ 

•e'v^t.'fi^  j.  ttMih-tj  Mri'f  • .ii»4)ri^»(itl/  Jii^Vaaf  ‘tlJ»'Aljl5ViillW(*  M >MtiU 
,i«oi,jtuH  >w  '<«<»ti>-A  r^airl  .'iiKai^i  /ts*  ^ «ivw^tw  >f  ^ 

in  .tiiJ'ra^yrn  biw*  tiiiM-t'iftu  iAf><4<b^linr^-9c,i4|liiMJt<^H  .fif^V 

“■  _ -'■  ■ 


.( 


COMMERCE  OF  HAKODADI. 


519 


formation  proved  to  be  the  sienitic  form  of  granite,  like  the  main  body  of 
the  mountain. 

The  peninsula  on  which  the  town  stands  affords  but  a few  score  of  acres 
of  arable  land  lying  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  highest  hill,  near  the  fishing 
village  of  Shirasawaki  on  the  seashore.  It  is  cultivated  in  vegetables,  prin- 
cipally for  the  consumption  of  the  people  of  Hakodadi.  Onions,  a few 
sweet  potatoes  and  radishes,  are  the  chief  products,  the  last  of  which  are  a 
very  favorite  article  of  food,  and  are  served  up  raw,  being  grated  and  used 
as  a condiment  with  fish,  and  cooked  by  stewing  and  boiling.  The  low  isth- 
mus which  connects  the  site  of  the  town  with  the  main  land  is  mostly  left 
uncultivated,  although  it  might  be  by  proper  tillage  rendered  tolerably  pro- 
ductive. Further  in  the  interior,  the  soil  is  more  worked,  and  large  crops 
are  obtained,  but  with  very  little  profit  to  the  farmer,  as  the  country  in  that 
direction  is  composed  of  a flat,  sandy  plain,  which  can  only  be  made  produc- 
tive by  immense  labor,  and  a great  expenditure  of  manure,  which  is  exten- 
sively used. 

There  are  several  beautiful  copses  of  pines  and  maples,  near  the  town, 
some  fruit  trees  and  flowering  shrubs,  and  the  vegetation  upon  the  lower 
acclivities  of  the  surrounding  hills  is  vigorous.  A large  variety  of  north- 
ern plants,  birches,  spiroeas,  laburnums,  wake-robins,  and  others  clothe  the 
sides,  and  afford  a scant  fuel  to  the  poor. 

The  inhabitants  of  Hakodadi  and  its  neighborhood  gaining  their  liveli- 
hood chiefly  from  commerce  and  the  fisheries,  necessarily  pay  but  little 
attention  to  agricultural  pursuits.  They  carry  on  a large  trade  with  the 
interior  of  the  island  of  Yesso,  with  Matsmai,  and  other  of  the  numerous 
towns  and  villages,  which  are  supplied  with  the  various  products  of  Japan 
by  means  of  the  brisk  commerce  which  exists  between  Hakodadi  and  the 
shipping  ports  on  the  coast  of  Nippon,  Sikok,  and  Kiu-siu.  The  junks 
engaged  in  this  shipping  trade  take  from  Hakodadi  cargoes  of  dried  and 
salted  fish,  prepared  seaweed,  charcoal,  deers’  horns,  timber,  and  other 
produce  of  Yesso,  and  bring  back  rice,  sugar,  tea,  various  grains,  sweet 
potatoes,  tobacco,  cloths,  silks,  porcelain,  lacquered  ware,  cutlery,  and  what- 
ever else  they  may  need.  More  than  a hundred  of  the  native  vessels  sailed 
for  different  southern  ports  of  the  Empire  during  the  short  stay  of  the 
Commodore,  and  all  had  cargoes  almost  exclusively  made  up  of  productions 
of  the  sea.  They  generally  travel  along  the  western  coast,  as  being  less 
boisterous,  and  affording  a greater  number  of  safe  anchoring  places.  These 
junks  are  all  nearly  of  the  same  dimensions  in  burden,  corresponding  to  about 
a hundred  tons  of  our  measurement,  and  in  construction,  rig,  and  equipment, 
precisely  alike.  More  than  a thousand  of  these  vessels  are  occasionally 
seen  at  one  time  at  anchor  in  the  port  of  Hakodadi.  The  principal  places 
with  which  this  commerce  is  carried  on  are  Sado,  lying  south  of  Matsmai, 
Yedo,  Yetchigo,  Nagasaki,  or  Simonosaki,  and  with  Osaka  and  Owari.  Of 


520 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


the  craft  in  which  this  commerce  is  carried  on  the  Commodore  has  fur 
nished  the  following  account : 

“ The  ramifications  of  the  laws  of  Japan  leave  nothing  unnoticed,  and  it 
has  been  more  than  once  remarked,  that  in  no  part  of  the  world  are  the 
established  laws  and  municipal  regulations  more  tlioroughly  enforced,  and 
so  in  respect  to  the  construction  of  vessels,  or  junks  as  they  are  called. 
The  builder  is  not  permitted  to  deviate  from  a uniform  rule,  in  model, 
size,  rig,  as  well  as  in  the  interior  arrangement. 

“ In  the  time  of  Kempfer,  the  authorized  dimensions  of  Japanese  mer- 
chant vessels  were,  as  he  tells  us,  ‘ fourteen  fathoms  long  and  four  fathoms 
broad,’  (length  84  and  breadth  24  feet;)  he  says  nothing  of  the  depth,  but 
from  their  flatness  I should  judge  that  the  hold  could  not  exceed  six  or 
eight  feet  under  deck.  These  proportions  have  not,  in  all  probability, 
changed  for  a long  period  before  Kempfer’s  book  appeared,  (which  was  pub- 
lished in  the  early  part  of  the  last  century,)  down  to  the  present  time. 

“ Those  which  came  within  my  observation,  and  I certainly  coiild  not 
have  seen  less  than  a thousand,  were  all  of  somewhat  similar  dimensions 
and  appearance ; the  drawings  to  which  the  reader  is  referred  are  so  accu- 
rate, that  any  precise  description  is  rendered  unnecessary,  and  it  is  only 
requisite  to  say  that  they  all  have  at  this  time  open  sterns,  with  a strong 
bulkhead  aft  to  keep  the  water  from  flowing  into  the  hold.  The  rudder  is 
of  large  and  unwieldy  size,  and  is  hoisted  up  or  lowered  by  means  of  run- 
ners worked  by  a windlass  fitted  in  the  cabin,  which  latter  is  also  used  in 
connexion  with  one  on  the  forecastle  for  hoisting  and  lowering  the  mast  and 
sail. 

“ The  cause  assigned  for  requiring  the  sterns  of  all  vessels  to  be 
constructed  in  this  way,  is  to  render  more  convenient  the  management 
of  the  rudder  ; Kempfer  and  other  writers  ascribe  it  to  the  suspicious 
policy  of  the  government,  which  forbids  any  of  its  vessels  to  visit  foreign 
countries;  and,  until  the  period  of  our  negotiations,  the  punishment  of 
death  was  adjudged  against  all  who,  by  design  or  accident,  were  thrown 
upon  a strange  land  ; and  hence  it  was  very  naturally  assumed  that  the  navi- 
gators of  these  frail  and  open  stern  craft  would  not  venture  beyond  the  sight 
of  land.  It  is  known,  however,  that  the  Chinese  junks  usually  have  sterns 
and  rudders  somewhat  similar,  and  a presumption  may  be  reasonably 
advanced  that  this  description  of  rudder  was  the  first  substitute  for  the 
paddle  oar  or  sweep  used  in  early  times  for  steering,  and  the  recess  in  the 
stern  has  been  left  for  the  sole  convenience  of  taking  the  rudder  out 
of  the  water. 

“ It  will  be  seen  by  the  drawings  that  these  vessels  have  a sharp  taper- 
ing bow,  with  a straight  projecting  stern.  They  have  but  one  mast,  and 
that  is  placed  considerably  abaft  the  centre  beam ; one  sail  only  is  used,  and 
that  a lug  with  a square  head.  This  is  worked  by  braces  to  the  yard  and 


Sinl'  YAUl),  SIM01>A. 


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'\«..'  .'  7,rj^4  .:  ) ihf  - i-  • . <*.  '■  ".f  "Mt 

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'll,'  ii . •.'.•  ■>'  \-fl«  <!- '<■'•>*  ■■(.  'Kttt 

-'^  ■■■•<1  ■*■:■'>'  -oil;! 

■ .«  - I * t 'V  (-‘liA’iii  li)  ■*  t .r  . i’  , .,.  _fc 

■'  ■!  ' '-f.  'M*.  •■  ■#  *4S»- 

, ..fi  i "iij  ■'  ,I.|.,^.  . ,.,i  r.-U' 


JAPANESE  JUNKS. 


521 


by  the  usual  tacks  and  sheets,  and  a number  of  bow-lines  attached  to  both 
leaches,  and  extending  well  up  towards  the  head;  these  are  intended  to 
keep  the  sail  flat,  when  on  a wind;  but  with  all  these  contrivances  it  cannot 
be  prevented  from  bellying  to  such  a degree  as  to  render  it  impossible  for 
the  vessel  to  work  nearer  the  wind  than  seven  points  on  either  tack ; and, 
to  make  the  sail  still  more  clumsy  and  unsuitable,  the  material  of  which  it 
is  made,  either  cotton  or  grass  cloth,  is  laced  together  in  vertical  breadths, 
instead  of  being  closely  sewed,  as  with  us. 

“ The  main  or  lower  deck  is  flush,  and  intended  to  be  sufficiently  strong 
and  water  tight  to  secure  the  cargo ; over  this  and  abaft  the  mast,  is  a sort 
of  half  deck,  which  covers  the  cabin,  and  is  also  of  tolerable  strength.  In 
this  cabin  the  officers,  passengers,  and  servants  are  quartered,  the  different 
apartments  being  formed  of  movable  bulkheads  or  screens ; here  also  is  the 
altar,  surmounted  by  an  image  of  some  patron  god.  Forward  of  the  mast, 
and  above  the  main  or  only  flush  deck,  is  a sort  of  pitched  roof,  with  sides 
resting  upon  the  gunwales.  This  is  covered  with  boards  or  thatch,  and 
serves  as  a shelter  for  the  crew,  averaging  about  thirty  in  number,  and  the 
stowing  of  the  least  valuable  part  of  the  cargo;  forward  of  this  is  the  cable 
windlass  and  a space  for  working  the  runner  forestay ; here  also  the  anchors 
are  stowed  when  on  board.” 

“ By  this  description  one  may  well  judge  of  the  unfitness  of  these  vessels 
even  for  navigating  the  coasts  and  islands  of  Japan,  made,  indeed,  more  dan- 
gerous by  the- prevalence  of  boisterous  and  foggy  weather  in  those  regions; 
doubtless  many  of  them  are  lost,  but  their  pilots  (for  each  has  an  under 
officer  of  this  class)  rarely  venture  a few  miles  from  the  land,  excepting 
when  running  from  island  to  island ; and  in  these  passages  they  never  leave 
port  without  favorable  weather  and  a fair  wind.” 

“ The  boats  are  large  and  commodious,  and  in  model  not  unlike  the 
junks ; they  are  usually  propelled  by  sculls,  which  are  worked  at  the  sides 
on  projections  from  the  gunwales,  the  oars  and  sculls  being  long  and  some- 
what bent.  At  Hakodadi  we  noticed  that  some  of  the  boatmen  used  their 
oars  in  the  American  fashion,  excepting  that  they  dropped  and  raised  their 
starboard  and  port  oars  alternatelj'',  and  not  uniformly  together  as  we  do. 
In  sculling,  the  Japanese  stand,  and  keep  perfect  measure  or  stroke  with 
their  sculls,  which  is  the  better  preserved  by  their  chauuting  a monotonous 
refrain,  every  alternate  man  swinging  his  body  in  opposite  directions,  one 
pushing,  the  other  pulling.  The  rowers  thus  vibrating  half  of  them  one 
way,  and  half  the  other,  the  boat  is  kept  perfectly  upright  as  she  dashes 
through,  or  rather  over,  the  water.” 

“ We  saw  nothing  remarkable  in  the  manner  or  workmanship  of  the  Japa- 
nese shipbuilders.  It  is  doubtful  whether  they  have  any  scientific  rules  for 
drafting  or  modelling,  or  for  ascertaining  the  displacement  of  water  by  their 


522 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


vessels ; nor  perhaps  has  it  been  necessary,  as  the  law  confined  them  all  to 
one  model  and  size.” 

“ The  tools  with  which  they  work  are  of  primitive  description,  and  the 
finest  of  their  work  is  not  remarkable  for  its  neatness;  copper  is  preferred 
to  iron  in  fastening,  when  it  can  be  advantageously  used,  and  this  is  doubt- 
less owing  to  the  great  abundance  of  the  former  as  a native  production.” 

“ It  is  a singular  fact,  strongly  illustrative  of  the  effect  produced  upon 
the  people  of  this  strange  country  by  our  friendly  and  social  communica- 
tions with  them,  that  the  law  already  mentioned,  which  restricted  the  con- 
struction of  their  vessels  to  one  particular  model,  and  that  also  inflicting 
death  upon  those  of  their  nation  who  should  return  to  the  Empire  after 
having  once  left  it,  no  matter  how,  were  both  suspended;  whether  annulled 
or  not,  I cannot  say.” 

“ Keyama  Yesaiman,  the  governor  of  Uraga,  was  authorized,  as  we  hav-e 
heard,  and  instructed  to  build  a vessel  after  the  model  of  the  storeship 
Supply,  a very  pretty  vessel,  and  the  Japanese  commissioners  who  nego- 
tiated with  me  invited  a native  we  had  on  board  the  flag-ship,  to  whom  the 
sailors  had  given  the  sobriquet  of  “ Sam  Patch,”  to  land  and  rejoin  his 
family,  pledging  themselves,  in  my  presence,  that  he  should  be  treated  kind- 
ly and  provided  for,  under  the  immediate  protection  of  one  of  them.  Since 
then  there  have  been,  as  I understand,  no  objections  made  to  the  return  of 
any  of  the  shipwrecked  Japanese ; but  how  far  they  have  improved  in  ship- 
building, I have  not  heard.” 

“ We  saw  no  war  junks,  and  it  is  probable  they  have  none  of  any  size, 
the  country  not  having  been  engaged  for  a long  period  in  war.  They  con- 
tent themselves,  most  likely,  in  putting  light  swivels  or  howitzers  on  the 
larger  of  their  boats,  whenever  they  cannot  depend  entirely  upon  their 
many  land  batteries.” 

A very  large  portion  of  the  population  is  engaged  in  the  fisheries,  which 
supply  an  abundant  product.  While  the  American  squadron  was  in  the 
harbor,  the  seine  was  frequently  drawn  by  the  sailors  of  the  ships,  and 
large  quantities  of  excellent  fish  obtained,  consisting  of  salmon,  salmon  trout, 
groupers,  white  fish,  porgies,  perch,  flounders,  herrings,  whitings,  mullets, 
and  various  other  kinds.  The  salmon  we  took  are  not  more  than  half  the 
size  of  those  obtained  in  the  United  States,  but  are  superior  to  them  in 
flavor.  (Specimens  of  smoked  salmon  from  further  north  were  as  large  as 
ours.)  Crabs,  clams  of  the  genus  venus,  with  beautifully-marked  shells, 
and  the  large  blue  muscle,  are  found  in  great  abundance.  The  crabs  are 
of  considerable  size,  and  proved  excellent  eating,  quite  equal  to  the  famous 
ones  of  the  Chesapeake. 

The  sportsmen  of  the  expedition,  in  their  occasional  rambles,  succeeded 
in  obtaining  but  few  specimens  of  birds  or  animals.  Wild  geese,  ducks, 
quail,  and  other  descriptions  of  game  are,  however,  abundant  in  their  sea- 


ip',  , y 'i  A i ^ i ' 


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PROSPECTS  OF  HAKODADI. 


523 


sons,  but  the  pheasant  is  rarely  seen;  of  common  birds  there  are  found 
some  curlew,  plover  and  snipe.  The  fox,  the  wild  boar,  the  deer,  and  the 
bear,  are  occasionally  hunted.  The  fox  is  looked  upon  by  the  Japanese  as 
possessed  of  an  evil  spirit,  and  is  represented  in  their  allegories  as  a willing 
agent  of  the  devil,  and  with  this  belief  the  animal  is  pursued  to  the  death. 
The  people  do  not  attempt  to  deprecate  the  wrath  and  cunning  of  his  satanic 
majesty  and  his  brood,  as  in  some  countries,  but  manfully  hold  them  in 
defiance,  and  boldly  give  them  battle.  A male  and  female  fox,  with  another 
animal  allied  to  them  in  species,  were  shot,  and  their  skins  preserved. 

Hakodadi,  in  the  future,  will  pi’obably  be  frequented  by  our  whalers,  as 
it  is  conveniently  situated  to  their  usual  resorts.  Von  Siebold  states  that 
sixty-eight  square-rigged  vessels  were  counted  by  the  Japanese  as  passing 
Hakodadi  and  Matsmai  in  one  year,  and  probably  nearly  all  these  were 
American,  and  most  of  them  engaged  in  the  whale  fishery.  Von  Siebold, 
moreover,  significantly  adds,  “ and  not  one  daring  to  approach  the  shore 
within  gunshot.”  The  treaty  has,  however,  dispelled  these  alarms,  and 
American  vessels  are  now  secured  a safe  retreat  and  a place  for  obtaining 
necessary  supplies. 

Hakodadi  will  not  probably  soon  become  a place  of  much  trade  with 
American  vessels,  but  it  can  readily  supply  to  the  whalers  and  other  ships 
good  water  and  abundance  of  fish,  poultry,  vegetables,  and  some  timber, 
and  other  articles,  the  varieties  and  quantities  of  which  will  no  doubt 
increase  with  the  demand.  Fish,  however,  is  the  great  staple  food  of  the 
people  throughout  the  Empire  of  Japan,  and  is  justly  called  by  them  their 
staff  of  life ; and  to  express  their  appreciation  of  its  value,  they  invariably 
wrap  up  a bit  of  it  in  paper  and  send  it  with  each  gift.  Cattle  are  only 
used  for  the  plough  and  as  beasts  of  burden,  so  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to 
obtain  a supply  of  beef.  Horses  are  used  a good  deal  in  tiakodadi  and  the 
neighborhood  for  carrying  burdens,  and  also  for  riding  purposes.  These 
animals  seem  of  an  excellent  breed,  and  though  small,  are  neatly  limbed, 
spirited,  and  of  good  bottom.  The  roads,  which,  by-the-bye,  are  provided 
with  roadside  conveniences  answering  to  the  French  cabinets  dfaisances, 
are  excellent  throughout  the  country,  and  are  occasionally  wide  and  paved, 
though  most  frequently  they  are  mere  bridle  paths,  but  kept  in  good  order 
for  the  horsemen,  the  pack  animals,  and  the  sedans  or  kagos. 

These  latter  are  most  generally  used  for  travelling,  and  consist  of  small 
wooden  boxes,  supported  by  poles,  which  are  carried  upon  the  shoulders  of 
the  bearers.  They  are  adorned  and  enriched  according  to  the  distinction 
of  the  proprietors,  but  are  never  very  comfortable  conveyances. 

Hakodadi  is  several  degrees  further  north  than  Simoda,  and  is  surround- 
ed like  it  with  mountains,  which  are,  however,  more  numerous  and  lofty, 
though  at  a further  distance  from  the  town.  These  were  found  to  be  cov- 
ered at  their  summits  and  on  their  upper  acclivities  with  snow,  as  late  as 


524 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN, 


the  month  of  June.  The  climate  of  Hakodadi  is,  therefore,  colder  than 
that  at  Simoda  in  winter  and  spring,  and  the  fogs  are  both  frequent  and 
dense.  The  i-ange  of  the  thermometer  from  May  18  to  June  3 was  from 
51°  to  66°,  and  that  of  the  barometer  29°  45'  to  30°  05'. 

The  changes  of  temperature  and  humidity  are  sudden  and  extreme,  and 
therefore  render  the  inhabitants  liable  to  inflammatory  diseases,  but  proba- 
bly not  more  so  than  in  the  northern  cities  with  us. 

There  are  apparently  no  sources  of  miasma,  as  the  town  is  situated  at 
the  base  and  on  the  side  of  a considerable  mountain ; while  such  is  the  care- 
ful cultivation  and  draining  of  the  Japanese  farmers,  there  probably  can 
he  no  causes  of  ill  health  from  the  low  sandy  isthmus  and  the  level  plains 
which  connect  the  peninsula,  upon  which  Hakodadi  is  situated,  with  the 
distant  range  of  mountains.  It  may,  then,  he  reasonably  inferred,  that 
both  Hakodadi  and  Simoda  are  free  from  malignant  endemic  diseases,  and 
may  be  resorted  to  with  advantage  by  our  ships  of  war  on  the  China  sta- 
tion, particularly  at  that  period  of  the  year — the  latter  part  of  summer  and 
autumn — when  dysentery  and  fevers  are  usually  prevalent  there.  This 
opinion  has,  however,  more  particular  reference  to  the  climate ; for,  if  true, 
as  Golownin  says,  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  island  of  Yesso  are  subject  to 
scurvy,  it  will  be  necessary  for  vessels  to  provide  against  the  chances  of 
this  disease.  It  is  quite  probable  that  the  statement  of  Golownin  may  be 
correct,  as  occasionally  a scarcity  of  vegetable  food — a frequent  source  of 
scurvy — might  occur  towards  spring,  as  the  winters  are  so  long,  and  the 
space  so  short  for  culture,  which,  moreover,  is  the  exceptional  occupation 
of  the  people  along  the  coast,  who  are  mostly  engaged  in  commerce  and  in 
the  flsheries.  V essels,  therefore,  on  a long  cruise,  should  make  provision  for 
the  possible  want  of  vegetable  supplies  at  Hakodadi. 

'The  town  contains  from  six  to  eight  thousand  inhabitants,  who,  from 
their  manly  occupations  in  connexion  with  the  sea,  are  a comparatively 
vigorous  and  spirited  people. 

There  are  still  some  of  the  indigenous  race  of  Ainos  existing  upon  the  island 
of  Yesso,  but  they  are  rarely  seen  in  the  neighborhood  of  Hakodadi.  There 
was,  however,  during  the  expedition  sent  by  the  Commodore  to  Volcano 
Bay,  an  opportunity  of  obtaining  a casual  glance  at  these  strange  people, 
who  are  described  as  being  of  a stature  less  than  that  of  Europeans,  averag- 
ing a little  over  five  feet  in  height,  but  well  proportioned  and  with  intelli- 
gent features.  Their  color  is  quite  dark,  and  their  hair  black  and  coarse, 
which  is  clipped  behind,  but  allowed  to  straggle  in  thick  matted  locks  down 
in  front,  in  a confused  cluster  with  their  long  beards,  which  are  never  cut  or 
shaven.  Their  legs  are  bare  of  artificial  covering,  but  are  grown  over  with 
a plentiful  crop  of  coarse  hair,  which,  together  with  the  abundant  growth 
on  their  heads  and  faces,  has  given  them  the  name,  by  which  they  are  better 
known,  of  “Hairy  Kuriles.”  Theii'  dress  was  a coarse  and  ragged  blue 


i 


■I 

I 


I 


I 


X 


I 


JAPANESE  COOPEE, 


CABINET  WARE. 


SHOES  WORN  RY  JAPANESE. 


SKILL  OF  JAPANESE  MECHANICS, 


525 


undergarment  reaching  below  the  knees,  over  which  was  thrown  carelessly 
a brown  sack  with  wide  sleeves,  made  of  grass  or  skins.  Their  dishevelled 
hair  and  rude  costume  gave  them  a wild  look,  and  they  had  a dirty,  poverty- 
stricken  aspect.  Their  chief  occupation  is  that  of  fishing,  which  they  carry 
on  under  the  eye  and  for  the  benefit  of  their  Japanese  taskmasters,  to  whose 
absolute  will  they  are  subject. 

Though  the  people  of  Hakodadi  are  generally  engaged  in  the  fisheries, 
and  occupations  connected  with  a nautical  life,  there  are,  of  course,  to  be 
found  in  the  town  persons  of  all  classes,  trades,  and  occupations. 

In  speaking,  moreover,  in  the  course  of  the  following  remarks,  upon 
Japanese  life,  as  illustrated  by  manners,  habits,  customs,  and  occupations, 
chiefly  observed  at  Hakodadi,  it  must  not  be  inferred  that  what  is  said 
applies  exclusively  to  the  inhabitants  of  that  place,  as  a more  general  bear- 
ing is  intended. 

In  the  practical  and  mechanical  arts,  the  Japanese  show  great  dexter- 
ity ; and  when  the  rudeness  of  their  tools  and  their  imperfect  knowledge  of 
machinery  are  considered,  the  perfection  of  their  manual  skill  appears 
marvellous.  Their  handicraftsmen  are  as  expert  as  any  in  the  world,  and, 
with  a freer  development  of  the  inventive  powers  of  the  people,  the  Japa- 
nese would  not  remain  long  behind  the  most  successful  manufacturing- 
nations.  Their  curiosity  to  learn  the  results  of  the  material  progress  of 
other  people,  and  their  readiness  in  adapting  them  to  their  own  uses,  would 
soon,  under  a less  exclusive  policy  of  government,  which  isolates  them  from 
national  communion,  raise  them  to  a level  with  the  most  favored  countries. 
Once  possessed  of  the  acquisitions  of  the  past  and  present  of  the  civilized 
world,  the  Japanese  would  enter  as  powerful  competitors  in  the  race  for 
mechanical  success  in  the  future. 

Every  American  admired  the  skilful  workmanship  of  the  carpenters  as 
displayed  in  the  construction  of  the  wood-work  in  the  houses,  the  nice 
adjustment  and  smooth  finish  of  the  jointing,  the  regularity  of  the  flooring, 
and  the  neat  framing  and  easy  working  of  the  window  casements  and  mov- 
able door  panels  and  screens.  The  general  designs  of  the  houses  and  public 
buildings  were  very  inferior  to  the  execution  of  the  details  of  construction. 
The  former  were  uniform,  and  probably  in  accordance  with  the  ancient 
models,  and  showed  a constraint  of  inventive  power  within  rules  doubtless 
prescribed  by  government,  while  the  latter  evinced  that  perfection  of  finish 
which  belongs  alone  to  progressive  experience.  As  in  the  carpentry,  so  in 
the  masonry,  there  was  no  freedom  nor  boldness  of  conception,  but  the 
most  complete  execution.  Their  stone  was  well  cut,  and  their  walls  strong- 
ly and  regularly  built,  generally  in  the  massive  Cyclopean  style. 

The  coopers  were  found  to  be  very  expert  at  Hakodadi,  where  a large 
number  of  barrels  was  constantly  in  the  process  of  manufacture  for  pack- 
ing the  dried  and  salted  fish.  The  barrels  are  firkin-shaped,  bulging  at  the 


526 


EXPKDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


top,  and  are  rapidly  and  skilfully  hooped  with  plaited  bamboo.  There  are 
many  workers  in  metal  for  ornamental  and  useful  purposes.  The  Japanese 
understand  well  the  carbonizing  of  iron,  and  the  temper  of  much  of  their 
steel  is  good,  as  was  proved  by  the  polish  and  sharpness  of  their  sword- 
blades.  The  cutlery,  however,  in  common  use  at  Hakodadi  was  of  an  infe- 
rior kind,  and  the  barber  of  one  of  the  ships  pronounced  a razor,  purchased 
in  the  town,  as  abominably  bad,  neither  cutting  nor  capable  of  being  made 
to  cut.  The  blacksmiths  are  numerous  and  busy  in  the  town,  hut  their 
work  is  of  a small  kind,  as  they  do  not  use  the  base  metals  in  large  masses, 
but  chiefly  as  parts  of  various  implements  and  articles,  of  which  wood 
forms  the  larger  portion. 

Their  bellows  are  peculiar,  being  a wooden  box  with  air  chambers,  con 
taining  valves  and  a piston,  which  is  worked  horizontally  at  one  end  like  a 
hand  pump,  while  the  compressed  air  issues  from  two  outlets  at  the  sides. 


Charcoal  is  generally  used  as  the  fuel,  of  which  large  quantities  are 
made  in  the  forests  of  the  mountains  of  the  interior,  and  brought  to  the 
town  by  droves  of  pack-horses,  which  are  seen  constantly  trotting  through 
the  streets. 

As  the  commerce  of  Hakodadi  is  extensive,  the  ship,  or  rather  junk 
yards,  showed  much  activity,  and  great  numbers  of  vessels  were  constantly 
seen  there  in  progress  of  construction.  Pine  is  the  material  of  which  the 
vessels  of  all  sizes  are  built,  and  copper  is  used  extensively  for  bolting  and 
for  other  purposes.  The  models  are  much  superior  to  those  of  the  Chinese ; 
but  of  this  department  of  industry  we  have  already  spoken  fully. 

Nothing  was  seen  of  the  higher  and  more  complicated  branches  of  in- 
dustrial art  in  operation,  although  the  shops  were  supplied  with  fabrics 
which  proved  no  little  skill  and  perfection  in  various  manufactures.  The 
people  seemed,  however,  to  be  unacquainted  with  woollen  tissues,  aud  exhib- 
ited great  curiosity  in  examining  the  cloth  dresses  of  the  Americans.  Cotton 
is  much  worn  by  the  lower  classes,  and  is  generally  coarsely  woven,  being 
ordinarily  made  in  private  looms  at  home.  Every  Japanese  woman  is  more 


n 

li 


Hi.ACKSMri'ii’s  aijop,  simoha. 


JAPANESE  ART. 


527 


or  less  an  adept  at  handling  the  wheel,  the  spindle,  and  shuttle,  and  they 
were  often  seen  busy  in  preparing  the  threads  and  weaving  the  rude  fabric 
of  which  the  garments  of  the  poorer  classes  are  commonly  made. 

Their  cottons  are  occasionally  printed  with  colors,  forming  neat  calico 
patterns,  but  their  tints  readily  fade  and  will  not  bear  washing.  The  width 
of  the  calico  pieces,  like  that  of  the  silks  and  crapes,  is  uniformly  eighteen 
inches.  This  is  not  suited  to  an  American  or  European  market.  Their 
silks  are  rich  and  heavy,  and  somewhat  like  our  brocade  in  texture,  but 
stouter  and  less  flexible.  They  are  often  of  very  elaborate  figured  patterns, 
interwoven  with  golden  threads,  and  exceedingly  beautiful.  These  are 
mostly  used  for  the  state  robes  of  the  high  officials  and  dignitaries  of  the 
land.  A very  high  price  was  generally  demanded  for  these  silks,  though,  in 
one  instance,  one  of  the  officers,  from  some  cause  or  other,  purchased  a piece 
at  Hakodadi  at  thirteen  cents  per  yard.  The  various  colored  crapes  are 
some  of  them  very  flimsy,  and  are  an  essential  part  of  Japanese  upholstery, 
being  often  seen  as  coverings  to  divans  or  seats,  and  hangings  to  apartments. 
Other  pieces  are  superior  to  Chinese  crapes. 

The  lacquered  ware  has  all  the  lightness,  neatness  of  cabinet-work 
structure,  and  exquisite  polish,  that  seems  possible  in  work  of  that  descrip- 
tion, and  the  porcelain  is  equal  to  the  choicest  specimens  of  similar  Chinese 
work.  The  forms  and  ornamentation  of  the  various  articles,  although 
frequently  grotesque,  showed  much  grace  and  skill,  and  proved  great 
advancement  in  the  application  of  the  arts  of  design  to  manufacturing  pur- 
poses. 

In  examining  into  the  character  of  art  exhibited  by  the  Japanese  in 
the  illustrated  books  and  pictures  brought  home  by  the  officers  of  the 
expedition,  of  which  several  specimens  are  now  before  us,  the  same  surpris- 
ing advancement  of  this  remarkable  people,  as  they  have  shown  in  so  many 
other  respects,  is  strikingly  observable.  To  the  archaeologist  there  is 
presented  in  these  illustrations  a living  example  of  the  archaic  period  of  a 
national  art,  when  the  barbaric  character  of  the  past  seems  to  be  fast  losing 
its  rude  features  in  the  early  and  naive  beginnings  of  a sober  and  cultivated 
future.  We  are  reminded,  in  a degree  truly  surprising,  of  the  monochro- 
matic designs  upon  the  Etruscan  vases.  We  find  simplicity  of  expression 
rather  than,  as  might  be  expected,  extravagance  and  grotesqueness ; and  a 
soberness  of  coloring  so  far  removed  from  the  gaudy  tendencies  of  oriental 
taste,  that,  as  we  look,  we  are  almost  persuaded  that  we  have  here  a begin- 
ning of  that  unextravagant  expression  of  nature  which,  in  the  early  Greek 
efforts,  though  crude,  is  so  interesting  to  the  antiquarian  and  artist.  The 
character  and  form  in  these  Japanese  illustrations,  though  apparently  much 
in  advance  of  Chinese  art,  are  still  typical  rather  than  naturalistic ; yet  they 
arc  marked  by  an  observation  of  nature  which  removes  them  from  anything 
like  conventionalism  or  manner. 


528 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


One  of  these  specimens  is  a book  in  two  volumes,  written  by  the  Prince 
Hayashi,  the  chief  member  of  the  imperial  commission  appointed  to  negotiate 
the  treaty,  and  presented  by  him  to  Commodore  Perry.  The  subject  treated 
of  is  “ The  Points  of  a Horse,”  and  the  work  is  illustrated  by  a large  num- 
ber of  pictures.  These  illustrations  are  from  woodcuts  of  bold  outline,  and 
apparently  printed  with  a tint  to  distinguish  each  in  the  various  groups  of 
the  animal,  by  sober  greys,  reds,  and  blacks.  The  style  might  be  classed  as 
that  of  the  mediaeval,  and  the  horses  might  pass  for  those  sketched  in  the 
time  of  Albert  Durer,  though  with  a more  rigid  adherence  to  nature.  They 
exhibit,  what  may  be  noticed  in  the  Elgin  marbles,  a breed  of  small  stature 
and  finely  formed  limbs,  such  as  are  found  in  southern  countries.  There  is 
great  freedom  of  hand  shown  in  the  drawing.  The  animals  are  represented 
in  various  attitudes,  curvetting,  gambolling,  and  rolling  upon  the  ground, 
positions  requiring  and  exhibiting  an  ability  in  foreshortening,  which  is 
found,  with  no  small  surprise,  in  Asiatic  art. 

Another  example  of  Japanese  art  before  us  is  a species  of  frieze,  if  we 
may  so  call  it,  cut  in  wood  and  printed  on  paper  in  colors.  It  presents  a 
row  or  line  of  the  huge  wrestlers  of  whom  we  have  spoken  on  a previous 
page.  The  chief  point  of  interest  in  this  illustration,  considered  in  an 
artistic  sense,  is,  that,  apart  from  its  being  a successful  specimen  of  printing 
in  colors — a process,  by  the  way,  quite  modern  among  ourselves — there  is  a 
breadth  and  vigor  of  outline  compared  with  which  much  of  our  own  draw- 
ing appears  feeble,  and  above  all  things,  undecided.  Whatever  the  Japanese 
may  lack  as  regards  art,  in  a perception  of  its  true  principles,  the  style, 
grace,  and  even  a certain  mannered  dexterity  which  their  drawings  exhibit,  , 
show  that  they  are  possessed  of  an  unexpected  readiness  and  precision  of 
touch,  which  are  the  jjrominent  characteristics  in  this  picture  of  the  wrest- 
lers. There  is  no  stiffness  or  angularity  about  it.  There  is  also  a picture 
of  an  amphitheatre,  in  which  the  wrestlers  appear,  which  serves  to  correct  an 
error  found  in  former  writers  as  to  Japanese  ignorance  of  perspective. 

In  illustration  of  the  rapidity  and  dexterity  with  which  the  Japanese 
artists  work  we  have  the  testimony  of  the  chaplain  of  the  Mississippi,  the 
Rev.  Mr.  J ones,  who  employed  an  artist  at  Hakodadi  to  paint  for  him  a set 
of  screens.  Mr.  Jones  sat  by  the  painter  and  watched  him  at  his  work. 

He  made  no  previous  sketch,  but  drew  at  once  the  various  portions  of  the 
landscape,  putting  in  his  houses,  ships,  horses,  trees  and  birds,  with  wonder- 
ful readiness,  the  whole  being  a fancy  piece ; and  when  he  came  to  paint  the 
foliage  of  some  pines,  he  used  two  brushes  in  one  hand  at  the  same  time,  so 
as  to  expedite  his  work.  The  result  was,  though  not  a production  of  high 
art,  yet  a much  better  specimen  of  ornamental  screen  than  could  readily  be 
found  in  the  most  pretentious  manufacturing  establishments  of  our  own 
country.  And  here  we  may  add,  that  a very  remarkable  specimen  of 
Jaj^anese  linear  drawing  in  perspective  fell  under  Mr.  Jones’s  ob.servation. 


JAPANESE  DRAWINGS. 


529 


On  the  first  visit  of  the  squadron  to  Japan,  as  we  have  stated,  intense  inter- 
est was  excited  among  the  natives  hy  the  engines  of  the  steamers.  Their 
curiosity  seemed  insatiable,  and  the  Japanese  artists  were  constantly  em- 
ployed, when  they  had  opportunity,  in  making  drawings  of  parts  of  the 
machinery,  and  seeking  to  understand  its  construction  and  the  principles  of 
its  action.  On  the  second  visit  of  the  squadron,  Mr.  Jones  saw,  in  the 
hands  of  a Japanese,  a perfect  drawing,  in  true  proportion,  of  the  whole 
engine,  with  its  several  parts  in  place,  which  he  says  was  as  correct  and  good 
as  could  have  been  made  anywhere.  The  Japanese  artist  had  made  it,  and 
valued  it  very  highly,  being  unwilling  to  part  with  it  at  any  price  ; Mr. 
Jones  would  have  gladly  bought  it,  and  oifered  to  do  so,  that  he  might  bring 
it  home  as  a specimen  of  J apanese  skill. 

In  regard  to  anatomical  markings,  there  is,  in  the  specimens  of  Japanese 
drawings  we  have  before  us,  no  lack  of  such  a degree  of  correctness  as  may  he 
obtained  by  close  outward  observation  of  the  parts.  The  muscular  develop- 
ment of  the  horses,  both  in  action  and  at  rest,  is  shown  in  lines  sufficiently 
true  to  nature  to  prove  a very  minute  and  accurate  observation,  on  the  part 
of  the  artist,  of  the  external  features  of  his  subjects.  This  is  very  striking 
in  the  frieze  of  the  wrestlers  alluded  to  above.  It  is  characterized  by 
remarkable  precision  in  this  respect,  and  while  preserving  in  the  figures  all 
the  peculiar  features  of  the  Asiatic  stock,  the  outer  angle  of  the  eye  running 
upward,  the  small  corneas,  &c.,  there  is  distinctive  expression,  yet  with  simi- 
larity, and  a height  of  art  is  reached  in  the  drawings  corresponding,  as 
regards  naturalistic  characters,  with  what  has  been  found  in  some  of  the 
Nineveh  fragments. 

The  third  example  of  Japanese  art  is  afforded  by  an  unpretending, 
illustrated  child’s  book,  purchased  in  Hakodadi  for  a few  Chinese  copper 
“ cash.”  This  humble  little  primer  suggests  a thousand  points  of  interest  in 
connexion  with  the  Japanese,  and  acquaints  us  at  once  as  we  turn  over  the 
very  first  page,  with  an  important  fact  as  regards  their  advance  in  art.  We 
here  find  evidence  that,  unlike  the  Chinese,  the  artists  of  Japan  have,  as  we 
have  already  hinted,  a knowledge  of  perspective.  There  is  a balcony  pre- 
sented in  angular  perspective,  with  its  rafters  placed  in  strict  accordance 
with  the  principle  of  terminating  the  perspective  lines  in  a vanishing  point 
abruptly  on  the  horizon.  On  another  page  there  is  what  appears  to  be  some 
Tartar  Hercules  or  Japanese  St.  Patrick  clearing  the  land  of  reptiles  and 
vermin,  and  the  doughty  destroyer  is  brandishing  his  sword  in  the  most 
valiant  style.  This  is  drawn  with  a freedom  and  humorous  sense  of  the 
grotesque  and  ludicrous  that  are  rarely  found  in  similar  books  prepared  for 
the  amusement  of  children  with  us.  In  o.ne  of  the  illustrations  there  is  a 
quaint  old  shopman  peering  through  a pair  of  spectacles  stuck  upon  his  nose, 
and  made  precisely  like  the  double-eyed  glasses  just  now  so  fashionable, 
without  any  side  wires  or  braces  to  confine  them  to  the  head.  A number  of 
34 


530 


EXPEDITION  TO  J APAN, 


tea-chests  are  heaped  one  above  another  at  his  side,  and  the  perspective  oi 
these  is  perfectly  correct.  A glass  globe  of  gold  fish,  which  have  awakened 
the  hungry  instincts  of  a cat  that  wistfully  watches  their  movements  in  the 
water,  is  among  the  pictures.  A couple  of  chairmen,  who  have  put  down 
their  sedan  to  take  their  rest,  are  engaged  lighting  their  pipes ; and  a pro- 
fessor, seemingly  of  phrenology,  is  standing  amid  the  paraphernalia  of  his 
art,  whatever  it  be,  and  is  taking  the  measure  with  a pair  of  compasses  of  a 
bald-headed  disciple.  All  these  scenes  occur  among  the  illustrations  of  this 
little  book.  All  show  a humorous  conception  and  a style  of  treatment  far  in 
advance  of  the  mechanical  trash  which  sometimes  composes  the  nursery 
books  found  in  our  shops.  A people  have  made  some  progress  worth  study- 
ing who  have  a sense  of  the  humorous,  can  picture  the  ludicrous,  and  good- 
naturedly  laugh  at  a clever  caricature.  The  constant  recurrence  on  the 
margin  of  the  pages  of  these  Japanese  books  of  what  is  usually  called  by  ar- 
chitects “ the  Greek  fret  or  border,”  is  certainly  curious.  We  are  surprised 
by  a classic  form  that  we  would  not  have  expected  to  find  an  established 
feature  in  Oriental  art.  Not  less  surprising  also  is  it  to  find  another  archi- 
tectural form  belonging  to  what  is  usually  termed  the  “ Gothic  ” style.  If 
the  reader  will  turn  to  the  end  of  chapter  XXI.  he  will  find,  delineated  on 
a gong,  the  perfect  representation  of  the  trefoil  of  the  modern  architect ; it 
is  an  accurate  copy  from  the  original.  Our  artist  has  also  sketched  another, 
in  which  the  “ Gothic  ” pattern  is  plainly  seen.  These  are  singular  coinci- 
dences. 

There  is  great  scope  for  sculpture  in  the  image-worship  of  the  religion 
of  the  Japanese,  and,  accordingly,  statues  of  stone,  metal  and  wood,  abound 
in  the  temples,  shrines,  and  by  the  waysides.  The  mechanical  execution 
of  these  generally  exhibits  much  manual  skill,  but  none  of  them  are  to  be 
named  as  works  of  art.  The  wood  carving  is  often  exquisitely  cut,  and 
when  representing  natural  objects,  particularly  the  lower  animals  and  fa- 
miliar parts  of  vegetation,  are  often  remarkably  close  to  truth.  The  sculp- 
tured cranes,  tortoises,  and  fish,  which  are  among  the  most  frequent  subjects 
carved  upon  the  entablatures  and  cornices  of  the  houses  and  temples,  were 
continually  admired  for  their  fidelity  to  nature. 

With  the  exception  of  a temple  or  a gateway  here  and  there,  which,  in 
comparison  with  the  surrounding  low  houses,  appeared  somewhat  imposing, 
there  were  no  buildings  seen  which  impressed  the  Americans  with  a high 
idea  of  Japanese  architecture.  The  most  creditable  specimens  of  this  branch 
of  art  are  found  in  some  of  the  stone  causeways  and  bridges  which  are  often 
built  upon  single  bold  Roman  arches,  and  in  design  and  masonry  are  equal 
to  the  most  scientific  and  artistic  structures  anywhere. 

There  were  no  printing  establishments  seen  either  at  Simoda  or  Hako- 
dadi,  but  books  were  found  in  the  shops.  These  were  generally  cheap  works 
of  elementary  character,  or  popular  story  books  or  novels,  and  were  evident- 


ST' 


<■ 


■st  . ..  /'W’ 
'•I'u  ■.■■•:.-^i-,v  • 


- VI  "'ll  ’ jj'  »i  <i;j 

il^^!({!ti^|,j?.il^^  -,  !>m*‘  M 

^■imi 

N^S^'^-'.'  V^MU  V*;>''4V  Cf«iU,<>J  <‘4***<f 

il'iU^*tt4i'?  'f4i  ^'>  ’*W1"V.,'>;  iVv)C^  •■f'''» 

r,  ■■  rjjt>  H «J'i|»-t'}'i’»M 

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4 


'v.‘f  . ffffEmif*  <?:^)f>'':^’'r-^*:r'^>'-:»;'' 


e’ 


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P*fl  4 H -*  -; 

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JAPANESE  HORSE. 


JAPANESK  IKJPSE. 


W;%,  «r 


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Jt-*'''  fr  ■’  r ■» « 1 .1  a T w i 

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4<'  ^ijijjiii^A  f^'  amAjeWilf^  .-*51i»Min«il>'  rt-f 

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' ' V% ,tii^‘^«;*l»'>  tSj >v  *T^  *1!^  ■ 


B'i 


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.''&jli''  '*"«kk  f^g^^^f^tt  /►♦vf*'  .$t  '1(3 


m''lkm>'^. 


■j0f^y:„_‘-^;, .,  ' “It,  1*'  i»rr»)<J-S  «M(M||^f  -^f  ' '»< 

S'  -'W'**R*»lf^  ■iif'»  >■  ‘%:jj  -’..n,|»ti^iMl|’»*  ■ ‘C??’’,' 

.V>ifej  . 'M*'»  ’■  t>t*  iv . •ly's*^. 

i^w  <if ' iili^ ,fcW',>rt*’^'  fl,.*'^ 

4w*iit'  ■'  '■i?*'  tn^ ^ Hii«  kpniJ^ 

■»■■/  '.  / wiTfr'  M-V^*^  •sS'  •''»*  '^Pl 

!»«<>  --f  ■•■.'!,  Ifiit  ItU  ,Wii?J*.  .fK.’  h,,  .Kt 

. a---''»H^ij‘*i  . ' 4JJf>i*  3o  fj>4. 4»  ■,i>,(^  V '"• 

wv 


INTELLECTUALITY  OF  THE  JAPANESE.  531 


ly  in  great  demand,  as  the  people  are  universally  taught  to  read,  and  are 
eager  for  information.  Education  is  diffused  throughout  the  Empire,  and 
the  women  of  Japan,  unlike  those  of  China,  share  in  the  intellectual  ad- 
vancement of  the  men,  and  are  not  only  skilled  in  the  accomplishments 
peculiar  to  their  sex,  hut  are  frequently  well  versed  in  their  native  litera- 
ture. The  higher  classes  of  the  Japanese  with  whom  the  Americans  were 
brought  into  communication,  were  not  only  thoroughly  acquainted  with  their 
own  country,  but  knew  something  of  the  geography,  the  material  progress, 
and  contemporary  history  of  the  rest  of  the  world.  Questions  were  fre- 
quently asked  by  the  Japanese  which  proved  an  information,  that,  consider- 
ing their  isolated  situation,  was  quite  remarkable,  until  explained  by  them- 
selves in  the  statement  that  periodicals  of  literature,  science,  arts,  and  poli- 
tics, were  annually  received  from  Europe  through  the  Dutch  at  Nagasaki; 
that  some  of  these  were  translated,  republished,  and  distributed  through 
the  Empire.  Thus  they  were  enabled  to  speak  somewhat  knowingly  about 
our  railroads,  telegraphs,  daguerreotypes,  Paixhan  guns,  and  steam-ships, 
none  of  which  had  they  ever  seen  before  Cqmmodore  Perry’s  visit.  Thus, 
too,  they  could  converse  intelligently  about  the  European  war,  about  the 
American  revolution,  Washington,  and  Buonaparte.  As  strikingly  illus- 
trative of  the  extent  of  their  information  as  to  passing  events  out  of  the 
Empire,  Lieutenant  Bent  relates  that  when  he  was  there  in  the  Preble  in 
1849,  after  the  close  of  the  war  with  Mexico,  the  interpreters,  in  their  very 
first  interview  with  Captain  Grlynn,  said  : “ You  have  had  a war  with  Mexi- 
co ? ” “ Yes.”  “ You  whipped  them  ? ” Yes.”  “ You  have  taken  a part 

of  their  territory  ? ” “ Yes.”  “ And  you  have  discovered  large  quantities 

of  gold  in  it  ? ” And  after  the  seamen,  whom  Captain  Glynn  went  to  de- 
mand, were  given  up,  they  stated  to  our  officers  that,  from  the  guards  of 
their  prison  in  Matsmai  (many  hundred  miles  from  Nagasaki),  they  had 
heard  of  every  battle  we  had  with  the  Mexicans,  and  of  every  victory  we 
gained.  The  Japanese  learned  the  facts  from  the  Dutch. 

As  the  better  classes  showed  an  intelligent  interest  in  all  they  saw  on 
board  the  ships  and  steamers  that  was  novel  to  them,  so  the  common  people 
exhibited  an  importunate  curiosity  about  all  that  pertained  to  the  dress  and 
persons  of  the  Americans  whenever  they  visited  the  land.  The  Japanese 
were  constantly  besetting  the  officers  and  sailors  in  the  streets,  making  all 
kinds  of  pantomimic  inquiries  about  the  English  names  of  some  part  of 
their  persons  and  apparel,  from  hat  to  boots,  taking  out  their  paper  and 
pencil  and  making  memoranda  of  the  newly  acquired  English  words. 

The  Japanese  are  hard  workers,  but  they  compensate  themselves  with 
occasional  holidays,  and  the  evenings  and  hours  of  leisure  with  frequent 
games  and  amusements.  One  day,  at  Hakodadi,  Dr.  Green,  the  fleet  sur  ■ 
geon,  and  Mr.  Jones,  the  chaplain,  were  strolling  through  the  streets,  when 
a shower  of  rain  drove  them  for  shelter  into  a sort  of  military  station  or 


532 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


guard  house,  at  hand.  On  entering,  they  found  some  of  the  inmates  play- 
ing at  a game  very  similar,  as  it  appeared,  to  chess.  This  interested  the 
Doctor,  who  forthwith  set  about  studying  it,  until,  finally,  with  the  aid  of 
the  interpreters,  he  succeeded,  after  some  sittings,  in  mastering  its  mys- 
teries. The  game  is  called and  is  a great  favorite  among  the 
Japanese.  The  Doctor’s  account  of  it  will  be  found  below.* 

Besides  this,  they  have  a game  analogous  to  ours  with  cards.  They 
play  with  flat  pieces  of  horn,  ivory,  or  hone.  These  are  about  an  inch  and 
two-thirds  long,  and  little  more  than  an  inch  wide.  There  are  forty-nine 

* JAPANESE  GAME  OF  SHO-HO-YE,  ANALOGOUS  TO  OUR  GAME  OF  CHESS. 

This  game  is  played  hy  two  persons,  with  forty  pieces,  (twenty  on  either  side,)  and  upon 
a chequer  board  of  eighty-one  squares  (nine  upon  each  side).  The  hoard  is  of  one  uniform 
color,  though  the  squares  might  be  colored,  as  with  us,  for  the  sake  of  convenience.  The 
pieces  are  also  of  one  uniform  color,  as  they  are  used,  (at  pleasure,)  by  either  party,  as  his 
own,  after  being  captured  from  the  adversary.  They  are  of  various  sizes,  are  long  and 
wedge-shaped,  being  at  the  same  time  sharpened  from  side  to  side,  in  front,  and  the  names 
of  each  piece  are  inscribed  upon  it,  both  the  original,  and  the  one  assumed,  upon  being 
reversed  or  turned  over  (as  below).  Each  player  knows  his  men,  or  pieces,  by  their  pointed 
and  thin  end  being  always  forward  or  from  him.  But  they  would  be  more  readily  distin- 
guished if  the  hack  parts  of  all  were  painted  with  some  decided  and  striking  color,  as  that 
part  of  his  own  men  is  seen  by  each  player  only — and  if  the  fronts  of  all  the  men  were 
painted  of  some  other  color,  as  that  part  of  the  adversary’s  pieces  is  seen  by  either  player 
only.  They  are  laid  flat  upon  the  board,  (front  forward,)  and  thus  their  names  are  plainly 
visible.  They  capture,  as  in  chess,  by  occupying  the  places  of  the  captured  pieces.  The 
King,  Oko-Khio,  being  the  chief  piece,  cannot  remain  in  check,  and  when  checkmated,  the 
game  is  lost. 

The  pieces  are  named,  and  are  placed  upon  the  board,  as  follows,  viz. : 

Oho-shio,  (King,)  centre  square,  first  row. 

Kin-shio,  (Gold,  or  chief  councillor,)  upon  first  row,  and  one  on  either  side  of  Oho-shio. 

Gin-shio,  (Silver,  or  sub-councillor,)  upon  first  row,  and  one  on  each  square,  next  out- 
side Kin-shio. 

Kiema,  (Flying  horse,)  upon  first  row,  and  one  on  each  square,  next  outside  Gin-shio. 

Kio-shia,  (Fragrant  chariot,)  one  upon  each  comer  square,  first  row. 

Eishia,  (Flying  chariot,)  on  second  square,  second  row,  right  side  of  the  hoard. 

KaJciiko,  (The  horn,)  on  second  square,  second  row,  left  side  of  the  board. 

Ho-hei,  (The  soldiery,)  on  all  the  nine  squares  of  the  third  row. 

The  moves  and  powers  of  the  pieces  are  as  below,  only  noting,  that  in  capturing,  there 
is  no  deviation  from  them,  as  with  us,  in  the  case  of  pawns. 

Oho-shio  moves  and  takes  on  one  square  in  any  direction. 

Kin-shio,  as  the  Oho-shio,  except  that  he  cannot  move  diagonally  backward. 

Neither  of  the  above  are  ever  reversed  or  acquire  different  powers ; but  all  the  pieces 
below  may  be  reversed,  (at  the  option  of  the  player,)  when  they  move  to  or  from  any  square, 
in  any  of  the  adversary’s  three  first  rows,  and  tliereby  they  acquire  different  powers,  as. 
well  as  different  names. 

Gin-shio  moves  and  takes  as  the  Oho-shio,  except  that  he  cannot  move  directly  on  either 
side,  or  directly  backward.  When  reversed,  or  turned  over,  he  becomes  a Gin-\ari-Kin, 
and  acquires  all  the  powers  (and  those  alone)  of  the  Kin-shio. 


1.  Olio-shio,  (King,)  centre  square,  first  row. 

2.  Kin-sMo,  (Gold,  or  chief  councillor,)  upon  first 

row,  and  on  either  side  of  Oho-sliio. 

3.  Gin-shio,  (Silver,  or  sub-councillor,)  upon  first 

row,  and  one  on  each  square,  next  outside 
Kin-sMo. 

4.  Kiema,  (Flying  horse,)  upon  first  row,  and  one 

on  each  square,  next  outside  Gin-sMo. 


fi.  Kioshia,  (Fragrant  chariot,)  one  upon  each 
corner  square,  first  row. 

C.  TUskia,  (Flying  chariot,)  on  second  square, 
second  row,  on  right  side  of  the  hoard. 

7.  Kalcuhu,  (The  horn,)  on  second  square,  se- 

cond row,  left  side  of  the  hoard. 

8.  Ilo-hei,  (The  soldieiy,)  on  all  the  nine  squares 

of  the  tliird  row. 


A H * .’i  A ‘I  il  » q <>•  3^4 


^v- 

'.^'! 


^>*ii  ,'f^  i ■■  vtl  l»  k'^r.  41::  ^iiy'^'l. 


Iff'Ti/'  f :/?&*' j- I i|-i 


! i r— , r 1 ’ ^ ’ -K 

^f.i-  n 1 [ ^ :■  , I f- 

■'  ' ' ^.t.*.■-.■  .|  :;  i , J 

i'l  • M ^ !•/•■ 

r' 

j u'ln  >f' .|\ri,  ' 


'■'  Si  L XS  J ' S 


:S]  , | /H  I,, ill,  ] i?4,.I  ,-i-  ' '^’’ 


, ..  '4'^- t ' ',  i Q . 

•.ki  .■  1 i.  J..n'te  I j 7l  ‘ 

'i-.f  f 1;  |■-■/  ^ J.■^  »‘V; 


■ w^. 


yM 


‘ ■ ,.  i '•' v- jr'«'.. ■•'«'•  ' ; \.r  ; ■ - .4, 

/<:’:  1 ..>rj(  4/ ..vu .f-»  > -^’  > ,'V  ,«■'  0*1— '•■  . ' t?  1 

. . ■ , . V.  "'^..Tk  . • -^f'  V,  . *•.■ 

.f'*{»^s<k  '.>-i*(j;.  1 >jk,i(g%>-:V':  <|.V1.  ; ' st.%  oi  .tjSi; ,>*el  -' ...  ,r». ' ■ : 

•■'>■'!  .:  i»-,"  1 #*'11/ i'  >viii"i»- I 1 A 'Sfci  l-Sf-k  Akj^rn  .aii  >fck« 

' • 

r,iyn>s^'a'\ift  '.-^T.  't.  ;.•*  . .•-:  ^wel'K^j'-r”  X*  4- ■**"•><■■51; 

, . . ..•/■'  . /'»  .:  M.'vll',  ■-«  -...,-  M 

*.  'I  ■*i<y«'  ’r  .'A*  ( 

. i- 1 «•_  rt*.-  «. 


I'a'"; 


m 


GAMES  OF  THE  JAPANESE. 


533 


pieces,  marked  by  three  different  colors,  hlue,  red,  and  white,  to  indicate 
the  different  suits,  and  also  by  lines  and  dots  to  signify  the  value  of  the 
piece.  The  games  played  with  these  are,  as  with  our  cards,  numerous,  and 
are  generally  played  for  money.  The  Japanese  shuffle  and  cut  them  pre- 
cisely as  is  done  with  us,  sometimes  by  lifting  off  a part  of  the  pack,  and  at 
others  expressing  satisfaction  with  them  as  they  are,  by  tapping  the  knuckle 
on  the  top  of  the  heap.  Another  common  game  is  played  with  small  black 
and  white  stones,  and  seems  to  be  somewhat  of  the  character  of  loto,  so 
much  played  in  the  gardens  and  estaminets  of  Paris  and  Hamburgh,  fre- 
quented by  the  lower  classes.  It  was  a cheerful  reminder  of  one’s  child- 
hood, and  another  bond  of  sympathy  between  the  various  branches  of  the 
human  race,  however  remotely  separated  from  each  other,  to  find  the  little 
shaven-pated  lads  playing  ball  in  the  streets  of  Hakodadi,  or  jackstraws 
within  the  domestic  circle  at  home. 

Note. — For  the  remarks  made  in  this  chapter  on  the  specimens  of  Japanese  art  alluded 
to,  we  would  make  our  acknowledgments  to  the  accomplished  instructor  in  drawing,  &c., 
in  the  Free  Academy  of  New  York,  Professor  Duggan.  The  specimens  were  snbmitted  to 
him  with  a request  that  he  would  examine  them  artistically,  and  favor  the  compiler  with 
his  opinion. 


Kiema  has  the  move  of  our  knight,  except  that  he  is  strictly  confined  to  two  squares 
forward  and  one  laterally,  and  can  in  no  case  make  more  than  four  moves  as  a Kiema. 
When  reversed  he  becomes  a Kierm-Nari-Kin,  with  all  the  powers  (and  those  alone)  of  the 
Kin-sMo. 

Kioskia  moves  directly  forward  only,  but  that  may  he  any  number  of  steps.  He  may  be 
reversed  upon  either  of  the  first  three  rows  of  the  adversary,  and  then  becomes  a Kioshia- 
Nari-Kin,  with  all  the  powers  (and  those  alone)  of  the  Kin-skio. 

Hishia  has  the  entire  p jwers  of  our  castle,  and  when  reversed,  he  assumes  the  name  of 
Eiokio,  (the  dragon,)  an.,  acquires,  in  addition  to  his  former  moves,  all  those  of  the 
Oho-shio. 

Kahulco  has  the  entire  powers  of  our  bishop,  and  when  reversed,  he  assumes  the  name 
of  Riome,  (the  dragoness,)  and  acquires,  in  addition  to  his  former  moves,  all  those  of  the 
Oho-shio. 

Ho  moves  forward  one  step  only  at  a time,  and  m.ay  be  reversed  upon  either  of  the  first 
three  rows  of  the  adversary ; when  so  reversed,  he  becomes  a Ho-Nari-Kin,  and  acquires 
all  the  powers  of  the  Kin-shio. 

Besides  the  preceding  moves  and  powers,  any  piece  which  has  been  taken  may  be 
replaced  upon  the  board,  at  the  discretion  of  the  captor,  as  follows,  viz.  : when  it  is  his 
move,  instead  of  moving  one  of  his  men,  he  can  replace  any  one  of  the  captured  pieces  upon 
any  unoccupied  square  whatever,  observing  to  keep  that  side  up  to  which  it  was  entitled 
originally  ; but  it  may  be  reversed  at  any  move  thereafter,  if  to  or  Jrom  any  square  in  the 
before-mentioned  three  first  rows  of  the  adversary,  and  observing  further,  that  he  cannot 
replace  a Ho,  or  (soldier, ) on  any  column  upon  which  there  is  already  one  of  his  own,  i.  e., 
he  cannot  double  a Ho,  or  (soldier). 

It  may  be  further  stated,  that  no  piece  can  pass  over  the  head  of  any  other  piece  in  its 
move,  except  the  Kiema. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 


Interview  between  the  Commodore  and  the  representative  of  the  Prince  of  MatsmaL — Southampton  sen 
to  explore  Volcano  bay,  including  Endermo  harbor. — Report  of  the  survey. — Poverty  of  the  region 
around  the  bay. — Eruption  of  a volcano  at  midnight. — Ainos. — Boundaries  of  Americans  at  llakodadi 
left  to  be  settled  with  the  imperial  commissioners.— Good  understanding  between  the  Americans  and 
people  of  llakodadi. — Japanese  delighted  with  the  exhibition  of  the  “Ethiopian  minstrels  ” on  board 
ship. — Squadron  theatricals, — Interest  of  Japanese  in  the  machinery  and  fire-arms  of  the  ships. — An- 
swer of  llakodadi  authorities  to  Commodore’s  inquiries  as  to  European  or  American  vessels  wrecked 
in  Japan  during  the  last  ten  years. — Answer  of  the  imperial  commissioners  to  similar  inquiries. — 
Macedonian  sails  for  Simoda. — Vandalia  dispatched  for  China  by  the  western  passage. — Japanese  offi- 
cers desire  a conference  with  the  Commodore. — Flag-Lieutenant  sent  ashore  to  bring  them  on  board 
— Disrespectful  conduct  of  the  officers. — Flag-Lieutenant  returns  without  them. — Japanese  officers 
finally  come  off  in  their  ow’n  boat — Not  allowed  to  see  the  Commodore  until  they  apologized  for  their 
behavior. — Apology  accepted. — Conference  results  in  nothing  but  a further  illustration  of  Japanese 
finesse. — Burials  of  Americans  at  llakodadi. — Respect  shown  for  the  ceremonies  by  the  Japanese. — 
Buddhist  priest  performs  his  funeral  ceremonies  after  the  Americans  retire. — Services  in  a Buddhist 
temple. — Japanese  erect  a fence  around  the  American  graves. — Sailors  epitaph  composed  by  his  ship- 
mates.— Block  of  granite  presented  by  the  Japanese  at  Hakodadi  for  the  Washington  monument — 
Volcano  of  Oho-sima. — Arrival  at  Simoda. — Meeting  with  the  commissioners. — Boundaries  at  Hako- 
dadi settled. — Appointment  of  pilots  and  harbor-master  agreed  on. — Value  of  Japanese  and  American 
money  respectively  fixed. — Additional  regulations  between  the  commissioners  and  Commodore  agreed 
to  and  signed. — Coal  supplied  at  Simoda. — Its  comparative  quality  and  value. — Cost  of  various  articles 
furnished  to  the  ships. — Another  block  of  stone  for  the  Washington  monument  presented  by  the  im- 
perial commissioners  at  Simoda. — Japanese  present  of  dogs  to  the  President. — Sam  Patch  has  an  in- 
terview with  the  officials  of  his  country. — Refuses  to  goon  shore  or  leave  the  ship. — Praiseworthy 
conduct  of  a marine  toward  Sam. — “Dan  Ketch.” — Japanese  punishment  of  crucifixion. — Practice  of 
the  “ hari  kari  ” or  “ happy  dispatch,” — Departure  from  Simoda. — Macedonian  and  Supply  sent  to 
Formosa  and  Philippines. — Redfield  rocks. — Party  sent  on  shore  for  observation  of  Oho-sima. — Arri- 
val at  Lew  Chew. — Southampton  ordered  to  Hong  Kong.— -Powhatan  and  Mississippi  come  to  anch<ir 
at  Napha. 


panied  by  Yen  do  Mata- 
zaimon,  tbe  lungo  or 
governor  of  Hakodadi, 
[sbuko  Keuso,  the  Chinese  interpreter,  and  several  attendants.  Af- 


N the  afternoon  of  May 

19,  the  Commodore, 

having  shifted  his  flag 
o e 

temporarily  to  the  Mis- 
sissippi, received  on 
board  of  that  ship 
Matsmai  Kangsayu,  the 
great  officer  of  the 
family  of  the  prince  of 
Matsmai,  vho  had  come, 
as  had  been  announced, 
to  meet  the  Americans 
on  behalf  of  his  supe- 
rior. He  was  aceom- 


SURVEY  OF  VOLCANO  BAT. 


535 


ter  the  usual  interchange  of  compliments,  the  Commodore  asked  when  he 
was  to  expect  the  arrival  of  the  Prince  of  Matsmai  himself.  Kangsayu 
replied,  that  it  was  impossible  to  say,  as  he  was  at  Matsmai,  and  no  com- 
munication had  been  received  from  him  in  reference  to  his  coming.  The 
Commodore  then  remarked,  that  if  the  prince  did  not  come  to  see  him  he 
would  be  obliged  to  go  and  see  the  prince,  since  there  was  no  one  at  Hako- 
dadi  with  whom  a conference  could  be  held  in  regard  to  the  treaty.  Upon 
this  the  Japanese  rejoined,  that,  as  the  prince  could  not  leave  Matsmai 
himself,  he  had  delegated  his  highest  officer  to  meet  the  Commodore  as 
his  substitute,  who  was  ready  to  put  the  treaty  in  operation.  It  was, 
however,  added,  that  the  Americans  were  asking  for  some  things  not  speci- 
fied, inasmuch  as  the  treaty  was  not  to  go  into  effect  before  the  lapse  of 
a year  from  its  date.  It  was  then  explained  to  the  Japanese,  that  this 
condition  had  reference  to  merchant  vessels,  but  that  the  Commodore  had 
made  subsequent  arrangements  with  the  high  commissioners  about  his  pres- 
ent visit,  the  objects  of  which  he  was  now  desirous  of  accomplishing  if 
Kangsayu  had  full  powers  to  act  in  the  matter.  This  dignitary  then  an- 
swered that  he  was  clothed  with  complete  local  authority,  but  that  neither 
he  nor  his  prince  could  settle  the  boundary  within  which  American  inter- 
course was  to  be  restricted  without  instructions  from  the  court  at  Yedo. 

The  wind  now  commenced  blowing  very  hard,  and  the  bay  was  so  rough 
that  the  Japanese  preferred  remaining  for  some  time  on  board  the  Missis- 
sippi, where  they  were  handsomely  entertained,  and  shown  all  the  points 
and  novelties  of  the  steamer.  After  a long  stay,  in  the  course  of  which 
the  Japanese  were  evidently  gratified  by  all  they  saw  (manifesting  therein 
iheir  usual  intelligent  interest)  and  by  the  attentions  they  received,  they 
returned  to  the  shore. 

On  che  next  day  the  Southampton  was  dispatched  by  the  Commodore 
to  make  a survey  of  Volcano  Bay,  including  Endermo  harbor,  about  sev- 
enty miles  from  Hakodadi,  at  the  southeastern  end  of  Yesso;  and  it  may 
be  here  appropriate,  though  somewhat  anticipating  the  chronological  order 
of  events,  to  dispose  of  this  part  of  our  story,  by  giving  a general  report 
of  the  result  of  the  survey.  The  ship  arrived  off  the  southern  promon- 
tory of  Volcano  Bay  at  five  o’clock  on  the  afternoon  of  the  day  of  her 
departure  from  Hakodadi.  The  wind  soon  lulled  to  a dead  calm,  and  the 
bay  was  not  entered  until  the  next  morning.  The  weather  being  very 
thick  the  ship  bore  away  for  the  harbor  of  Endei'mo,  and  shortly  after  noon 
made  the  land  ahead,  which,  being  approached  to  within  two  miles,  was 
coasted  in  ten  fathoms  of  water,  taking  care  to  keep  off  when  shoaling  in 
that  depth.  The  fog  was  so  thick,  and  the  breakers  were  so  far  off  the 
shore,  that  it  was  not  deemed  prudent  to  approach  too  near  the  land;  and, 
consequently,  the  entrance  to  the  harbor  of  Endermo,  which  is  quite  nar- 
row and  shut  in  by  adjacent  points,  could  not  be  seen.  Its  position,  how- 


536 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


ever,  having  been  passed,  and  the  ship  continuing  to  run  along  the  land  -hy 
the  lead  until  seven  o’clock  in  the  evening,  came  then  to  anchor  in  front 
of  a small  village.  As  the  night  advanced,  the  atmosphere  cleared,  for  a 
moment,  sufficiently  to  allow  of  the  sight  of  several  junks  anchored  near  a 
large  town  about  three  miles  distant.  The  fog  soon  gathered  again,  and  con- 
tinued so  thick  all  the  rest  of  that  night  and  the  next  day,  with  fresh 
breezes  from  E.S.B.,  that  it  was  deemed  more  prudent  to  remain  at  anchor, 
and  the  ship  did  not  again  get  under  way  until  the  27th  of  May. 

At  sunrise  on  that  day,  the  fog  having  partly  dispersed,  the  Southamp- 
ton stood  for  the  eastern  coast,  sounding  with  a boat  in  five  fathoms  to 
within  a mile  and  a half  of  the  shore,  and  also  running  a line  of  soundings 
in  the  ship.  As  the  morning  advanced  the  fog  cleared  off,  and  revealed  to 
view  a charming  scene  of  picturesque  beauty.  The  land  rose  from  the 
sandy  beach  in  undulating  heights  covered  with  trees  of  dark  green  foliage, 
interspersed  here  and  there  with  yellow  spots  of  culture,  while  innu- 
merable houses  were  seen  everywhere  grouped  at  the  openings  of  the 
ravines  toward  the  sea,  into  which  streams  of  fresh  water  poured,  after 
irrigating  the  cultivated  fields  on  the  hill  sides  and  the  fertile  bottoms  of 
the  valleys,  and  passing  though  the  villages. 

The  meridian  observation  having  been  taken,  which  gave  the  latitude  42° 
17',  the  ship,  heading  east,  made  for  an  indentation  in  the  land,  supposed 
to  be  the  entrance  to  the  harbor  of  Volcano  Bay,  and  with  a depth  of 
water  of  seventeen  fathoms  and  a fair  wind,  before  which  she  was  going  at 
nine  knots,  the  whole  circuit  of  the  large  bay  soon  opened  to  the  sight. 
An  amphitheatre  of  lofty  mountains,  with  summits  covered  with  snow, 
surrounded  the  land,  which  gradually  lessened  in  height  as  it  descended 
toward  the  hills  and  uplands  that  rose  immediately  from  the  shore.  To 
the  northeast  were  two  volcanoes  in  active  eruption,  throwing  out  convul- 
sively their  thick  smoke,  which,  as  it  swept  before  the  breeze,  darkened  with 
its  passing  but  ever  recurring  shadow  the  snow  which  glittered  like  sUver 
upon  the  sunlit  summits  of  the  neighboring  mountains. 

Passing  a small  island,  called  Olason,  from  one  of  Captain  Broughton’s 
men  who  was  buried  there,  the  Southampton  stood  up  the  channel  of  Ender- 
mo,  and  anchored  in  the  evening  near  the  land,  where  a few  houses,  a forti- 
fication upon  an  adjacent  hill,  and  some  sheds  upon  the  shore,  indicated  a 
settlement.  Soon  two  officials  came  off  in  a boat,  rowed  by  a number  of 
Indians,  (as  they  are  called,)  the  native  ainos,  and  upon  reaching  the  ship 
the  Japanese  functionaries  produced  a bit  of  paper  in  which  was  wrapped 
some  rice  and  a piece  of  wood,  and  displaying  the  contents,  pointing  at  the 
same  time  to  some  water,  asked,  by  signs,  if  either  of  these  was  required. 
The  chief  dignitary,  who,  in  addition  to  the  usual  Japanese  official  costume, 
wore  an  outside  coat  with  a red  collar  and  a great  deal  of  embroidery,  and 
seemed  to  be  a military  personage,  was  not  apparently  disposed  to  be  very 


ENDERMO  BAY, 


537 


friendly  towards  his  visitors.  Upon  his  being  made  to  understand  that  if 
any  fish,  vegetables,  eggs,  or  poultry  could  he  obtained  from  the  land,  the 
Americans  would  he  glad  to  purchase  them,  the  Japanese  officer  sent  his 
boat  ashore,  apparently  with  the  view  of  ascertaining.  Upon  its  return, 
the  only  article  brought  back  was  a bundle  of  stems,  looking  like  those  of 
the  rhubarb  plant,  with  the  information  that,  in  consequence  of  the  weather, 
there  were  no  fish,  and  only  three  chickens  in  the  place. 

Next  morning  a surveying  party  commenced  their  operations  in  the  bay, 
and  continued  them  during  the  stay  of  the  ship.  Little  was  to  be  had  from 
the  shore  in  the  way  of  provisions,  but  the  bay  abounded  in  clams,  mus- 
cles, and  fish,  and  large  supplies  were  obtained.  The  inhabitants,  who 
were  mostly  ainos,  had  been  very  much  alarmed  at  the  arrival  of  the 
Southampton,  and  were  seen  hurrying  away  from  the  harbor  and  village 
with  all  their  property  heaped  upon  their  backs,  so  that  the  land  was  quite 
deserted.  The  few  Japanese  officials  became  gradually  more  friendly,  and 
frequently  visited  the  ship  and  partook  of  its  hospitalities.  Nothing 
occurred  of  especial  interest  during  the  visit  to  Endermo  Bay  beyond 
the  blazing  up  one  night  of  another  volcano,  making  three  which  were 
seen  from  the  ship  in  a state  of  active  eruption  at  the  same  time.  The 
sudden  starting  up  of  a broad  and  vivid  flame  from  the  summit  of  a moun- 
tain in  the  midst  of  the  night,  dispelling  at  once  the  darkness  which  envel- 
oped sea  and  land,  produced  a grand  effect.  The  other  two  volcanoes 
merely  emitted  smoke,  while  the  third  continued  in  a blaze. 

Lieutenant  Boyle,  commander  of  the  Southampton,  visited  Olason 
island,  at  the  mouth  of  Endermo  Bay,  previous  to  his  departure,  and 
found  the  grave  of  the  buried  sailor  left  there  by  Captain  Broughton. 
The  J apanese  authorities  had  » ?spected  the  remains,  though  they  had  been 
interred  more  than  three-fourths  of  a century,  and  built  on  the  spot  where 
they  rested  one  of  the  usual  tombs  of  the  country,  with  the  ordinary  marks 
of  mourning.  The  survey  having  been  completed,  the  ship  sailed  to  join 
the  squadron  at  Simoda,  pursuant  to  orders. 

The  Commodore,  on  the  next  day  after  the  visit  from  Kangsayu,  went 
on  shore  to  call  upon  this  dignitary,  who,  after  having  presented  his  cre- 
dentials from  the  Prince  of  Matsmai,  and  emphatically  declared  that  the 
latter  could  not  possibly  come  to  Hakodadi,  was  officially  recognized  as 
the  representative  of  his  superior.  He,  however,  refused  to  settle  defini- 
tively the  question  of  the  boundary  within  which  the  Americans,  in  their 
intercourse  with  the  place,  were  to  be  restricted,  and  the  subject  was  finally 
disposed  of  by  a mutual  agreement  that  it  should  be  referred  to  the  com- 
missioners who  were  to  meet  the  Commodore  at  Simoda.  During  the  fre- 
quent visits  of  the  Americans  on  shore,  occasional  disagreements  arose  in 
regard  to  their  relations  with  the  shopkeepers  and  the  extent  and  freedom 
jf  their  walks  in  the  town  and  about  the  country.  These  little  ti’oubles. 


538 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


wliicli,  altliough  they  gave  rise  to  much  tedious  negotiation,  were  uniformly 
settled  hy  mutual  explanations,  produced  in  the  end  the  establishment  of  an 
excellent  understanding,  and  the  most  friendly  feelings  between  our  coun- 
trymen and  all  classes  of  the  Japanese. 

The  governor  and  his  attendants  continued  to  visit  the  ships  frequent- 
ly, when  they  were  uniformly  entertained  with  refreshments,  and  sometimes 
invited  to  a more  ceremonious  dinner,  of  which  they  always  partook  with  a 
proper  appreciation  both  of  the  viands  and  the  courtesy.  On  one  occasion, 
some  of  the  sailors  got  up  a concert  of  “ Ethiopian  minstrels,”  which  seemed 
to  give  as  much  delight  to  the  natives  at  Hakodadi  as  it  had  done  to  the 
commissioners  in  the  bay  of  Yedo.  The  performance  undoubtedly  showed 
that  talent  for  grotesque  humor  and  comic  yet  sentimental  melody  which 
are,  as  some  think,  characteristic  of  the  sailor,  the  monotony  of  whose  life 
on  shipboard  is  often  compensated  by  that  hearty  flow  of  animal  spirits  with 
which  natures,  invigorated  by  a hard  and  hazardous  occupation,  con.sole 
themselves  for  its  risk  and  privation.  The  sentimental  strain,  too,  in  which 
the  sailor  sometimes  indulges,  is  naturally  the  antagonistic  tone  with  which 
the  mind,  surrounded  by  its  rude  associations,  opposes  their  petrifying  in- 
fluence. All  the  sailors’  rough  humor  is  hence  toned  down  by  a gentler 
touch  of  feeling.  The  negro  minstrelsy,  which  not  only  wrinkles  the  face 
with  a broad  and  noisy  laugh,  but  also  can  moisten  the  eye  with  a tear,  is 
consequently  a great  favorite  with  Jack.  The  sailors  performed  their  parts 
with  a sympathetic  interest  and  an  earnest  intensity,  which  would  have 
carried  with  them  the  frequenters  of  Christy’s,  and  produced  a marked  eifect 
even  upon  their  sedate  Japanese  listeners,  and  thus  confirmed  the  universal 
popularity  of  “ the  Ethopians”  by  a decided  hit  in  Japan.  Everything  was 
arranged  appropriately  as  to  dresses  and  scenery,  much  as  it  would  have 
been  at  home,  ddills  of  the  performance,  too,  were  printed  by  the  aid  of 
the  press,  which  was  on  board  one  of  the  ships  of  the  squadron,  and  freely 
worked  within  the  dominions  of  the  Emperor  of  Japan,  without  regarding 
any  censorship  that  he  might  possibly  be  disposed  to  establish.  American 
like,  our  men  stuck  to  the  principle  of  a “ free  press,”  on  the  ground  that 
the  press  itself  and  popular  opinion  are  about  the  best  correctives  of  the 
abuse  of  the  press.  And  here  we  may  remark,  that  theatrical  performances 
in  the  squadron  were  not  confined  to  “ Ethiopian  minstrelsy.”  Histrionic 
ambition  took  a higher  flight,  and  ventured  on  the  “ legitimate  drama.” 
There  was  more  than  one  company  of  Thespians  in  the  squadron,  composed 
of  the  men,  who  acquitted  themselves  very  creditably.  They  generally 
selected  some  good-natured  officer,  known  to  have  a taste  for  theatricals,  to 
give  them  some  general  instructions,  and  help  them  at  rehearsals,  and  with 
such  aid,  added  to  natural  cleverness  and  quickness  of  paids,  they  succeed- 
ed very  well.  The  female  characters  were  allotted  to  boys,  and  all  the 


SHIPWRECKS  IN  TESSO. 


539 


appliances  of  scenery  and  appropriate  costume  were  called  in  to  give  great- 
er effect. 

The  Japanese  officials  took  especial  interest,  on  the  occasion  of  their 
frequent  visits  to  the  ships,  in  the  inspection  of  the  armament,  and  were 
often  gratified  with  the  exercise  of  the  guns,  the  filling  of  the  shells,  and 
other  matters  of  military  discipline  and  practice.  Though,  in  their  later 
history  a pacific  people,  the  Japanese,  as  we  have  already  said,  are  fond  of 
military  display,  and  seemed  particularly  desirous  of  scrutinizing  all  the 
warlike  appointments  which  made  their  visitors  so  formidable;  as  if  they 
felt  the  necessity,  in  the  new  relations  which  were  opening  with  foreigners, 
of  studying  and  adopting  the  best  means  of  attack  and  defence,  should 
either  ever  become  necessary  by  any  future  collision  with  the  great  powers 
of  the  west.  With  proper  training,  no  people  would  make  better  soldiers. 
Every  opportunity  was  afforded  them,  without  restriction,  of  satisfying  their 
curiosity,  which  was  naturally  directed  toward  those  points  in  which  they 
were  conscious  of  their  greatest  weakness ; and  this  liberality  of  the  Amer- 
icans, in  the  free  exposition  of  their  power,  deeply  impressed  the  Japanese 
with  a conviction  of  the  pacific  intentions  of  their  visitors,  who  desired  to 
show  that  they  looked  to  a friendly  intercourse,  and  not  to  a violent  invasion, 
for  those  mutual  benefits  which  were  to  accrue  from  more  intimate  relations 
between  the  United  States  and  Japan. 

A valuable  communication  was  received  from  the  authorities  at  Hako- 
dadi,  in  answer  to  certain  inquiries  made  by  the  Commodore  in  regard  to 
the  various  American  and  European  vessels  which  were  supposed  to  have 
been  wrecked  at  different  times  upon  the  coast  of  the  Empire.  There  was 
reason  to  suppose  that  several  vessels  which  had  been  lost,  and  never  heard 
of  in  the  countries  from  which  they  had  sailed,  had  been  wrecked  on  the 
shores  of  the  island  of  Yesso;  and  it  was  thought  possible,  from  the  hitherto 
inhospitable  conduct  of  the  Japanese  government  towards  foreigners,  that 
some  who  had  been  cast  by  calamity  upon  its  mercy  might  yet  be  held  in 
captivity.  It  was,  therefore,  a great  satisfaction  to  receive  the  following 
answer  from  the  Hakodadi  officials  : 

“ From  the  third  year  of  Ohoka  to  the  third  of  Kayee,  [1847  to  1851,] 
there  were  five  foreign  vessels  wrecked  by  storms  on  our  coasts,  whose  crews 
have  all  been  sent  on  to  Nagasaki,  thence  to  be  sent  by  the  Dutch  back  to 
their  homes;  not  one  now  remains  iu  Japan. 

“ In  1847,  June,  seven  American  sailors  were  drifted  ashore  at  Yetoroop 
in  a boat. 

“ In  1847,  June,  thirteen  American  sailors  in  three  boats  were  thrown 
ashore  at  Yeramachi,  N.  W.  of  Matsmai. 

“ In-  March,  1849,  three  men  from  an  American  ship  went  ashore  at 
Karafto,  the  south  end  of  Saghalien,  and  then  went  off. 


540 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


“ In  May,  1850,  an  English  ship  was  wrecked  at  Mabiru,  in  Yesso,  from 
which  thirty-two  men  came ; hut  where  they  came  from  we  know  not.” 

The  Commodore  also  addressed  to  the  imperial  commissioners,  with 
whom  the  terms  of  the  treaty  were  negotiated,  a communication  on  the 
same  subject,  and  received  the  following  reply : 

“ To  His  Excellency  Commodore  Perry  : 

■'  The  undersigned  have  well  understood  your  written  communication  in 
reference  to  ships  navigating  the  Pacific,  the  Chinese,  and  Japanese  seas, 
which  have  never  been  heard  of  at  their  ports  of  destination  ; and  the  prob- 
able fate  of  their  crews  being  uncertain,  his  majesty  the  President  has 
ordered  inquiries  to  be  made  on  the  subject,  and  ships-of-war  have  been 
sent  to  Borneo,  Formosa,  and  other  islands;  and  that  two  ships  were  again 
to  sail  to  Formosa,  by  your  order,  for  a similar  purpose. 

“ In  reply  to  your  request  for  a list  of  all  the  ships  which  have  been 
wrecked  in  Japan  for  the  last  ten  years,  we  have  the  honor  to  state  as 
follows : 

“ In  1847,  some  Americans,  shipwrecked  in  the  principality  of  Matsmai, 
were  sent  to  Nagasaki  to  take  passage  in  the  Dutch  trading  ships. 

“ In  1848,  some  Americans  shipwrecked  in  the  same  principality  were 
sent  to  Nagasaki,  and  thence  taken  away  by  an  American  ship-of-war. 
[This  was  the  Preble.] 

“ In  the  year  1850,  some  Americans  and  Englishmen,  shipwrecked, 
were  sent  to  Nagasaki,  to  go  in  the  Dutch  trading  ships. 

“ Beside  the  three  instances  just  mentioned,  there  has  been  no  ship- 
wreck, and  there  are  no  foreigners  now  in  Japan.  The  local  authorities 
having  settled  this  business,  we  are  not  able  to  give  you  the  names  of  the 
shipwrecked  persons. 

“ We  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  great  respect, 

“BY  THE  IMPERIAL  COMMISSIONERS. 

“ Seal  attached  by  the  order  of  the  high  gentlemen. 

“ MORYAMA  YENOSKE.” 

On  the  morning  of  the  31st  of  May  the  Macedonian  sailed  for  Simoda, 
and  the  Vaudalia  for  Shanghai,  the  latter  vessel  being  directed  by  the  Com- 
modore to  take  the  western  passage  by  passing  through  the  Straits  of  San- 
gar,  the  Japan  sea,  and  China  gulf.  The  steamers  still  remained  at  Hako- 
dadi,  to  await  the  arrival  of  those  personages  whom  the  commissioners  had 
promised  to  send  there  to  meet  the  Americans  and  settle  the  stipulations  of 
the  treaty  in  regard  to  tllat  place.  The  Commodore  was  naturally  some- 
what impatient  at  the  delay  in  the  coming  of  the  expected  delegation,  as, 
in  accordance  with  his  agreement  to  that  effect,  he  was  obliged  to  return  to 


RUDENESS  OF  JAPANESE  OFFICERS. 


541 


Simoda  on  the  15th  day  of  June,  and  the  last  day  of  the  previous  month 
had  now  passed.  On  the  morning  of  the  1st  of  June,  however,  a communi- 
cation was  received  by  the  Commodore,  written  in  Japanese,  Chinese,  and 
Dutch,  of  which  the  following  is  an  English  translation ; 

“ The  Japanese  imperial  government  ofScers,  Amma  Zhium-noshin  and 
Harayama  Kenzhiro,  and  others,  desire  a conference  with  his  excellency  the 
plenipotentiary  of  the  United  States  and  other  officers. 

“ They  have  received  orders  from  the  court  to  go  to  Karafto,  and,  learn- 
ing that  your  ships  were  at  Hakodadi  examining  its  harbor,  in  accordance 
with  the  treaty  of  Kanagawa,  have  come,  as  these  distant  frontier  places  are 
not  fully  apprised  of  all  these  matters,  and  perhaps  there  may  be  some 
mistake  or  misapprehension.  We  have  requested  of  our  superior  officer 
presently  to  come  and  deliberate  upon  such  matters  as  may  come  up,  as  was 
done  at  Yoku-hama;  but  he  has  taken  a passage  by  sea,  and  has  already 
gone  on  to  Karafto.  We  are  unable,  therefore,  to  tarry  behind  him  for 
more  than  three  days  in  order  to  confer  with  your  honor. 

“We  wish  you  much  peace.” 

This  was  not  very  explicit,  but  it  seemed  apparent  that,  although  these 
dignitaries  affected,  in  their  letter,  merely  to  have  called,  as  it  were,  in  pass- 
ing, they  were  delegated  by  the  government  to  make  the  visit.  In  accord- 
ance, however,  with  the  indirect  policy  of  Japanese  diplomacy,  it  was 
deemed  expedient  to  make  use  of  a subterfuge,  by  which  the  intention  of  the 
government,  of  deferring  all  negotiation  until  the  meeting  of  the  commis- 
sioners, might  be  accomplished  and  yet  concealed,  for  fear  of  offending  the 
sensibilities  of  the  Americans  by  this  change  in  the  original  arrangement. 
The  flag-lieutenant,  Mr.  Bent,  was  sent  by  the  Commodore  to  meet  the 
Japanese  delegates,  and  inform  them  that  they  would  be  received  on  board 
the  Powhatan  at  any  time  they  might  appoint.  One  o’clock  was  accordingly 
named,  and  at  that  hour  the  boat  was  sent  ashore  to  receive  the  Japanese 
officials  and  bring  them  to  the  ship.  On  the  flag-lieutenant’s  arriving  at  the 
government  house,  and  sending  word  that  he  was  in  waiting  to  conduct  the 
deputies  to  the  Commodore,  he  was  told  that  these  gentlemen  were  at  lun- 
cheon. After  a due  exercise  of  patience  for  more  than  an  hour,  the  chief 
deputy  and  two  of  his  suite  presented  themselves,  and  very  deliberately, 
instead  of  proceeding  to  the  boat,  took  their  seats  in  the  custom-house,  and 
leisurely  refreshed  themselves  with  tea  and  pipes.  The  flag-lieutenant  very 
courteously  reminded  them  that  it  was  time  to  go ; but  these  dignitaries, 
with  the  greatest  self-composure  imaginable,  continued  to  sip  their  tea  and 
smoke  their  pipes,  and  showed  by  their  manner  that,  such  was  the  idea  of 
their  own  importance,  that  not  only  time  and  tide,  but  flag-lieutenants,  should 
wait  their  leisure.  This  conduct  was  the  more  remarkable  from  a people  so 
habitually  ceremonious  and  polite.  The  officer,  therefore,  very  properly  said 
that  the  boat  sent  by  the  Commodore  was  at  the  steps,  and  was  then  going 


542 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


off  to  the  ship,  and  if  they  chose  to  take  passage  in  it  he  would  be  pleased  to 
have  their  company ; if  not,  they  would  be  obliged  to  find  their  own  convey- 
ance; but,  as  the  appointed  hour  had  long  since  passed,  it  was  doubtful 
whether  they  would  be  received  by  the  Commodore  at  all.  They  then  re- 
plied, without,  apparently,  making  any  effort  to  hurry  themselves,  that  they 
were  waiting  for  their  companions. 

The  flag-lieutenant  now,  without  more  ado,  took  his  departure,  and,  get- 
ting into  the  boat,  put  off  for  the  ship.  On  his  way  thither  he  was  met  by  a 
messenger  from  the  Commodore,  with  the  command  to  wait  no  longer  for 
the  deputies,  unless  they  had  some  good  reason  for  their  delay.  On  the 
flag-lieutenant’s  making  his  report,  orders  were  given  to  prepare  for  another 
visit  to  the  land,  with  a stronger  demonstration  of  earnestness.  The  depu- 
ties, however,  in  the  mean  time  arrived,  and,  as  they  presented  themselves 
at  the  gangway  of  the  Powhatan,  the  flag-lieutenant  demanded,  in  the  name 
of  the  Commodore,  an  explanation  of  their  delay.  The  Japanese  function- 
aries then  having  offered  as  an  apology  that  they  had  been  delayed  in  pur- 
chasing a few  articles  as  presents  for  the  American  ambassador,  were  treated 
as  if  they  told  the  truth,  and  conducted  to  the  Commodore’s  cabin,  where 
they  held  a short  conference,  and  refreshments  were  hospitably  set  before 
them.  They  repeated  in  conversation  the  tenor  of  their  note,  and  said  they 
had  no  authority  to  settle  the  boundaries  in  Hakodadi.  Of  course  there 
was  no  occasion  to  confer  further  with  them,  and  the  Commodore  no  longer 
pressed  the  matter,  but  determined  to  postpone  all  negotiations  until  he 
should  meet  the  imperial  commissioners  at  Simoda,  the  appointed  time  for 
which  meeting  was  now  rapidly  approaching. 

On  parting  with  these  Japanese  ofiicials,  the  Commodore  took  occasion, 
while  expressing  his  gratification  at  the  general  kindness  and  courtesy  of 
the  authorities  and  people  at  Hakodadi,  to  remark,  that  the  inhabitants  still 
seemed  suspicious  of  the  Americans,  as  they  continued  to  shut  their  houses 
and  remove  the  women  from  observation.  To  this  the  deputies  returned  a 
written  reply,  which,  as  it  presents  a document  singularly  characteristic  of 
the  gentle,  conciliatory  tone  of  the  J apanese,  and  of  their  ingenuity  in  the 
work  of  self-justification,  and  also  exhibits  the  moderate  style  of  their  official 
communications,  we  give  at  length  : 

“ To  hear  from  the  Commodore  that,  since  his  arrival  in  Hakodadi,  he 
has  been  much  pleased  with  his  intercourse  and  communications  with  the 
local  authorities,  is  truly  a great  gratification  to  us.  TTith  regard  to  going 
through  the  streets,  and  seeing  shops  and  houses  shut,  with  neither  women 
nor  children  in  the  ways,  let  it  be  here  observed,  that  at  Yoku-hama  this 
very  matter  was  plainly  spoken  of  by  Moryama,  the  interpreter,  at  that 
place.  The  customs  of  our  country  are  unlike  yours,  and  the  people  have 
been  unused  to  see  people  from  foreign  lands;  and  though  the  authorities 
did  what  they  could  to  pacify  them,  and  teach  them  better,  they  still  were 


FUNERAL  AT  HAKODADI. 


543 


disinclined  to  believe,  and  many  absconded  or  hid  themselves.  If  the  Com- 
modore will  recall  to  mind  the  day  when  he  took  a ramble  to  Yoku-hama,  in 
which  some  of  us  accompanied  him,  he  will  recollect  that  in  the  villages  and 
houses  we  hardly  saw  one  woman  during  the  whole  walk.  If  he  saw  more 
of  them  at  Simoda,  as  he  went  about,  it  was  because  there  the  people  were 
gradually  accustomed  to  the  Americans,  and  their  fears  had  been  allayed,  so 
that  they  felt  no  dread. 

“ On  these  remote  frontiers,  many  miles  from  Yedo,  the  usages  of  the 
people  are  so  fixed  that  they  are  not  easily  influenced  and  altered ; but,  pray, 
how  can  the  inhabitants  here  think  of  regarding  Americans  with  inimical 
feelings  ? Even  when  they  see  their  own  officers,  with  the  persons  of  whom 
they  are  not  familiar,  they  also  run  aside,  and,  as  from  fear,  seek  to  escape 
us.  This  is  the  custom  of  our  country  that  officers  should  accompany  visit- 
ors about — a custom  not  to  be  so  soon  changed.  Still,  the  disposition  of 
the  men  here  is  ingenuous,  brave,  upright,  and  good,  and  that  of  the  women 
retiring  and  modest,  not  gazing  at  men  as  if  without  bashfulness.  Such 
characteristics  and  such  usages  must  be  considered  as  estimable,  and  we 
think  that  you  also  will  not  dislike  them. 

“ In  general,  when  upright,  cordial  propriety  marks  intercourse,  then 
peace,  good  feeling,  and  harmony  are  real  between  the  parties ; but  if  harsh- 
ness, violence,  and  grasping  characterize  it,  then  hate  and  distrust  with  col- 
lision arise,  and  love  will  not  be  found  to  bring  the  hearts  of  the  people  to- 
gether. This  is  a rule  of  heaven,  concerning  which  no  one  can  have  any 
doubt.” 

The  authorities  of  Hakodadi  had  set  apart  and  fenced  off,  for  the  inter- 
ment of  the  American  dead,  a portion  of  a small,  neglected  burial  ground, 
situated  in  an  easterly  direction,  beyond  the  town  and  near  the  forts.  The 
spot  is  exceedingly  picturesque,  and  commands  a fine  view  of  the  harbor,  the 
Straits  of  Sangar,  and  the  adjacent  coasts.  It  was  the  melancholy  duty  of 
our  countrymen  to  deposit  there  the  remains  of  two  of  their  shipmates,  who, 
after  a long  illness,  died  during  the  stay  of  the  squadron  in  that  port.  The 
funerals  were  conducted  with  the  usual  naval  and  religious  ceremonies. 
After  a short  preliminary  service  on  board  ship,  the  escort,  consisting  of  seve- 
ral officers  and  a number  of  seamen  and  marines,  in  four  boats,  conducted 
the  bodies  ashore,  the  boats  and  all  the  ships  with  flags  at  half-mast.  On 
reaching  the  land,  the  procession  was  formed,  and  as  it  marched  with  slow 
step  and  muffled  drums  to  the  burial  place,  a large  concourse  of  Japanese 
collected  and  followed  it  to  the  grave.  The  chaplain,  the  Rev.  Mr.  J ones, 
read  the  burial  service  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  church,  and,  after  the 
services  had  terminated,  many  of  the  natives  gathered  around  him,  (he  wear- 
ing his  clerical  gown,  by  which  they  understood  his  character  as  a minister 
of  religion,)  and,  although  they  evinced  much  curiosity,  they  never  forgot  the 
respect  which  they  seemed  to  think  due  to  his  religious  oflice.  This  was  the 


544 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


fourth  funeral  among  the  Americans  in  Japan,  and  knowing  the  very  strong 
prejudice  against  Christianity,  and,  indeed,  the  very  violent  opposition  to  it 
manifested  by  the  Japanese,  Mr.  Jones  had  felt  uncertain,  when  his  duty 
required  him  to  officiate  at  the  first  interment,  how  far  he  would  be  permit- 
ted to  proceed  unmolested.  He  accordingly  asked  the  Commodore  for 
directions,  and  was  told,  “ Do  exactly  as  you  always  do  on  such  occasions, 
no  more,  nor  no  less;”  and  in  answer  to  his  inquiry  how  he  should  act  if 
interrupted,  the  answer  was,  “ still  go  on  and  have  your  usual  service.”  Xo 
opposition,  however,  was  made,  and  the  chaplain  felt  that  it  was  a day  to  be 
remembered,  that,  after  the  lapse  of  centuries,  a minister  of  Christ  stood,  in 
his  person,  upon  the  soil  of  Japan,  and,  unmolested,  performed  one  of  the 
rites  of  his  faith.  He  could  not  but  remember,  that,  more  than  two  hundred 
years  before,  it  had  been  written  in  Japan,  “ so  long  as  the  sun  shall  warm 
the  earth,  let  no  Christian  be  so  bold  as  to  come  to  Japan ; and  let  all  know 
that  the  king  of  Spain  himself,  or  the  Christian’s  God  or  the  great  God  of 
all,  if  he  violate  this  command,  shall  pay  for  it  with  his  head.”  The  first 
funeral  was  at  Yokudiama,  the  second  at  Simoda,  and  the  last  two  at  Hako- 
dadi.  Respect  for  the  ceremonies  was  shown  by  the  Japanese  at  all ; and  at 
the  latter  place  the  natives  often  alluded,  in  their  intercourse  with  Mr. 
Jones,  to  his  officiating  at  the  grave,  and  called  him,  in  their  language,  “the 
praying  man;”  and  instead  of  losing  standing  among  them  from  his  office, 
as  he  expected  to  do,  he  found  himself  treated  with  increased  friendliness 
and  attention. 

By  the  burial  ground  at  Hakodadi,  which  was  allotted  to  our  countrymen, 
and  had  been  long  used  by  the  Japanese  themselves,  there  is  a Buddhist  temple, 
surrounded  with  an  enclosure  containing  large  roughly  carved  stones,  intended 
to  represent  deities,  and  inscribed  with  various  devices  and  religious  apo- 
thegms. There  are  also  several  of  the  rotary  praying  machines,  already  de- 
scribed ; and  when  the  chaplain  turned  inquiringly  to  the  apparatus,  the  Japa- 
nese put  their  hands  together,  signifying  that  it  was  intended  for  prayer,  and 
then  pointed  to  the  prayer-book  in  Mr.  Jone.s’s  hands,  implying  that  it  was 
used  for  the  same  purpose ; an  explanation  which  the  good  chaplain  felt  to 
be  anything  but  a compliment  to  his  much  valued  manual  of  devotion.  By 
the  way,  on  the  subject  of  pi’ayer,  the  chaplain  had  an  opportunity  to  obtain 
further  information.  One  day  he  wandered  into  a Buddhist  temple  when 
the  Japanese  were  at  worship.  There  was  a large  altar  exactly  similar  to 
that  in  a Romish  church,  with  a gilt  image  in  its  rece.ss ; two  handsome 
lamps  lighted,  two  large  candles  burning,  artificial  fiowers,  &c.,  with  an 
abundance  of  gilding;  there  were  also  two  side  altars  with  candles  on  them 
burning.  Before  the  principal  altar,  within  an  enclosure,  were  five  priests, 
robed  and  on  their  knees,  the  chief  one  striking  a small  saucer-shaped  bell, 
and  three  others  with  padded  drumsticks  striking  hollow  wooden  lacquered 
vessels,  which  emitted  a dull  sound.  They  kept  time,  and  toned  their 


JAPANESE  PEATEES. 


545 


prayers  to  their  music  in  chanting ; after  chanting,  they  knelt  again,  and 
touched  the  floor  with  their  foreheads ; after  which  they  repaired  to  the 
side  altars,  and  had  a short  ceremony  before  each  of  them.  When  all  was 
over,  one  of  the  priests  approached,  and,  pointing  to  an  image,  asked  Mr. 
Jones  what  it  was  called  in  America.  He  answered  : “ Nai,”  “ we  have  it 
not.”  Pie  then  pointed  to  the  altars  and  asked  the  same  question,  to  which 
he  received  the  same  reply.  When  the  chaplain  left  the  temple,  as  he 
walked  on,  his  official  attendant  asked  him  “ if  the  people  prayed  in  Amer- 
ica ? ” He  was  answered  in  the  affirmative,  and  Mr.  Jones,  dropping  on  one 
knee,  joined  his  hands,  and  with  upturned  face,  closed  his  eyes,  and  pointed 
to  the  heavens,  to  intimate  by  signs  that  we  pray  to  a Being  there.  He 
then  asked  his  attendants  if  they  prayed  to  that  Being?  He  I’eplied : 
“ Yes  ■ we  pray  to  Tien,”  their  word  for  heaven  or  Grod. 

To  return  to  our  narrative  of  matters  connected  with  the  funeral,  it  was 
found,  in  a few  days  after  the  interment  of  our  countrymen,  that  the  Japa- 
nese authorities  had  caused  to  be  erected  a new  picket  fence  around  the 
American  graves,  before  it  was  known  to  our  officers.* 

After  a farewell  visit  of  ceremony  on  shore,  and  an  interchange  of 
courtesies  and  presents,  (among  which  was  a block  of  granite  for  the  Wash- 
ington monument,)  the  Powhatan  and  Mississippi,  which  were  the  only 
vessels  of  the  squadron  left,  took  their  departure  for  Simoda  on  the  3d  of 
June,  1854.  The  steamers,  however,  had  hardly  got  under  way  at  early 
sunrise,  when  they  were  obliged  to  anchor  again  at  the  mouth  of  the  hay, 
in  consequence  of  a dense  fog.  It  was  providential  that  the  weather  had 
remained  clear  a sufficient  time  to  allow  of  securing  some  hearing  for  a safe 
anchorage.  As  the  day  advanced  the  fog  was  dissipated,  and  the  two 
steamers,  weighing  again,  got  clear  of  the  straits  before  night. 

* The  seamen  of  the  Vandalia,  to  the  crew  of  which  ship  the  deceased  had  belonged, 
with  a pious  reverence  for  their  departed  shipmates  sleeping  in  that  distant  land,  erected  a 
gravestone,  upon  which  was  inscribed  an  epitaph  of  their  own  composition,  in  the  following 
words,  cut  by  the  Japanese  in  English  letters  from  a copy  furnished  them  : 

“ Sleeping  on  a foreign  shore. 

Rest,  sailor,  rest!  thy  trials  o’er  ; 

Thy  shipmates  leave  this  token  here, 

That  some,  perchance,  may  drop  a tear 
For  one  that  braved  so  long  the  blast, 

And  served  his  country  to  the  last.” 

The  want  of  poetic  inspiration  in  this  humble  tribute  may  well  he  forgiven  for  the  sake 
of  its  mingled  affection  and  patriotism.  Poor  Jack  may  not  be  able  to  write  poetry,  and 
yet  his  heart  may  feel  as  strongly  as  another  man’s  those  deep  emotions  of  our  nature 
which  underlie  the  poet’s  work,  when,  “ with  his  singing-robes  about  him,”  he  soars  aloft 
with  his  impassioned  gushes  of  spirit-stirring  song,  or,  it  may  be,  in  gentler  mood,  breathes, 
as  it  were,  on  jEolian  harp-strings,  making  the  sadder  “ music  that  can  move  to  tears.” 

35 


54G 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


On  the  fifth  day  out,  the  smoke  of  the  volcano  of  Oho-sima  was  discov- 
ered in  the  distance,  and  the  land  was  soon  distinctly  made ; but  the  weather 
becoming  very  thick  from  the  rain  and  mist,  it  was  found  necessary  to 
put  the  ships’  heads  ofi"  shore,  and  continue  under  low  steam  during  the 
night.  The  fog  continuing  while  the  ships  were  among  the  islands  in  the 
Gulf  of  Yedo,  caused  a delay  of  full  twenty-four  hours,  and  they  conse- 
quently did  not  arrive  at  Simoda  until  the  7th  of  June,  which,  however, 
was  one  day  before  the  time  appointed  for  a meeting  of  the  Commodore 
with  the  commissioners.  Nothing  of  especial  interest  occurred  during  the 
passage.  A very  large  number  of  whales  was  observed,  and  the  strong 
eastward  current  was  remarked  as  before. 

At  noon,  the  Powhatan,  passing  Vandalia  blufl'  at  the  entrance  of  Simo- 
da harbor,  ran  in  and  came  to  anchor  in  her  former  berth,  followed  by  her 
consort  the  Mississippi.  The  store-ship  Supply  was  found  at  anchor  in  the 
harbor.  Shortly  after  anchoring,  some  of  the  Japanese  oflScers  came  on 
board  the  flag-ship,  and  cordially  welcoming  the  Commodore  on  his  return 
to  Simoda,  informed  him  that  the  commissioners  had  arrived  from  Yedo  with 
an  addition  of  two  to  their  number.  As  the  Commodore  was  very  desirous 
of  completing  his  business  with  these  functionaries,  who,  judging  from  past 
experience,  would  probably  be  somewhat  slow  in  all  their  movements,  he 
sent  his  flag-lieutenant  on  shore  to  propose  an  immediate  interview.  It 
was  ascertained  by  this  officer  that  the  commissioners  were  out  of  town,  but 
very  soon  after  a message  arrived,  to  the  effect  that  they  would  return  at 
once,  and  be  in  readiness  to  meet  the  Commodore  the  next  day  at  noon. 

The  Commodore  landed  with  a suitable  escort  on  the  next  day,  and  was 
received  at  the  temple  by  the  commissioners,  with  the  usual  formal  compli- 
ments. The  two  new  members  of  the  commission  were  presented  by  their 
names  and  titles  as  Tzudsuki,  Suraga-no-kami,  (prince  of  Suraga,)  and  Take- 
no-uchisetaro,  comptroller  of  the  revenues  : the  chief  commissioner  then  stated 
that  Simoda  had  been  made  an  imperial  city,  and  that  Izawa,  Prince  of 
Mimasaki,  and  Tzudsuki  had  been  appointed  its  governors,  with  Kura-kawa- 
kahei  and  Ise-sin-toheiro  as  lieutenant-governors.  In  consequence  of  this 
new  organization,  the  commissioners  declared  that  it  would  be  necessary  to 
establish  certain  boundaries  to  the  city  by  means  of  walls  and  gates,  in 
order  to  define  the  limits  of  the  imperial  jurisdiction ; and  asked  whether 
the  Commodore  would  object  to  the  erection  of  such,  with  the  understand- 
ing that  the  Americans  should  have  the  privilege  of  going  where  and  when 
they  pleased  within  them,  and  beyond  them,  on  asking  permission,  which 
permission  would  always  readily  be  granted.  The  Commodore  replied  that 
he  had  no  desire  to  interfere  with  any  plans  of  the  government,  provided 
they  did  not  violate  the  stipulations  of  the  treaty ; and,  reminding  them 
that  the  Americans  had  a perfect  right,  guaranteed  to  them  by  that  docu- 
ment, of  moving  unmolested  within  the  limits  of  seven  li  or  ri,  said  thal^ 


CONFEEENCES  WITH  THE  COMMISSIONEBS.  547 


of  course,  he  would  leave  what  was  beyond  that  distance  to  be  governed  by 
their  own  regulations.*  It  was  then  mutually  agreed  that  three  American 
officers  should  accompany  the  Japanese  officers  appointed  to  affix  the 
boundaries,  and  regulate  the  erection  of  the  walls  and  gates  at  Simoda. 
The  Commodore,  however,  positively  refused  to  consent  that  Americans 
should  ask  any  permission  of  the  Japanese  officers,  or  of  any  one  else,  to  go 
anywhere  within  the  limits  of  the  seven  ri  fixed  by  the  treaty,  they,  of 
course,  conducting  themselves  properly  and  peaceably. 

The  great  discussion,  however,  was  concerning  the  boundaries  within 
which  our  countrymen  might  go  at  Hakodadi.  These  had  not  yet  been 
settled  at  all.  The  Japanese  wished  to  confine  the  Americans  within  the 
city  itself ; but  as  the  Commodore  protested  most  strongly  against  this,  the 
subject  was  postponed  for  future  consideration.  The  commissioners  having 
stated  that  a special  place  had  been  set  apart  for  the  burial  of  the  Ameri- 
cans, asked  permission  to  have  the  body  of  the  man  buried  at  Yoku-hama 
removed  to  Simoda.  This  was  granted,  and  a promise  made  that  proper 
persons  from  the  squadron  should  be  selected  to  assist  in  the  removal. 

The  suggestion  of  the  Commodore  that  pilots  and  a harbor-master 
should  be  appointed,  was  readily  acceded  to  by  the  commissioners,  who 
promised  that  suitable  persons  should  be  chosen  and  made  acquainted  with 
their  duties.  The  conference  then  closed,  and  was  resumed  on  the  following 
day,  in  the  course  of  which  the  question  again  came  up  in  regard  to  the 
limits  at  Hakodadi,  but  its  settlement  was,  for  the  second  time,  postponed. 
A general  conversation  ensued  over  the  refreshments  with  which  the  Japa- 
nese entertained  their  guests,  in  which  the  commissioners  showed,  by  their 
inquiries,  that  lively  interest  which  was  uniformly  exhibited  among  the 
educated  classes  in  the  events  transpiring  in  different  parts  of  the  world. 
They  were  very  curious  to  know  something  about  the  products  and  manu- 
factures of  the  United  States,  and  asked  our  views  in  regard  to  China  and 
its  revolution,  and  concerning  the  war  between  Russia  and  Turkey. 

Another  conference  took  place  on  the  succeeding  day,  but  without  any 
definite  result  in  regard  to  the  limits  at  Hakodadi,  although  the  question 
was  discussed  for  several  hours.  An  attempt  was  made  by  the  commission- 
ers to  obtain  the  consent  of  the  Commodore  to  a regulation  prohibiting  the 
Americans  from  remaining  on  shore  after  sunset,  which  was  positively 
refused.  Two  (the  newly  appointed  commissioners)  had  been  chosen 
expressly  to  settle  the  question  in  regard  to  the  comparative  value  of 
the  Japanese  and  United  States  currencies,  and  Pursers  Speiden  and 
Eldridge  were  selected  by  the  Commodore  to  confer  with  them  on  that 

* A ri  is  equal  to  2 yYo*o  English  statute  miles ; 6 feet  is  equal  to  1 ken  ; 60  kens  make 
1 choo  ; 36  choos  make  1 ri.  The  fans  of  the  Japanese  are  of  uniform  size,  six  of  them 
making  five  English  feet.  They  are  used  as  measures,  recognized  by  the  laws. 


548 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


subject.  An  important  result  ensued,  embodied  in  an  interesting  and 
valuable  report  made  by  those  gentlemen  to  the  Commodore.* 

After  a succession  of  daily  conferences,  which  continued  from  the  8th  to 
the  17th  of  June,  a mutual  agreement  was  finally  adjusted  on  the  latter  day, 
in  regard  to  the  various  disputed  points  of  detail  not  specified  in  the  treaty. 
These  are  embodied  in  the  following  additional  regulations : 

* The  following  correspondence  embraces  the  otScial  action  on  this  point : 

United  States  Flag-ship  Powhatan. 

Simoda,  June  12,  1854. 

Gentlemen  : Yon  are  hereby  appointed  to  the  duty  of  holding  communication  with 
certain  Japanese  oflBcials  delegated  by  the  imperial  government,  in  conformity  with  the 
treaty  of  Kanagawa,  to  arrange  with  officers,  alike  delegated  by  me,  the  rate  of  currency 
and  exchange  which  shall  for  the  present  govern  the  payments  to  be  made,  by  the  several 
ships  of  the  squadron,  for  articles  that  have  been  and  are  to  be  obtained ; also  to  establish, 
as  far  as  can  be  done,  the  price  at  which  coal,  per  picul  or  ton,  can  be  delivered  on  board  at 
this  port  of  Simoda. 

It  is  not  to  be  understood  that  the  rate  of  currency  or  exchange  which  may  be  agreed 
upon  at  this  time  is  to  be  permanent ; on  the  contrary,  it  is  intended  only  to  answer  im- 
mediate purposes.  Neither  you  nor  myself  are  sufficiently  acquainted  with  the  purity  and 
value  of  the  Japanese  coins  to  establish  a fixed  rate  of  exchange,  even  if  I had  the  power 
to  recognize  such  arrangement. 

It  will,  however,  be  very  desirable  for  you  to  make  yourselves  acquainted  with  all  the 
peculiarities  of  the  Japanese  currency,  and  also,  if  practicable,  with  the  laws  appertaining 
thereto,  as  the  information  will  be  valuable  in  facilitating  aU  future  negotiations  upon  the 
subject. 

You  will,  of  course,  before  entering  into  any  agreement  which  may  be  considered 
binding,  refer  to  me. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

M.  C.  PERRY, 

Commander  tn-Chief  of  the  United  States  Naval  Forces  in  the 
East  India  and  China  Seas. 

Purser  'William  Speiden,  United  States  Navy. 

Purser  J.  C.  Eldridge,  United  States  Navy. 


United  States  STEAM-FRiG.tTE  Powhatan, 

Simoda,  June  15,  1854. 

Sir  : The  committee  appointed  by  you,  in  your  letter  of  the  12th  instant,  to  confer  with 
a committee  from  the  Japanese  commissioners  in  reference  to  the  rate  of  exchange  and 
currency  between  the  two  nations  in  the  trade  at  the  ports  opened,  and  to  settle  the  price 
of  coal  to  be  delivered  at  this  port,  beg  leave  to  report  ; 

The  Japanese  committee,  it  was  soon  seen,  came  to  the  conference  with  their  minds 
made  up  to  adhere  to  the  valuation  they  had  already  set  upon  our  coins,  even  if  the  alter- 
native was  the  immediate  cessation  of  trade.  The  basis  upon  which  they  made  their  cal- 
culation was  the  nominal  rate  at  which  the  government  sells  bullion  when  it  is  purchased 
from  the  mint,  and  which  seems  also  to  be  that  by  which  the  metal  is  received  from  the 
mines.  The  Japanese  have  a decimal  system  of  weight,  like  the  Chinese,  of  catty,  tael, 


ADDITIONAL  REGULATIONS. 


549 


Additional  regulations^  agreed  to  between  Commodore  Matthew  C.  Perry ^ 
special  envoy  to  Japan  from  the  United  States  of  America,  and  Ha- 
yashi  Daigalcu-no-lcami ; Ido,  Prince  of  Tsus-sima  ; Izawa,  Prince  of 
Mimasaki ; Tsudzuki,  Prince  of  Suruga;  Udono,  member  of  the 
board  of  revenue : Take-no-uchi  Sheitaro,  and  Matsusaki  Michitaro, 
commissioners  of  the  Emperor  of  J apan,  on  behalf  of  their  respective 
governments. 

Article  I. — The  imperial  governors  of  Simoda  will  place  watch  stations 
wherever  they  deem  best,  to  designate  the  limits  of  their  jurisdiction ; but 
Americans  are  at  liberty  to  go  through  them,  unrestricted,  within  the  limits 


mace,  candareen,  and  cash,  hy  which  articles  in  general  are  weighed  ; but  gold  and  silver 
are  not  reckoned  above  taels.  In  China,  a tael  of  silver,  in  weight,  and  one  in  currency, 
are  the  same,  for  the  Chinese  have  no  silver  coin  ; but  in  Japan,  as  in  European  countries 
the  standard  of  value  weight  and  that  of  currency  weight  differ.  We  were  told  that  a tael 
weight  of  silver  has  now  come  to  he  reckoned,  when  it  is  bullion,  as  equal  to  225  canda- 
reens,  or  2 taels,  2 mace,  5 candareens ; but,  when  coined,  the  same  amount  in  weight  is 
held  to  he  worth  6 taels,  4 mace.  It  is  at  the  bullion  value  that  the  government  has  de- 
cided to  receive  our  dollar,  the  same  at  which  they  take  the  silver  from  the  mines ; assert- 
ing that,  as  its  present  die  and  assay  give  it  no  additional  value,  it  is  worth  no  more  to 
them.  In  proportion  to  a tael  a dollar  weighs  7 mace,  1 1-5  candareen,  which,  at  the  rates 
of  bullion  value,  makes  it  worth  1 tael,  6 mace,  or  1,600  cash.  Thus  the  Japanese  gov- 
ernment will  make  a profit  of  66|  per  cent,  on  every  dollar  paid  them  of  full  weight,  with 
the  trifling  deduction  of  the  expense  of  re-coining  it.  The  injustice  of  this  arrangement 
was  shown,  and  the  propriety  of  paying  to  the  seller  himself  the  coin  we  gave  at  this  depre- 
ciated rate  urged,  but  in  vain. 

For  gold  the  rate  is  more,  as  the  disparity  between  the  value  of  bullion  and  that  of  coin, 
among  the  Japanese,  is  not  so  great.  A tael  weight  of  gold  is  valued  at  19  taels  in  cur- 
rency, and  a mace  at  1 tael,  9 mace.  The  gold  dollar  weighs  almost  5 candareens,  but  the 
Japanese  have  reckoned  it  as  the  twentieth  part  of  a $20  piece,  which  they  give  as  8 mace, 
8 candareens ; and,  consequently,  the  dollar  is  only  4 candareens,  4 cash.  This  weight 
brings  the  gold  dollar,  when  compared  with  the  tael  of  bullion  gold  worth  19  taels,  to  be 
worth  836  cash,  and  the  $20  piece  to  be  worth  16,720  cash,  or  16  taels,  7 mace,  2 canda- 
reens. This,  when  converted  into  a silver  value,  makes  a gold  dollar  worth  52 J cents,  and 
a $20  piece  worth  $10  45,  at  which  the  Japanese  propose  to  take  them.  But  this  valuation 
of  the  gold  dollar  at  52;J^  cents,  when  reckoned  at  836  cash,  its  assessed  value  by  the  Ja- 
panese government,  suffers  the  same  depreciation  as  our  silver ; and  its  real  value,  when 
compared  with  the  inflated  currency  in  use  among  the  people,  is  only  about  17i  cents. 
Consequently,  by  this  estimate,  gold  becomes  50  per  cent,  worse  for  us  to  pay  in  than  sil- 
ver. The  currency  value  of  a gold  dollar,  taking  the  ichibu  as  of  equal  purity,  and  com- 
paring them  weight  for  weight,  is  only  1,045  cash,  or  nearly  22  cents  in  silver ; so  that  the 
actual  depreciation  on  the  part  of  the  Japanese  is  not  so  great  as  silver — being  for  the  two 
metals,  when  weighed  with  each  other,  for  silver  as  100  to  33^,  and  for  gold  as  22  to  17. 
The  elements  of  this  comparison  are  not  quite  certain,  and  therefore  its  results  are  some- 
what doubtful ; but  the  extraordinary  discrepancy  of  both  metals,  compared  with  our  coins 
and  with  their  own  copper  coins,  shows  how  the  government  has  inflated  the  whole  mone- 
tary system  in  order  to  benefit  itself. 


550 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


of  seven  Japanese  ri,  or  miles;  and  those  who  are  found  transgressing 
Japanese  laws  may  he  apprehended  hy  the  police  and  taken  on  board  their 
ships. 

Article  II. — Three  landing-places  shall  be  constructed  for  the  boats  of 
merchant  ships  and  whale-ships  resorting  to  this  port ; one  at  Simoda,  one 
at  Kakizaki,  and  the  third  at  the  brook  lying  southeast  of  Centre  Island. 
The  citizens  of  the  United  States  will,  of  course,  treat  the  Japanese  officers 
with  proper  respect. 

Article  III. — Americans,  when  on  shore,  are  not  allowed  access  to  mil- 
itary establishments  or  private  houses  without  leave ; but  they  can  enter 
shops  and  visit  temples  as  they  please. 

Article  IV. — Two  temples,  the  Rioshen  at  Simoda,  and  the  Yokushen 
at  Kakizaki,  are  assigned  as  resting-places  for  persons  in  their  walks,  until 
public  houses  and  inns  are  erected  for  their  convenience. 

Article  V. — Near  the  temple  Yokushen,  at  Kakizaki,  a burial-ground 
has  been  set  apart  for  Americans,  where  their  graves  and  tombs  shall  not  be 
molested. 

Article  VI. — It  is  stipulated  in  the  treaty  of  Kanagawa,  that  coal  will 
be  furnished  at  Hakodadi;  but  as  it  is  very  difficult  for  the  Japanese  to 


The  parties  could  come  to  no  agreement,  as  we  declined  to  consent  to  the  proposals  of 
the  Japanese,  who  were  decided  to  adhere  to  their  valuation  of  a silver  dollar  at  1 tael,  6 
mace,  or  1,600  cash  ; neither  would  they  consent  to  do  justly  by  us  in  relation  to  the 
moneys  paid  them  at  this  place  before  our  departure  for  Hakodadi,  at  the  rate  of  only  I tael, 
2 mace,  or  1,200  cash,  to  the  dollar,  by  which  they  had  made  a profit  of  75  per  cent  on 
each  dollar,  stating  that  the  money  paid  them  at  this  rate  had  passed  out  of  their  hands  . 
and,  moreover,  that  the  prices  placed  upon  the  articles  furnished  had  been  charged  at  re- 
duced prices  with  reference  to  the  low  value  placed  upon  the  dollar. 

For  the  amount  due  and  unsettled,  for  supphes  received  at  Yoku-hama,  and  on  account 
of  which  Purser  Eldridge  paid  Moryama  Yenoske,  imperial  interpreter,  $350  in  gold  and 
silver,  that  they  might  he  assayed  and  tested  at  Yedo,  they  consent  to  receive  the  dollar  at 
the  valuation  now  placed  on  them  ; that  is,  at  the  rate  of  1,600  cash  for  the  silver  dollar. 

We  carefully  investigated  the  price  of  the  coal  to  he  delivered  to  vessels  in  this  port. 
We  learn  that  10,000  catties  or  100  piculs  have  arrived;  and  this,  at  the  rate  of  1,680 
catties  to  a ton  of  2,240  pounds,  or  16  4-5  piculs,  costs  262  taels,  6 mace,  5 candareens,  3 
cash,  or  $164  16  ; making  the  rate  to  be  $27  91  per  ton.  The  Japanese  state  that  the 
price  of  coal  would  he  considerably  reduced  as  the  demand  for  it  increased,  and  their  facili- 
ties for  mining  became  more  perfect. 

In  conclusion,  we  take  pleasure  in  expressing  our  thanks  to  Messrs.  Williams  and  Port- 
man,  whose  services  as  interpreters  were  indispensable,  and  from  whom  we  received  im- 
portant aid  in  our  investigations. 

We  have  the  honor  to  he,  respectfully,  your  obedient  servants, 

WILLIAM  SPEIDEN,  Purser  United  States  Nary. 

J.  C.  ELDKIDGE,  Purser  United  States  Navy. 

Commodore  M.  C.  Pebrt, 

Commander-in-chief  of  the  United  States  Naval  Forces  in  the  East  India  and  China  Seas. 


QUESTION  OF  LIMITS. 


551 


supply  it  at  that  port,  Commodore  Perry  promises  to  mention  this  to  his 
government,  in  order  that  the  Japanese  government  may  he  relieved  from 
the  obligation  of  making  that  port  a coal  depot. 

Article  VII. — It  is  agreed  that  henceforth  the  Chinese  language  shall 
not  he  employed  in  oflBcial  communications  between  the  two  governments, 
except  when  there  is  no  Dutch  interpreter. 

Article  VIII. — A harbor-master  and  three  skilful  pilots  have  been 
appointed  for  the  port  of  Simoda. 

Article  IX. — Whenever  goods  are  selected  in  the  shops,  they  shall  be 
marked  with  the  name  of  the  purchaser  and  the  price  agreed  upon,  and 
then  be  sent  to  the  Goyoshi,  or  government  office,  where  the  money  is  to  be 
paid  to  Japanese  officers,  and  the  articles  delivered  by  them. 

Article  X. — The  shooting  of  birds  and  animals  is  generally  forbidden 
in  Japan,  and  this  law  is  therefore  to  be  observed  by  all  Americans. 

Article  XI. — It  is  hereby  agreed  that  five  Japanese  ri,  or  miles,  be  the 
limit  allowed  to  Americans  at  Hakodadi,  and  the  requirements  contained 
in  Article  I.  of  these  Kegulations,  are  hereby  made  also  applicable  to  that 
port  within  that  distance. 

Article  XII. — His  Majesty  the  Emperor  of  Japan  is  at  liberty  to 
appoint  whoever  he  pleases  to  receive  the  ratification  of  the  treaty  of  Kan- 
agawa,  and  give  an  acknowledgment  on  his  part. 

It  is  agreed  that  nothing  herein  contained  shall  in  any  way  affect  or 
modify  the  stipulations  of  the  treaty  of  Kanagawa,  should  that  be  found  to 
be  contrary  to  these  regulations. 

In  witness  whereof,  copies  of  these  additional  regulations  have  been 
signed  and  sealed  in  the  English  and  Japanese  languages  by  the  respective 
parties,  and  a certified  translation  in  the  Dutch  language,  and  exchanged 
by  the  commissioners  of  the  United  States  and  Japan. 

Simoda,  Japan,  June  17,  1854. 

M.  C.  PEKKY, 

Commander-in-chief  of  the  U.  S.  Naval  Forces  East  India, 

China,  and  Japan  Seas,  and  Special  Envoy  to  Japan. 

These  regulations  were  agreed  to  on  the  part  of  the  commissioners  only 
after  a very  hard  struggle.  The  question  of  limits  to  the  Americans,  both 
at  Simoda  and  Hakodadi,  was  the  one  most  difficult  of  adjustment,  in  con- 
sequence, as  it  appeared,  of  the  trouble  in  reconciling  the  imperial  and  local 
jurisdictions.  The  commissioners  urged  that  the  authority  of  the  Empire 
did  not  extend  as  far  as  the  seven  Japanese  ri,  or  sixteen  English  miles 
guaranteed  to  the  Americans  by  the  treaty  of  Kanagawa.  The  Japanese 
officers  had  pointed  out  three  positions  to  the  American  officers,  who  had 
been  designated  by  the  Commodore  to  be  present,  as  the  sites  for  the  gates 
and  walls.  Neither  of  these  was  distant  more  than  a mile  and  a half  from 


552 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


Centre  Island,  the  starting  point  agreed  upon  from  which  to  mark  the 
boundary.  The  gates  were  finally  erected  at  the  spots  indicated,  when  the 
commissioners  formally  proposed  that  the  Commodore  should  now  assent  to 
a regulation  making  it  necessary  for  Americans  desiring  to  pass  beyond  them 
to  obtain  permission  first  from  the  Japanese  officer  on  duty.  But  the  Com- 
modore peremptorily  refused,  and  was  firm  in  resisting  all  efiTorts,  great  or 
small,  to  weaken,  in  the  slightest  degree,  the  concessions  already  made  to 
the  Americans  by  the  treaty.  He  intimated,  however,  a willingness  to  assent 
to  such  regulations  as  were  undoubtedly  necessary  to  govern  the  Japanese 
authorities  as  well  as  the  Americans ; but  as  for  modifying  or  in  any  way 
altering  the  treaty,  he  wished  them  distinctly  to  understand  that  it  was 
entirely  impossible.  In  regard  to  the  limits  at  Hakodadi,  the  commissioners 
at  first  wished  to  confine  them  to  one  street,  then  to  the  whole  town,  then  to 
the  projecting  promontory  extending  toward  the  sea,  next  to  three  Jap- 
anese ri,  and  then  to  three  and  a half.  Like  a brave  retreating  army,  they 
thus  contested  the  ground,  inch  by  inch.  The  Commodore  proposed  that 
the  Americans  should  enjoy  the  same  extent  of  boundary  as  had  been  grant- 
ed at  Simoda ; but  this  was  so  pertinaciously  opposed  that  it  was  thought 
expedient  to  compromise  for  five  Japanese  ri,  or  twelve  English  miles;  and 
as  the  country  in  the  neighborhood  of  Hakodadi  is  mountainous  and  sparse- 
ly settled,  this  restriction  will  prove  of  no  great  consequence.  Nothing, 
however,  was  more  apparent  than  that  the  Japanese,  admonished  by  their 
old  Portuguese  experience,  were  exceedingly  reluctant  to  allow  Christian 
foreigners  to  come  among  them  at  all,  even  for  temporary  purposes. 

The  Japanese  authorities  had,  in  accordance  with  their  agreement,  sup- 
plied the  steamers  at  Simoda  with  some  of  their  native  coal.  It  had  been 
brought  from  some  of  their  mines,  at  considerable  trouble  and  expense, 
in  hampers  made  of  idce-straw.  Notwithstanding  the  country  is  said  to 
produce  large  quantities  of  this  mineral,  and  the  people  are  reported  to 
have  been  long  familiar  with  its  uses,  the  coal  they  supplied  appeared  to 
be  surface  coal,  and  to  have  been  obtained  from  mines  which  had  not  been 
opened  thoroughly  and  worked.  On  being  tried  on  board  the  steamers,  the 
engineers  reported  that  it  was  of  a quality  so  inferior  that  they  were  unable 
to  keep  up  steam  with  it.  They  have,  however,  very  good  coal,  and  the 
experiments  practically  made  on  specimens  brought  home  by  the  squadron 
give  the  following  results.  A careful  chemical  analysis  made  at  the  navy 
yard  laboratory,  Brooklyn,  will  be  found  in  the  Appendix. 

“ Navy  Yard,  New  York,  January  8,  1856. 

“ Sir : In  compliance  with  your  order  of  November  5,  to  subject  to 
suitable  tests  samples  of  Japan  and  Formosa  coals,  with  a view  to  ascertain 
their  respective  qualities  as  fuel,  we  respectfully  report,  as  follows,  viz. : 


COMPARATIVE  EVAPORATION  OF  COAL. 


5o3 


“As  both  the  Japan  and  Formosa  coals  are  of  bituminous  character, 
we  have  used,  as  a standard  of  comparison,  the  best  quality  of  Cumberland 
coal,  and  conducted  the  test  upon  a scale  sufficiently  large,  that  incidental 
causes,  of  a minor  character,  always  attending  experiments,  would  not  be 
likely  to  materially  affect  the  correctness  of  the  results  obtained. 

“ The  test  was  made  in  a boiler  of  the  drop-flue  form,  having  thirty- 
nine  square  feet  of  grate  surface.  The  engine  worked  from  this  boiler  has 
a cylinder  of  thirty-six  inches  diameter,  with  four  feet  length  of  stroke,  and 
operates  the  machinery  in  the  machine  shop  of  this  yard ; the  woi’k  is  so 
nearly  equal,  at  each  moment  of  time,  that  the  resistance  may  be  considered 
constant. 

“ The  experiments  were  conducted  for  consecutive  days  with  the  differ- 
ent kinds  of  coal,  and  the  quantity  consumed  at  the  expiration  of  each 
day’s  work  accurately  noted,  which  was  required  to  maintain  as  nearly  an 
equal  pressure  of  steam  as  possible. 

The  following  table  embraces  the  results  obtained  of  the  comparative 
evaporative  effect  of  the  two  coals,  and  also  the  comparative  stowage  : 


CUMBERLAND  COAL. 


Date. 

Hour. 

Steam 

pressure. 

Remarks. 

Date. 

Hour, 

Steam 

pressure. 

Remarks. 

1855. 

1S55. 

Dec.  27 

8 A.  M. 

14 

Dec.2S 

8 A.  M. 

15 

9 A.  M. 

15 

9 A.  M. 

16 

10  A.  M. 

15 

10  A.  M. 

15 

11  A.  M. 

13 

11  A.  M. 

14 

12  A.  M. 

14 

12  A.  M. 

15 

1 P.  M. 

15 

Coal  consumed,  1,900  lbs. 

1 P.  M. 

13 

Coal  consumed,  1,950  lbs. 

2 P.  M. 

13 

2 P.  M. 

15 

3 P.  M. 

14 

3 P.  M. 

14 

4 P.  M. 

14 

4 P.  M. 

14 

4.80  p.  M. 

15 

4.30  P.  M. 

13 

40  cubic  feet  displaced 

for  one  ton  of  coal. 

FORMOSA  COAL. 


Date. 

Hour. 

Steam 

pressure. 

Remarks. 

Date. 

Hour. 

Steam 

pressure. 

Remarks. 

1855. 

1855. 

Dec.  29 

8 A.  M. 

16 

Uec.31 

< 

CO 

16 

9 A,  M. 

14 

9 A.  M. 

15 

10  A.  M. 

13 

10  A.  M. 

14 

11  A.  M. 

15 

11  A.  M. 

14 

12  A.  M. 

13 

12  A.  M. 

13 

1 P.  M. 

14 

Coal  consumed,  2,95T  lbs. 

1 P.  M. 

15 

Coal  consumed,  3,036  lbs. 

2 P.  M. 

16 

2 P.  M. 

14 

3 P.  M. 

13 

8 P.  M. 

14 

4 P.  M. 

14 

4 p.  ir. 

13 

4.30  p.  M. 

14 

4.30  p.  M. 

14 

40  cubic  feet  displaced 

for  one  ton  of  coaL 

554 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


JAPAN  COAL. 


Dftt€. 

Hour. 

Steam 

preeaure. 

Remarka. 

Date. 

Hoot. 

Steam 

preaaure. 

Kemarke. 

1856. 

1856. 

Jan.  2 

8 A.  M. 

14 

Jan.  3 

8 A.  M. 

12 

9 A.  M. 

13 

9 A.  M. 

13 

10  A.  M. 

13 

10  A.  M. 

14 

11  A.  M. 

12 

11  A.  M. 

13 

12  A.  M. 

14 

12  A.  M. 

14 

1 P.  M. 

13 

Coal  consamed,  3,700  lbs. 

1 P.  M. 

15 

Coal  consumed,  8,648  lbs. 

2 P.  M. 

15 

2 P.  M. 

14 

3 P.  M. 

14 

3 P.  M. 

14 

4 p.  11. 

14 

4 P.  M. 

15 

4.30  p.  M. 

13 

4.30  p.  M. 

14 

37  cubic  feet  displaced 

for  one  ton  of  coaL 

“ Tlie  Formosa  coal  burns  freely,  leaving  but  a small  amount  of  ashes 
and  scoria. 

“The  Japan  coal  produces  considerable  scoria  and  ashes.  The  sample 
of  this  coal  was  taken  from  the  out-croppings  of  the  vein,  and  will,  un- 
doubtedly, yield  a much  superior  quality  at  a greater  depth. 

“JESSE  GAY,  Chief  Engineer. 

“WILLIAM  E.  EVERETT,  Chief  Engineer. 
“ Captain  Abraham  Bigelow, 

“ Commandant  Navy  Yard^  New  York.  ” 

Whether  the  shrewd  Japanese  (as  is  not  unlikely)  supplied  an  inferior 
quality  to  deceive  their  visitors,  or  whether  from  ignorance  of  the  article 
and  want  of  mining  skill  they  innocently  brought  that  which  was  inferior, 
cannot  be  certainly  decided ; but  as  good  coal  certainly  exists  in  J apan,  and 
as  the  natives  not  only  use  it,  but,  according  to  Von  Siebold,  know  very 
well  how  to  mine  it,  the  probabilities  are  that  they  purposely  furnished  the 
poorest  samples.  When  the  Preble  was  at  Nagasaki,  and  they  saw  the 
armorer  on  board  at  work  at  his  forge,  they  pretended  that  they  did  not 
know  what  coal  was,  and  actually  took  a piece  on  shore  as  a curiosity, 
expressing,  with  well  feigned  astonishment,  their  surprise  at  seeing  a 
“stone”  that  would  burn.  The  coal  that  was  obtained  was  charged  at  the 
enormous  rate  of  about  $28  per  ton;  but  the  Japanese  stated  that  the  price 
would  be  probably  much  reduced  as  the  demand  for  it  increased,  and  their 
facilities  for  obtaining  it  improved.  We  are  inclined  to  think,  after  a care- 
ful examination  of  the  particulars  of  all  the  interviews  and  conferences 
with  them  on  all  topics,  that  on  no  one  subject  did  they  misrepresent  more 
unscrupulously  than  on  that  of  coal.  There  is  no  doubt  that  they  have  an 
abundance,  and  some  of  it  very  good. 

As  the  negotiations  with  the  commissioners  had  now  terminated,  the 
Commodore  prepared  for  his  final  departure,  and  accordingly  was  desirous 


PROTEST  OF  THE  COMMODORE. 


5.55 


of  settling  the  accounts  of  the  ships  with  the  local  authorities.  Proper 
officers  were  accordingly  sent  on  shore  to  receive  from  the  governor  a 
statement,  with  the  prices  of  the  various  articles  with  which  the  squadron 
had  been  furnished.* 

Among  other  accounts  was  a bill  for  spars,  whch  had  been  ordered 
previous  to  leaving  for  Hakodadi ; but  upon  investigation  it  was  found  that, 
although  charged,  they  had  not  yet  heen  prepared  or  delivered,  and  that 
even  the  trees  from  which  they  were  to  be  made  had  not  yet  been  cut  down. 
The  bazaar  had  also  been  opened  for  several  days,  and  was  supplied  with 
the  various  articles  of  Japanese  manufacture  which  the  Americans  desired 
to  purchase  and  take  home  as  memorials  of  the  expedition.  The  prices 
charged,  however,  were  so  exorbitant  that  the  Commodore  was  obliged  to 
protest  against  the  conduct  of  the  authorities  in  this  respect,  and  to  rebuke 
them  for  the  neglect,  not  to  call  it  by  a harsher  term,  in  not  having  the 
spars  ready,  although  they  had  been  charged  for  as  if  furnished. 

The  protest  and  complaints  of  the  Commodore  having  been  laid  before 
the  governor,  Prince  Agawa,  that  functionary  sent  Moryama  Yenoske,  the 
interpreter,  on  board  the  flag-ship,  with  a respectful  rejoinder,  to  the  effect 
that  the  prices  of  articles  offered  for  sale  in  the  bazaar  had  been  arranged 
at  Yedo,  and  that  they  were  not  above  the  usual  market  valuation.  It 
was  then  explained  by  the  flag-lieutenant  that,  although  the  prices  in  Chi- 


* The  cost  of  various  supplies,  which  are  those  ordinarily  required  by  foreign  vessels,  is 
here  given,  as  it  may  be  of  interest  and  value  to  future  navigators. 

Prices  of  supplies  at  Simoda. 

1,200  e'o«A=$l. 


Wood  - - 

- $6  75. 

Eggs  - - 

- 7 for  10  cents. 

Chickens  - 

- 39  cents  each. 

Fish  - - 

- from  17^  to  29  cents  each. 

Cray-fish  - 

- 3^  cents  each. 

Ditto  - - 

- 11^  cents  per  cattee. 

Cabbage  - 

- 18  cents  per  sack. 

Radishes  - 

- 12q  cents  per  sack. 

Potatoes 

- 38  cents  per  sack. 

Onions  - - 

- 10  cents  per  sack. 

(The  sack  holds  a little  more  than  an 

English  bushel.) 

Six  fans  = 6 English  feet. 

1 spar,  82  fans  long,  diameter  1 fan 

3.6  inches  -----  $108  80 

2 spars,  50  fans  6 inches  long,  di- 

ameter 8 inches  - - - 27  00 

2 ditto,  73  fans  7 in.  long,  diameter 

1 fan  2.8  in.  - - - - 176  10 


2 spars,  47  fans  3 inches  long,  di- 
ameter 8 inches  - - - $25  50 

2 ditto,  52  fans  8 inches  long,  diam- 
eter 8 inches  _ - . _ 27  00 

2 ditto,  39  fans  6 inches  long,  di- 
ameter 6.4  inches  - - - 10  40 

2 ditto,  55  fans  long,  diameter  8 in.  30  00 
1 ditto,  66  fans  long,  diameter  1 

fan  1.2  inches  - - - - 54  40 

1 ditto,  44  fans  long,  diameter  7.2 

inches  - --  --  --  7 80 

2 ditto,  49  fans  long,  diameter  8 in.  25  50 
2 ditto,  46  fans  long,  diameter  7.2 

inches  ------  19  50 

2 ditto  30  fans  8.5  in.  long,  diame- 
ter 7.2  in.  -----  13  00 

2 ditto,  49  fans  5 in.  long,  diameter 

1 fan  1.2  in.  - - - - 95  20 

2 ditto,  33  fans  long,  diameter  4.8 

inches  ------  71  49 

2 ditto,  55  fans  long,  diameter  1 fan 

2.8  inches  -----  163  20 


556 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


nese  “cash''  might  not  appear  exorbitant  to  the  Japanese,  yet  that  they 
were  really  so  to  the  Americans,  who  were  obliged  to  pay  in  dollars  at  a 
depreciation  much  below  their  value.  Moryama  Yenoske  explained  the 
affair  of  the  spars,  by  declaring  that  he  was  responsible  for  what  he  was 
pleased  to  term  the  error,  as  he  supposed  that  all  the  Commodore  had  asked 
for  was  the  cost  of  spars,  and  did  not  understand  that  an  order  had  been 
given  for  a supply  of  them.  Subsequently,  the  Commodore  and  some  of 
his  officers  went  on  shore  and  partook  of  a handsome  collation,  at  the  earnest 
solicitation  of  the  commissioners,  who,  on  the  occasion,  made  an  ample 
apology  for  the  various  errors  and  misunderstandings  which  had  interrupted 
the  friendly  intercourse  between  the  Americans  and  the  authorities.  The 
Commodore  explained  that  it  was  a principle  he  had  been  contending  for, 
and  not  the  comparatively  unimportant  consideration  of  a few  hundred 
dollars,  more  or  less,  as  his  government  had  placed  ample  means  in  his 
hands,  and  he  was  disposed  to  pay  liberally  for  all  he  had;  but  neither  the 
United  States  nor  he  were  at  all  willing  to  be  imposed  upon.  Moryama 
Yenoske,  who  was  always  the  most  active  of  all  the  officials,  and  was  now 
the  chief  spokesman,  said  that  the  Americans  might  purchase  any  articles 
they  pleased  at  their  own  valuation.  This  offer  was  of  course  rejected : 
and  Yenoske  then  assumed,  in  behalf  of  himself  and  his  fellow-interpreter 
Tatsnoske,  the  whole  blame,  not  only  in  regard  to  the  spars,  but  the  exor- 
bitant prices  and  all  the  other  wrongs  which  had  given  rise  to  complaint. 
Indeed,  these  two  worthy  gentlemen  seemed  to  be  convenient  mediums 
through  which  their  superiors  might  render  a vicarious  expiation  for  their 
offences.  They  were  ever  ready  to  shoulder  all  the  responsibility  for  any- 
thing wrong.  Yenoske,  however,  was  very  civilly  told  that  although  the 
Commodore  could  appreciate  the  self-sacrificing  devotion  with  which  he 
shouldered  all  the  blame,  yet  that  it  was  not  a victim  that  was  sought,  but 
merely  a correction  of  certain  evil  practices  which,  if  not  checked  in  the 
beginning,  might  lead  to  disaffection  and  serious  quarrel.  A perfect 
reconciliation  then  ensued,  which  was  appropriately  sealed  by  a present 
from  the  commissioners  of  a block  of  stone  for  the  Washington  monument, 
which  was  to  be  carried  to  the  United  States  as  a tribute  from  Japan  to  the 
memory  of  the  great  father  of  our  republic.  Nothing  afterwards  occurred 
to  interrupt  friendly  relations,  and  frequent  intercourse,  which  grew  more 
and  more  intimate  as  the  day  of  departure  approached,  took  place  with  all 
classes  on  shore.  Handsome  presents  were  exchanged,  and  some  choice 
articles  of  Japanese  manufacture  were  received  from  the  authorities  as  gifts 
for  the  President  and  for  the  officers  of  the  ships.  Among  the  gifts  were 
three  Japanese  dogs,  sent  to  the  President.  These  were  of  the  small  span- 
iel breed,  already  alluded  to,  very  highly  esteemed  in  Japan,  and  purchas- 
able only  at  a very  large  price.  The  Commodore  succeeded  in  bringing 
them  to  the  United  States,  and  they  now  thrive  at  Washington.  The 


THE  JAPANESE  “SAM  PATCH.”  557 

Commodore  obtained  two  for  himself,  one  only  of  which  reached  the  United 
States. 

A few  days  previous  to  the  departure  of  the  Commodore,  Moryama 
Yenoske,  in  company  with  several  other  ofiicials,  came  on  board  the 
Powhatan  to  request  that  the  Japanese  “Sam  Patch,”  of  whom  we  have 
spoken,  should  be  allowed  to  remain  in  Japan.  They  were  told  that  the 
Commodore  had  no  objection  whatever  to  the  man’s  remaining,  if  he 
wished ; hut  that  it  must  he  by  his  own  free  will,  and  that  the  commission- 
ers must  give  a written  pledge  that  the  man  should  not,  in  any  way,  he  pun- 
ished for  his  absence  from  Japan.  Moreover,  as  he  had  suffered  shipwreck, 
and  had  been  thrown,  by  Grod’s  providence,  on  American  protection,  and 
had  entered  on  hoard  an  American  ship  by  his  own  choice,  he  was  entitled 
to  all  the  protection  and  security  of  an  American  citizen ; consequently  the 
Commodore  could  allow  of  no  coercion  being  resorted  to  to  make  the  man 
remain  in  Japan.  The  Japanese  officials  ridiculed  the  idea  of  his  suffering 
any  harm  or  hurt  by  his  remaining  in  Japan,  and  said  that  the  commis- 
sioners would  cheerfully  give  any  guarantee  required  that  he  should  in  no 
way  be  molested,  hut  he  allowed  at  once  to  return  to  his  friends,  who  were 
very  anxious  to  see  him.  Sam  was  now  called  up,  but  all  the  eloquence  and 
persuasiveness  of  the  Japanese  were  insufficient  to  induce  him  to  leave  the 
ship.  The  truth  is  that  Sam  never,  during  the  whole  stay  of  the  squadron 
in  Japan,  appeared  fully  to  understand  the  independence  and  safety  of  his 
position.  Long  habit  had  so  impressed  upon  him  the  cowardice  of  trembling 
servility  before  his  superiors  in  Japan,  that  it  was  very  obvious  the  inter- 
view with  the  officials  produced  no  emotion  but  abject  fear.  He  fell  on  his 
knees  before  them  after  the  manner  of  his  country,  and  would  have  remained 
in  that  position  if  Lieutenant  Bent,  who  was  determined  that  no  such 
obsequiousness  should  be  shown  on  the  deck  of  an  American  man-of-war,  and 
under  the  flag  of  the  United  States,  to  any  thing  wearing  the  human  form> 
had  not  peremptorily  ordered  him  immediately  to  rise  to  his  feet. 

Sam  had  taken  his  place  as  one  of  the  crew,  and  had  won  the  good  will 
of  his  shipmates  generally  by  his  good  nature.  All  pitied  his  misfortunes, 
and  one  of  the  marines  named  Groble,  a religious  man,  had  taken  a special 
interest  in  him ; finding  in  his  docility  and  intelligence  promise  of  good 
fruit  from  a properly  directed  religious  training,  Goble  had  begun  with  him 
a system  of  instruction  which  he  hoped  would  not  only  make  the  Japanese 
a fair  English  scholar,  but  a faithful  Christian.  Sam  came  to  the  United 
States  in  the  Mississippi,  and  accompanied  his  benevolent  shipmate  and 
devoted  teacher  to  his  home  in  the  interior  of  New  York,  where  Goble  has 
property.  At  the  last  accounts  they  were  living  there  together,  and  it  is 
not  unreasonable  to  hope  that  Sam,  with  the  education  of  his  faithful 
American  friend,  may  be  an  instrument,  in  the  event  of  his  return  to 
Japan,  under  a further  development  of  our  relations  with  that  Empire,  of 


558 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


aiding  in  the  introduction  of  a higher  and  better  civilization  into  his  own 
country.  All  honor  he  to  the  American  Christian  marine  for  his  benevo- 
lence ! 

It  will  he  recollected  that,  of  the  several  Japanese  who  had  been  picked 
up  on  the  coast  of  California  and  taken  to  Shanghai,  with  a view  of  restor- 
ing them  to  their  own  country,  Sam  Patch  was  the  only  one  who  accompa- 
nied the  expedition  to  Japan.  The  rest  were  all  afraid,  and  Sam  went  with 
fear  and  trembling.  On  the  return  of  the  Mississippi  to  China,  on  her  way 
home,  another  of  the  Japanese  expressed  a wish  to  visit  the  United  States, 
and  was  gratified  in  his  desire ; this  was  the  young  man  whom  we  have 
mentioned  on  a former  page.  His  Japanese  name  is  something  like  Dans- 
Keviich ; but  the  sailors,  with  their  usual  fondness  for  christening  those 
adopted  into  their  roving  family,  soon  called  him  Dan-Ketch.  It  was  fortu- 
nate for  the  poor  fellow  that  he  escaped  the  more  usual  nautical  cognomen  of 
Jack;  for  that,  however  respectable  in  itself,  would  have  made  a much  less 
reputable  combination  in  union  with  the  Americo- Japanese  Ketch ; and 
poor  Dan  might  have  found  himself  undesirably  elevated  to  the  ofiice  of  a 
hangman,  without  precisely  understanding  the  process  which  conferred  the 
unenviable  rank.  Dan  is  under  the  protection  of  the  Commodore,  and  evinces 
great  intelligence,  with  an  eager  desire  for  knowledge.  Should  he  ever 
return  to  Japan,  as  at  present  he  purposes,  after  learning  more  about  us,  he 
will  doubtless  carry  home  with  him  no  small  amount  of  information  about 
our  country. 

The  Commodore  now  transferred  his  broad  pennant  from  the  Powhatan 
back  to  the  Mississippi,  and  the  two  steamers  got  under  way  and  moved 
down  to  the  outer  roads  of  Simoda,  where  they  anchored  preparatory  to 
their  final  departure.  Moryama  Yenoske,  in  company  with  some  of  the 
other  officials,  paid  a farewell  visit  to  the  Commodore  on  that  day,  bringing 
with  him  the  closing  accounts  of  the  ships,  and  some  specimens  of  natural 
history  as  presents.  A handsome  entertainment  was  spread  before  the 
visitors  in  the  cabin,  and  in  the  course  of  the  friendly  conversation  around 
the  table,  a Japanese  picture,  representing  the  punishment  of  crucifixion, 
was  shown  to  Yenoske.  This  had  been  purchased  at  Simoda,  by  some  of 
our  officers,  and  its  presence  turned  the  conversation  on  the  subject  of 
capital  punishments  in  Japan.  The  Commodore  was  glad  of  the  opportu- 
nity to  procure  accurate  information  on  this  point,  inasmuch  as  some  writers, 
later  than  Kasmpfer,  have  denied  his  statement  that  crucifixion  is  a Japa- 
nese mode  of  execution.  Yenoske  said  that  the  picture  itself  was  illustra- 
tive merely  of  a scene  in  one  of  their  popular  farces ; but,  he  added,  that 
regicides  were  executed  somewhat  in  the  manner  represented  in  the  picture, 
being  fii-st  nailed  to  a cross  and  then  transfixed  with  a spear.  In  the  picture 
the  man  was  merely  tied  to  the  cross.  Decapitation,  however,  he  said,  was 
the  usual  mode  of  capital  punishment  for  murderers,  but  never  strangulation 


REGULATIONS  RESPECTING  PILOTS,  *ETC.  559 


or  hanging.  Upon  Yenoske  being  asked  if  the  practice  of  the  Hari-kari  or 
“ Happy  dispatch  ” still  prevailed,  he  replied  that  one  of  his  fellow  inter- 
preters had  committed  suieide  in  that  way,  in  his  presence,  while  at  Naga- 
saki. The  Commodore  then  inquired  if  it  were  true  that  the  governor  of 
Nagasaki  had  destroyed  himself,  after  the  visit  of  Captain  Pellew  in  1808; 
and  Yenoske  declared  that  not  only  the  governor  had  done  so,  hut  that  two 
other  high  officers  and  ten  subordinates  had  followed  his  example.  The 
Japanese,  after  a prolonged  conviviality,  took  their  farewell  of  the  Ameri- 
cans, with  many  expressions  of  warm  attachment  to  their  visitors,  and  pulled 
off  for  the  land. 

The  ships  were  now  all  in  readiness  for  departure.  The  Southampton, 
which  had  arrived  from  Voleano  Bay  on  the  tenth  of  June,  and  had  dis- 
charged her  cargo  of  coal  into  the  steamers,  the  Macedonian,  which  reached 
Simoda  on  the  eleventh,  and  the  store-ship  Supply  that  had  been  stationary 
in  that  port  for  several  months,  with  the  Mississippi,  now  the  flag-ship,  and 
the  Powhatan,  composed  the  whole  squadron,  and  were  anchored  in  the 
outer  bay,  preparatory  to  sailing  for  their  respective  destinations.  Arrange- 
ments had  been  made  to  carry  out  the  regulations  agreed  to  with  the 
authorities  in  regard  to  the  appointment  of  a harbor-master  and  three 
pilots,  and  these  now,  at  the  last  moment,  were  completed  by  the  signature 
of  Kura-kawa-kahei,  the  deputy-governor,  to  a written  contract,*  copies  of 
which  were  made  in  English  and  Dutch,  and  deposited  with  the  Japanese 
officials  at  Simoda.  The  harbor-master  and  the  pilots,  after  having  been 
selected  by  the  local  authorities,  were  brought  to  the  Commodore  for  his 
conflrmation  of  their  appointment.  The  Commodore,  having  signifled  his 


* Regulations  respecting  pilots,  and  the  supplying  of  American  vessels  entering  the  port  of 

Simoda. 

A look-out  place  shall  be  established  at  some  convenient  point,  from  which  vessels  ap- 
pearing in  the  olBng  can  be  seen  and  reported,  and  when  one  is  discovered  making  ap- 
parently for  the  harbor,  a boat  shall  he  sent  to  her  with  a pilot. 

And  in  order  to  carry  this  regulation  into  full  effect,  boats  of  suitable  size  and  quality 
shall  always  be  kept  in  readiness  by  the  harbor-master,  which,  if  necessary,  shall  proceed 
beyond  Rock  island,  to  ascertain  whether  the  vessel  in  sight  intends  entering  the  harbor  or 
not.  If  it  may  be  the  desire  of  the  master  of  said  vessel  to  enter  port,  the  pilot  shall  con- 
duct her  to  safe  anchorage,  and  during  her  stay  shall  render  every  assistance  in  his  power 
in  facilitating  the  procurement  of  all  the  supplies  she  may  require. 

The  rates  of  pilotage  shall  be  : for  vessels  drawing  over  18  American  feet,  fifteen  dol- 
lars ; for  all  vessels  drawing  over  13  and  less  than  18  feet,  ten  dollars  ; and  for  all  vessels 
under  13  feet,  five  dollars. 

These  rates  shall  be  paid  in  gold  or  silver  coin,  or  its  equivalent  in  goods,  and  the  same 
shall  be  paid  for  piloting  a vessel  out  as  well  as  into  port. 

When  vessels  anchor  in  the  outer  harbor,  and  do  not  enter  the  inner  port,  only  half  the 
above  rates  of  compensation  shall  be  paid  to  the  pilot. 

The  prices  for  supplying  water  to  American  vessels  at  Simoda  shall  be  fourteen  bun- 


5G0 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


approval  of  the  choice,  gave  to  the  harbor-master  a spy-glass,  to  be  kept 
always  at  the  look-out  place  and  to  pass  to  his  successor  in  office ; to  each 
of  the  pilots  a comfortable  overcoat  and  two  American  ensigns,  to  he  dis- 
played on  hoard  the  pilot-boats  when  going  to  any  vessels  that  may  appear 
off  the  harbor.  The  surveyors  had  marked  the  rocks,  buoys,  and  projiinent 
headlands  with  signal  flags,  but  as  the  Japanese  authorities  objected  to 
them  as  seeming  to  imply  some  evidence  of  right  to  possession,  it  was  rea- 
dily conceded  that  the  Japanese  should  substitute  for  them  their  little  white 
and  black  striped  flags. 

On  the  morning  of  the  28th  of  June,  1854,  the  whole  squadron  got  un- 
der way ; but  the  wind  shifting  to  the  southward,  the  Macedonian  and  Sup- 
ply were  obliged  to  anchor  again.  The  Commodore,  accordingly,  ordered 
these  vessels  to  warp  into  a safe  berth,  and  sail  when  the  wind  and  weather 
should  permit,  and  to  keep  company,  if  possible,  to  Kelung,  in  Formosa, 

dred  cash  per  boat-load,  (the  casks  being  furnished  by  the  vessel.)  And  for  wood  delivered 
on  board,  about  seven  thousand  two  hundred  cash  per  cube  of  five  American  feet. 

SILAS  BENT,  Flag  lAeutenant. 

ETURA-KAWA-KAHEI,  Lieutenant  Governor. 
United  States  Steam-Frigate  Mississippi,  at  Sea,  June  28,  1854. 

Approved : M.  C.  PERRY, 

Commander-in-Chief  United  Slates  Naval  Forces  East  India,  China  and  Japan  Seas. 

United  States  Steam-Frigate  Mississippi,  Simoda,  Japan,  June  23,  1854. 

Bcpalingen  met  betrekking  tot  loodsen,  en  het  leveren  van  henodigdheden  aan  Amerikaansche 
schepen  in  den  haven  van  Simoda. 

Op  eene  daartoe  geschikte  plaats  zal  een  uitkj’k  worden  opgerigt  van  waar  schepen  in 
de  nabyheid  komende  kunnen  worden  gezien,  alsdan  zal  de  overheid  daarvan  verwittigd,  en 
een  hoot  met  een  loods  aan  boord  naar  het  schip  afgezonden  worden  als  hetzelve  naar  deze 
haven  schynt  te  komen. 

Ten  einde  deze  bepaling  ten  voile  uit  te  voeren  zulleu  booten  van  gencegzame  grootte 
altyd  door  den  havenmeester  in  gereedheid  worden  gehouden,  welke  booten  als  zulks  nodig 
mogt  zyn  zoover  als  Rots  eiland  (Mikomoto  Sima)  zullen  gaan  om  te  onderzoeken  of  het 
schip  in  gezigt  al  of  niet  in  den  haven  zal  komen.  Als  nu  de  schipper  van  zulk  een  schip 
den  haven  will  binnen  loopen,  zal  de  loods  hetzelve  naar  een  veilige  ankerplaats  hrengen,  en 
gedurende  deszelfs  verblyf  aldaar  al  het  mogelyke  aanwenden,  om  het  verkrygen  van  wat 
hetzelve  nodig  mogt  hebben,  gemakkelyk  te  maken. 

Het  loon  van  den  loods  zal  zyn  voor  schepen  meer  den  achttien  Amerikaansche  voeten 
diep  in  het  water,  vyftien  dollars  ; voor  schepen  meer  dan  dertien  en  minder  dan  achttien 
voeten  diep  in  het  water,  tien  dollars ; en  vyf  dollars  voor  schepen  minder  dan  dertien 
Amerikaansche  voeten  diep  in  het  water. 

Dit  loon  zal  hetaald  worden  in  gouden  of  zilveren  munt,  of  met  eene  gelyke  waarde  in 
goederen  en  evenveel  zal  hetaald  worden  voor  het  uitloodsen,  als  voor  het  naar  binnen 
loodsen. 

Als  schepen  niet  in  den  binnen  haven  komen,  doch  in  den  bniten  haven  ten  anker  gaan, 
zal  alleen  de  helft  van  de  hierboven  vastgestelde  loonen  worden  hetaald. 

Amerikaansche  schepen  in  den  haven  van  Simoda,  zullen  kunnen  verkrygen  water  aan 
boord  tegen  veertien  honderd  pitjes  (cash)  voor  een  volgeladen  hoot,  (de  watervaten  door 


SAFETY  OF  THE  HARBOR  OF  SIMODA.  561 


where  they  were  hound.  There  seemed  no  occasion  to  wait  for  them,  as 
their  destination  was  different,  and  any  further  delay  on  the  part  of  the 
steamers  would  only  result  in  an  unnecessary  consumption  of  coal ; so  the 
Mississippi  and  the  Powhatan,  with  the  Southampton  in  tow,  stood  out  to 
sea  and  shaped  a course  to  the  southward  and  westward. 

In  passing  out  beyond  Rock  Island  a high  sea  was  encountered,  which 
gave  additional  proof  that  the  outer  as  well  as  the  inner  harbor  of  Simodais 
perfectly  safe.  The  violence  of  the  sea  being  in  a considerable  degree 
broken  by  the  ledge  of  rocks  extending,  though  not  continuously,  from  Rock 
Island  to  Cape  Idzu — but  these  channels  were  not  thoroughly  explored  by 
the  officers  of  the  expedition — “ I should  not  like,”  says  the  Commodore,  “ to 

het  schip  geleend  wordende)  en  brandhout  aan  boord  geleverd  voor  ongeveer  zeven  duizend 
twee  honderd  pitjes  per  kubiek  iki,  of  kubiek  van  vyf  Amerikaanscbe  voeten. 

SILAS  BENT,  Luitenant  Adjudant. 

KUlvAKAWA  KAHEI,  Luitenant  Gouverneur. 

Goedgekeurd  : M.  C.  PERRY, 

Opperhevelhehbcr  van  de  Oorlogsmagt  van  de  Vereenig  de  Staten 

in  de  zceen  van  Oost  Indie,  China,  en  Japan. 

Eene  ware  vertaling,  A.  L.  C.  PORTMAN. 

V.  S.  Stoom-Fbegat  BIississippi,  Sirnoda,  Japan,  den  23sten  Jung,  ISSt. 


United  States  Steam-Fkigate  Mississippi,  at  Sea,  .June  27,  1854. 
This  is  to  certify  that  Yohatsi,  Hikoyemon,  and  Dsbu-obe  have  been  appointed  pilots  for 
American  vessels  entering  or  departing  from  the  port  of  Simoda,  and  that  the  following 
rates  for  pilotage  have  been  established  by  the  proper  authorities,  viz  : 


For  vessels  drawing  over  eighteen  American  feet, $15  00 

For  vessels  drawing  over  thirteen  and  less  than  eighteen  feet 10  00 

For  vessels  drawing  under  thirteen  feet 5 00 


These  rates  shall  be  paid  in  gold  or  silver  coin,  or  its  equivalent  in  goods ; and  the  same 
shall  bs  paid  for  piloting  vessels  out  as  well  as  into  port. 

'When  vessels  anchor  in  the  outer  roads,  and  do  not  enter  the  inner  harbor,  only  half  the 
above  rates  of  compensation  shall  be  paid  to  the  pilots. 

By  order  of  the  Commander-in-Chief : 

SILAS  BENT,  Flag  Lieutenant. 

Approved : M.  C.  PERRY, 

Commander-in-chief  of  the  United  States  Naval  Forces  in  the 

Fast  India,  China,  and  Japan  Seas. 

United  States  Steam-Fkigate  Mississippi,  ^ 

Simoda,  Island  of  Niphon,  Japan,  June  22,  1854.  j 

Dit  dient  om  te  verklaren,  dat  Yohatsi,  Hikoyemon,  en  Dshirobe  benoemd  zyn  als  lood- 
sen  voor  schepenvan  de  Vereenigde  Staten  de  haven  van  Simoda  biunenkomende,  of  uit- 
gaande  ; en  dat  het  loon  voor  de  loodsen  door  de  bevoegde  overheid  is  vasgesteld  geworden 


als  volgt: 

Voor  schepen  over  18  Amerikaanscbe  voeten  diep  in  het  water $15  00 

Voor  schepen  over  13  en  minder  dan  18  voeten  diep 10  00 

Vcor  schepen  onder  13  Am  : voeten  diep 5 00 

36 


562 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


venture  through  either  of  them,  and  would  not  recommend  others  to  do  so. 
It  is  more  prudent  to  go  outside  of  Rock  Island,  by  which  ships  will  not  be 
so  much  endangered  by  the  influence  of  the  rapid  current  seemingly  setting 
at  all  times  to  the  eastward.” 

After  leaving  Simoda,  the  Commodore  directed  the  steamers  to  be  steered 
to  the  southward,  in  order  to  obtain  another  observation  of  the  Redfield 
rocks,  discovered  on  the  passage  during  the  previous  month  of  February. 
On  coming  up  with  them  it  was  found  that  their  positions  had  been  very 
correctly  established  by  former  notes,  but  care  was  taken  to  verify  these  by 
fresh  observations.  From  the  Redfield  rocks  a course  was  made  for  the 
northeast  end  of  Oho-sima,  the  island  claimed  to  have  been  discovered  by 
Commander  Glynn.  On  the  previous  passage  to  Japan,  the  western  shore 
of  Oho-sima  and  the  adjacent  islands  had  been  carefully  observed.  It  was 
now  determined  to  examine  very  closely  the  eastern  coast,  and,  consequently, 
in  the  morning  of  the  29th  of  June,  the  northern  point  of  Oho-sima  was 
made  with  this  view.  It  was  found  that  this  part  of  the  island  bore  A.  82“ 
W.,  and  that  the  bearings,  therefore,  on  the  chart,  were  erroneous.  The 
steamers  continuing  their  course,  passed  between  Oho-sima  and  Kikai-sima, 
or  Bungalow  Island,  and  traversed  the  eastern  coast  of  the  former  so  closely, 
that  all  its  sinuosities,  bays,  inlets,  could  be  marked  with  much  accuracy. 
Having  at  meridian  obtained  excellent  observations  of  latitude  and  longitude, 
as  the  result  of  the  notes  of  the  three  ships,  it  was  practicable  to  determine 
the  positions  of  the  most  prominent  headlands  by  a series  of  angles  deduced 
from  these  observations. 

Before  the  visit  of  the  United  States  squadron  to  these  seas,  a French 
chart,  constructed  by  Monsieur  N.  Guerin,  capitaine  de  vaisseau,  and  pub- 
lished in  Paris  in  1848,  was  the  most  approved  guide.  This  chart  has  been 
improved  by  the  observations  and  notes  of  the  ofiicers  of  the  expedition, 
and,  although  there  are  doubtless  many  hidden  dangers  yet  to  be  discovered 
and  accurately  reported,  it  can  be  said,  with  honest  pride,  that  the  Ameri- 
cans have  contributed  very  much  towards  the  hydi’ographical  information 
of  that  part  of  the  world,  and  especially  of  the  gulf  and  bay  of  Yedo,  waters 
hitherto  almost  unknown  to  foreign  navigators. 

Dit  loen  zal  betaald  vorden  in  gouden  of  zilveren  munt  of  met  eene  gelyke  vaarde 
in  goederen  ; en  hetzelfde  zal  betaald  worden  voor  bet  binnen  komen  als  wel  als  voor  bet 
uitgaan. 

Als  schepen  in  den  buitenbaven  ankeren  er  niet  naar  binnen  gaan,  zal  alleen  de  belft 
van  de  bierboven  vastgestelde  loonen  worden  betaald. 

Op  last  van  den  Opperbevelbebber  : 

SIL.\S  BENS,  Luitcnant  Adjudant. 

M.  C.  PERRY, 

Opperhevelhehber  van  de  Oorlogsmagt  van  de  Vereenig  de  Staten  in 

dc  zeeen  van  Oost  Indie,  China,  en  Japan, 

Eene  ware  vertaling,  A.  L.  C.  PORT^RAN. 

V.  S.  Stui'M  Fkko.vt  Missi.¥Sijm’i,  Simoda.  Japan  den  2‘2sten  Jung,  1854. 


BOARD  AN  ENGLISH  SHIP. 


563 


After  the  meridian  observations  had  been  calculated,  Commodore  Perry 
dispatched  two  of  the  boats  of  the  Mississippi,  in  charge  of  Lieutenants 
Maury  and  Webb,  to  visit  a little  bay  of  the  island  of  Oho-sima,  about  two 
miles  distant  abreast  the  ships.  These  officers  landed,  and  found  only  a 
small  hamlet,  and  a squad  of  miserably  clad  natives  drawn  up  on  shore  to 
meet  them,  armed  with  clubs,  stones,  and  one  old  firelock.  The  inhabitants, 
however,  notwithstanding  their  warlike  aspect,  were  very  civil,  and  gave,  in 
exchange  for  bread  and  pork,  some  fowls  and  vegetables.  A few. botanical 
specimens  were  also  obtained,  but  there  was  no  time,  or,  what  is  even  more 
important,  no  coal  to  spare  for  any  lengthened  exploration.  This  was  pro- 
bably the  first  time  a Christian  had  ever  landed  upon  Oho-sima.  These  islands, 
however,  deserve  a more  complete  examination,  and  it  is  hoped  that  our  gov- 
erment  will,  ere  long,  send  suitable  vessels  for  such  a pui-pose.  One  small 
steamer  and  a schooner  of  about  a hundred  and  twenty  tons,  with  a store-ship 
for  carrying  coals  and  provisions,  would  be  adequate  for  the  work. 

Keeping  as  near  as  safety  would  permit  to  the  chain  of  islands  lying  be- 
tween Oho-sima  and  Lew  Chew,  the  steamers  were  steered  southward  and 
westward  during  the  night,  and  at  daylight  made  the  northern  end  of  Great 
Lew  Chew  and  the  other  islands  in  the  neighborhood.  On  rounding  the 
former  a ship  was  discovered,  about  five  miles  distant,  steering  north  with  a 
fair  wind.  As  soon,  however,  as  she  saw  the  steamers  approaching,  she 
tacked  and  stood  to  the  southward  and  westward.  The  Commodore  ordered 
two  blank  cartridges  to  be  fired  as  a signal  for  the  ship  to  heave  to.  At  first 
she  did  not  seem  inclined  to  do  so,  but  finding  that  the  squadron  was  closing- 
in  upon  her  very  fast,  she  tacked  again,  and,  running  down  towards  the 
steamers,  she  finally  hove  to.  The  flag-lieutenant  then  boarded  in  a boat 
from  the  Mississippi,  and  learned  that  the  vessel  was  an  English  ship  from 
Shanghai  bound  to  England.  The  captain  explained  the  cause  of  his  suspi- 
cious movements  by  saying  that,  having  heard  of  the  war  with  Russia,  he 
had  supposed  at  first  that  the  American  ships  were  the  Russian  squadron, 
and  was  greatly  alarmed  until  he  succeeded  in  making  out  distinctly  the 
United  States  colors.  He  showed  his  friendly  disposition  by  sending  to  the 
Commodore  an  English  paper.  Within  ten  miles  of  Napha,  and  as  night 
approached,  it  became  so  dark  that  it  was  deemed  imprudent  to  enter  the 
harbor,  and  the  vessels  were  accordingly  kept  merely  under  steerage-way 
until  daylight,  when  the  Powhatan  cast  ofi’  the  Southampton,  which  had 
orders  to  proceed  direct  to  Hong  Kong.  Both  steamers  then  entered  the 
port  of  Napha,  and  came  to  anchor  on  the  1st  of  July,  1854. 


CHAPTEE  XXV 


Preparations  for  final  departure  from  tbo  Japanese  waters. — Macedonian  and  Supply  ordered  to  Formosa. 
— Instructions  to  Captain  Abbot,  of  the  Macedonian,  to  touch  at  the  Philippines  on  his  way  from  For* 
inosa  to  China. — Mississippi,  Powhatan,  and  Southampton  proceed  to  Lew  Chew. — State  of  adairs  in 
Lew  Chew. — Supposed  murder  of  an  American  by  Lew  Che\vans  — Trial  of  Lew  Chewans  for  murder 
by  their  own  authorities  on  the  Commodore's  demand. — Description  of  a Lew  Chew  court  of  justice. — 
Accused  made  to  plead  by  punches  in  the  ribs. — Accused  convicted  and  brought  to  the  Commodore  for 
punishment. — He  hands  them  over  to  their  own  authorities. — They  are  banished — Xew  Years  cus- 
toms.— Coal  removed  from  the  depot  to  the  ships. — Compact  or  treaty  made  with  Lew  Chew*. — Present 
from  the  Lew  Chewans  to  the  Commodore. — A stone  for  the  Washington  monument, — Effort  of  a 
Japanese  to  come  off  in  the  squadron  to  the  United  Slates. — Parting  entertainment  to  Lew  Chew  au- 
thorities.— Departure  i f the  squadron  for  China. — Macedonian's  visit  to  Formosa. — Unavailing  Search 
for  Americans  supposed  to  have  been  wrecked  on  the  island. — Explorations  by  Chaplain  Jones  for  coal. 
— Found  in  abundance  and  of  good  quality.— Survey  of  the  harbor  of  Kelung. — Lying  and  cunning  of 
the  Formosans. — Eun  to  Manilla. — Very  stormy  pass;ige. — Marine  volcanoes  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Formosa. — Inquiries  at  ^lanilla  into  the  munler  of  certain  Americans. — Satisfactory  conduct  of  the 
Spanish  authorities  in  the  matter. — Delivery  by  Captain  Abbot  to  the  Governor  of  six  Sillibaboe.s  that 
had  beeu  picked  up  at  sea  by  Lieutenant  Commanding  Boyle,  of  the  Southampton,  floating  in  an  open 
boat. — Kemarkable  distance  that  they  had  drifted. — Physical  appearance  of  the  Sillibaboes. — Voyage 
of  Macedonian  to  Hong  Kong. — Captain  Kelly's  handling  of  the  Chinese  pirates  and  imperial  tro<»ps? 
forces  them  to  make  reparation. — Chastisement  of  the  Chinese  by  the  joint  action  of  the  officers  and 
men  of  the  Plymouth  and  of  Her  Britannic  Majesty's  ships  Encounter  and  Grecian. — The  Commo 
dore,  by  leave  from  the  navy  department,  turns  over  the  command  to  Captain  Abbot,  and  returns 
home  by  the  overland  route. — On  the  arrival  of  the  Mississij>pi  in  XeNv  York,  on  the  23d  of  April,  the 
Commodore  repairs  on  board,  and  formally  hauling  dowm  bis  flag,  terminates  the  expedition. 

HE  story  we  are  telling  will  perhaps 
be  better  understood  if,  before  pro- 
ceeding farther,  we  recapitulate  as 
to  the  disposition  that  bad  been 
made  of  the  several  ships  of  the 
squadron.  The  Saratoga  sloop-of- 
war  was  on  her  way  home,  as  we 
have  stated,  with  the  copy  of  the 
treaty  in  the  custody  of  Captain 
Adams,  who  bad  been  dispatched  on 
the  4tb  of  April,  as  a special  mes- 
senger by  the  Commodore,  to  deliver 
the  important  document  into  the 
bauds  of  the  proper  authorities.  The 
steamer  Susquehanna  bad  beeu  sent 
on  the  2-ltb  of  March,  just  one  week 
before  signing  the  treaty,  and  at  the 
first  moment  at  which  she  could  be 
spared,  to  place  herself  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  Hon.  Mr.  3IcLean,  our 
minister  to  China.  The  Vandalia 
sloop-of-war,  instead  of  returning  with  the  other  ships  from  Hakodadi  to 


AFFAIRS  IN  LEW  CHEW. 


565 


S^inioda,  had  been  ordered  to  make  her  way  from  the  former  port  to  China, 
by  passing  through  the  Straits  of  Saugar,  and  down  on  the  western  side  of 
Japan  to  Shanghai.  The  store-ship  Southampton  having  surveyed  Volcano 
bay,  and  Endermo  bay  within  it,  just  on  the  northern  or  Yesso  side  of  the 
eastern  entrance  of  the  Straits  of  Sangar,  had  rejoined  the  Squadron,  and 
was  now  ordered  to  China.  The  Plymouth,  it  will  be  remembered,  had 
been  left  at  Shanghai  to  protect  American  interests  there,  and  was  not  with 
the  squadron  on  the  second  visit  to  the  Bay  of  Yedo  ; while  the  store-ship 
Lexington  was  sent  back  from  Simoda  to  Lew  Chew,  during  the  previous 
mouth  of  May.  There  were,  therefore,  collected  at  Simoda,  after  the  visit 
to  Hakodadi,  but  five  ships  of  the  squadron,  viz : the  steamers  Mississippi 
and  Powhatan,  the  Macedonian  sloop-of-war,  the  Southampton,  which  hav- 
ing finished  the  survey  of  Volcano  bay,  there  rejoined  the  squadron,  and  the 
store-ship  Supply,  the  last  named  having  remained  at  Simoda  during  the  ab- 
sence of  the  others. 

As  the  discovery  of  coal  was  an  important  object,  and  as,  beside,  there 
were  various  causes  making  a visit  to  Formosa  necessary,  the  Commodore, 
as  has  been  said,  ordered  the  Macedonian  and  Supply  to  that  island,  with 
instructions  to  Captain  Abbot,  in  command  of  the  former  vessel,  to  stop  at 
the  Philippines  on  his  way  back,  to  join  the  squadron  in  China.  As  to  the 
steamers,  he  proceeded  with  them  and  the  Southampton  direct  to  Lew  Chew. 
This  was  the  fifth  and  last  visit  to  Napha;  we  shall  first  speak  of  that, 
reserving  for  a future  page  the  results  of  the  voyage  of  the  Macedonian 
to  Formosa. 

"Wlien  the  squadron  left  Lew  Chew  on  its  last  visit,  two  master’s  mates 
named  Bandall  and  Bierbower,  had  been  left  in  charge  of  the  coal  depot 
established  at  Tumai,  and  now,  on  the  Commodore’s  return,  he  found  that 
matters  during  his  absence  had  not  proceeded  quite  as  amicably  as  he  could 
have  wished.  Randall  had  his  little  complaints  to  make,  and  had  prefen’ed 
them  to  his  superior.  Lieutenant  Commanding  Glasson,  when  he  arrived  in 
the  Lexington  in  May,  and  this  latter  officer  now  reported  them  to  the  Com- 
modore. They  amounted  to  but  small  grievances,  however ; one  consisted 
of  a complaint  that  some  of  the  children  in  Lew  Chew  had  thrown  stones, 
which  fell  near  some  of  the  American  seamen  who  were  walking  on  shore ; 
another  was,  that  a Lew  Chew  butcher  had  quarelled  with  one  of  the  seamen 
while  engaged  in  traffic  with  him,  and  beaten  him  with  a club.  Lieutenant 
Glasson  had  called  on  the  mayor  of  Napha  to  ask  an  explanation.  As  to  the 
first,  the  mayor  stated  that  it  was  an  accident,  occurring  while  the  children 
were  engaged  in  sport,  and  was  not  an  intentional  act  of  aggression  toward 
the  seamen.  As  to  the  case  of  the  butcher,  the  mayor  stated  that  one  of  the 
sailors  attempted  in  the  market  to  take  from  the  butcher  certain  of  his  meats 
without  paying  for  them.  The  butcher  naturally  endeavored  to  secure  his 
property,  when  the  sailor  struck  at  him  with  his  knife ; a scuffle  ensued,  in 


566 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


which  the  sailor  was  beaten  with  a club.  Lieutenant  Grlasson  told  the 
mayor  that  the  butcher,  instead  of  resorting  to  force,  should  have  reported 
the  sailor;  and  that  he  (the  mayor)  well  knew  the  Commodore,  on  such  a 
state  of  things,  would  have  caused  the  man  to  be  punished,  and  would  have 
amply  reimbursed  the  butcher  for  his  loss;  but  that  the  latter  should  not 
have  violated  the  law  of  Lew  Chew  and  resorted  to  such  desperate  remedies. 
To  this  the  mayor  readily  assented.  These,  however,  were  minor  matters, 
and  the  probability  is  that  the  general  feeling  on  board  the  ships  was  that 
the  sailor  got  no  more  than  his  deserts,  as  the  matter  seems  to  have  gone 
no  further. 

But  there  was  a far  more  serious  incident  to  be  reported  by  Lieutenant 
Glasson  ; this  was  no  less  than  the  supposed  murder  of  one  of  his  crew  by 
the  Lew  Chewans.  It  seems,  that  on  the  12th  of  June,  a man  named  Board 
was  found  dead  in  Napha,  under  circumstances  which  justified  a strong 
suspicion  that  he  came  to  his  end  by  violence.  The  Commodore  had  not 
yet  reached  the  island,  and  Lieutenant  Glasson  appointed  five  officers  of  the 
ship  to  investigate  the  circumstances  and  report  thereon  to  him.  These 
gentlemen,  after  making  a post-mortem  examination  and  hearing  witnesses, 
reported  as  their  opinion  that  the  man  came  to  his  death  from  blows  inflicted 
on  his  head  by  some  person  or  persons  unknown  to  them,  and  by  subsequent 
immersion  in  the  water  for  a considerable  time  while  insensible  from  the 
blows  he  had  received.  They  further  added,  that  the  testimony  of  the  Lew 
Chew  witnesses  was  very  equivocal  and  unsatisfactory.  Soon  after  this  the 
Commodore  arrived,  when  Lieutenant  Glasson  immediately  reported  to  him 
all  the  facts  and  documents  in  his  possession  connected  with  the  case  ; and, 
among  the  rest,  that  he  had  demanded  a full  and  fair  investigation  by 
the  local  authorities  of  Lew  Chew,  to  which  demand  he  had  received  no 
satisfactory  answer. 

The  Commodore,  upon  inquiry,  soon  became  convinced  that  the  man’s 
death,  though  unlawfully  produced,  was  probably  the  result  of  his  own  most 
gross  outrage  on  a female,  and,  in  such  case,  not  undeserved ; still  he  felt 
j that,  for  the  security  of  others,  both  Europeans  and  Americans,  who  might 
j subsequently  visit  the  island,  it  was  important  to  impress  upon  the  authori- 
! ties  the  necessity  for  the  full  investigation  and  proper  punishment  by  the 
' local  authorities,  of  acts  of  violence  committed  upon  strangers  who  might 
visit  them.  He  therefore  made  a peremptory  demand  upon  the  regent  or 
superintendent  of  affairs  to  cause  a judicial  trial  to  be  instituted,  conforma- 
bly to  the  laws  of  Lew  Chew. 

This  demand  was  at  once  complied  with,  the  court  consisting  of  six 
superior  judges,  and  the  regent  and  first  treasurer  gi\dug  their  constant  pier- 
sonal  attendance  during  the  entire  proceedings. 

The  facts,  as  well  as  they  could  be  ascertained,  appeared  to  be  these 
On  the  12th  of  June  three  American  sailors,  one  of  whom  was  named 


HOMICIDE  AT  LEW  CHEW. 


567 


Board,  passing  through  the  streets  of  Napha,  forcibly  entered  the  house  of 
one  of  the  inhabitants,  and  taking  therefrom  some  saki  soon  became  intoxi- 
cated. Two  of  them  found  a sleeping  place  in  the  gutter,  but  Board,  clam- 
bering over  a wall,  entered  a private  house,  where  he  found  a woman,  named 
Mitu,  and  her  niece,  a young  girl.  He  brandished  his  knife,  threatened  the 
woman,  and  attempted  the  foulest  outrage ; she  cried  out  until  she  fainted 
and  became  insensible.  Her  cries  brought  some  Lew  Chew  men  to  the  spot, 
and  the  circumstances  clearly  showed  the  purpose  of  Board.  Some  of  the 
Lew  Chewaus  seized  him  and  threw  him  to  the  ground.  More  than  half 
drunk,  he  rose  and  fled  towards  the  shore,  seeking  to  escape.  Many  persons 
had  by  this  time  assembled,  and  pursued  Board,  throwing  stones  at  him, 
some  of  which  struck  him,  and,  according  to  the  statements  of  the  native  wit- 
nesses, in  his  drunkenness  into  the  water  and  was  drowned.  Whether 

this  latter  particular  was  precisely  in  accordance  with  the  fact  was  some- 
what doubtful. 

At  any  rate,  the  Lew  Chew  authorities,  declaring  that  it  was  “ altogether 
illegal  to  throw  stones  and  wound  persons,  causing  them  thereby  to  fall  into 
the  water  and  be  drowned,”  convicted  six  persons,  one  as  principal  and  the 
others  as  accessories.  After  the  conviction  the  regent  and  first  treasurer 
appeared  on  board  the  Mississippi  with  the  ringleader  bound,  and  desired  to 
deliver  him  to  the  Commodore  to  be  dealt  with  according  to  the  laws  of  the 
United  States.  The  Commodore,  of  course,  declined  to  receive  him,  and 
explained  to  the  Lew  Chewans  that  it  was  not  his  wish  or  purpose  to  inter- 
fere in  any  mode  with  the  administration  or  execution  of  the  Lew  Chew  laws  ; 
that  he  only  wished  them  to  enforce  them  on  proper  occasions,  when  wrong 
or  injury  was  done  to  any  foreigners  who  might  chance  to  visit  the  island. 
He  accordingly  remanded  the  prisoner  to  the  regent,  who  expressed  many 
thanks  to  the  Commodore  for  the  act.  The  end  of  the  matter  was,  that  the 
accessories  were  bani.shed  to  a neighboring  island  for  a time,  and  the  prin- 
cipal was  banished  for  life.  It  seems  doubtful,  however,  whether  these  sen- 
tences were  rigorously  executed,  although  the  authorities  solemnly  promised 
the  Commodore  that  they  should  be. 

The  Commodore,  however,  ordered  the  trial  by  a court  martial  of  the 
two  surviving  Americans  who  commenced  the  disturbance,  and  they  were 
dealt  with  according  to  their  deserts.  The  whole  affair  was  a subject  of 
deep  regret  to  the  Commodore,  and  was  the  only  instance  of  any  seriously 
unpleasant  occurrence  during  the  whole  intercourse  of  the  Americans  with 
the  Lew  Chewans,  in  their  five  visits  to  the  island. 

It  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  lay  before  the  reader  the  forms  of  a Lew 
Chew  judicial  proceeding,  as  the  customs  of  a country,  in  so  grave  a matter, 
are  necessarily  illustrative  of  the  national  character.  The  flag-lieutenant 
Mr.  Bent,  and  Mr.  Williams,  the  interpreter,  had  been  selected  by  the  Com- 
modore to  attend  the  trial,  in  accordance  with  the  request  of  the  Lew  Chew 


568 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


authorities  that  some  of  our  officers  should  be  present.  These  gentlemen,  on 
reaching  the  hall,  were  furnished  with  seats  at  the  head  of  the  room,  imme- 
diately opposite  to  the  regent  and  treasurer ; on  their  left  sat  three  of  the 
judges  on  mats ; and  opposite  to  them,  on  a line  wdth  the  regent  and  trea- 
surer, were  the  three  other  judges  similarly  seated.  The  prisoner  on  trial 
knelt  on  the  ground  outside  the  hall  (which  was  open  on  that  side),  with 
his  head  just  above  the  flooring  of  the  balcony,  and  facing  the  interior  of  the 
hall.  Questions  were  put  to  him  by  the  judges,  and  if  he  proved  intractable 
or  stubborn  in  responding,  his  elbows  were  tied  together  behind  his  back 
and,  on  the  slightest  hesitation,  a policeman  on  either  side  of  him  punched 
him  severely  in  the  ribs  with  large  sticks,  about  two  inches  in  diameter  and 
four  feet  in  length.  These  never  failed  to  loosen  the  fellow’s  tongue,  but 
whether  to  utter  truth  or  falsehood  was,  to  our  gentlemen,  very  questionable. 
This,  if  not  equal  in  severity  to  the  old  '■'■peine  forte  et  dure''''  of  our  ances* 
tors,  proceeds  on  the  same  principle. 

On  each  successive  visit  to  the  island,  the  gentlemen  of  the  expedition 
gathered  additional  scraps  of  information  as  to  customs,  one  of  which  is  so 
similar,  in  the  feeling  which  prompts  it,  to  our  own  New  Year’s  congratula- 
tions, that  it  is  worthy  of  a passing  notice.  In  the  spring,  when  the  new 
year  opens  in  Lew  Chew,  and  perhaps  in  J apan  also  (though  of  the  latter  we 
cannot  speak  certainly),  the  usage  of  the  islanders  is  to  offer  the  expression 
of  their  good  wishes  and  friendly  feelings,  in  the  form  of  inscriptions  at- 
tached to  the  houses  of  each  other,  or  sent  to  the  inmates.  Mr.  Williams 
translated  several  of  these,  a few  of  which  we  subjoin  as  specimens  : 

“ Gay  clouds  meet  the  rising,  glorious  sun;  ten  thousand  joys  greet 
the  opening  spring?"' 

“ Let  all  sing  these  days  of  general  peace,  and  rejoice  together  in  the 
opening  spring?"' 

“ 3Iay  all  joys  clamber  about  your  happy  abode  ; may  a thousand 
luchs  collect  at  this  gate?"' 

“ May  every  door  have  luck  and  joy,  and  every  land  be  blessed  with 
peace?' 

" May  your  felicity  be  as  broad  as  the  eastern  sec,  your  age  enduring 
as  the  southern  hills?' 

“ The  peach  tree  in  fairy  land  ripens  in  thirty  centuries;  may  the  sea- 
side house  be  blessed  luith  ninety  more  autumns?' 

“ JVe  joyfully  hope  the  brightening  year  loill  meet  a flourishing  time 
as  the  bloom  of  spring  begins  to  shine  upon  this  humble  door?' 

“ 3Iay  the  three  stars,  peace,  office,  age,  enter  your  door ; and  sons, 
riches,  honors,  bless  your  gate?' 

"Happiness  descends  from  heaven?' 

“ As  the  wind  and  light  go  their  circuits  through  the  world,  so  does  the 
gladsome  spring  from  heaven  to  us  come  down?' 


NEGOTIATION  IN  LEW  CHEW. 


569 


While  the  judicial  proceedings  in  the  case  of  Broad’s  death  were  in  pro- 
gress, the  Commodore,  who  was  anxious  to  lose  no  time,  employed,  with  the 
aid  and  approval  of  the  Lew  Chew  authorities,  native  lighters  to  transport 
to  the  steamers  all  the  coal  remaining  in  the  coal-shed  at  Tumai;  and 
causing  the  building  itself  to  be  put  in  order,  left  it  in  charge  of  the  native 
authorities,  with  an  assurance  that  they  would  look  carefully  to  its  preserva- 
tion for  future  use,  and  the  reception  of  any  deposit  of  coal  the  United  States 
might  wish  to  make  there  in  time  to  come. 

There  remained,  however,  one  important  piece  of  business  yet  to  be  done. 
This  was  the  making  of  a compact  or  treaty  between  our  government  and 
that  of  Lew  Chew.  Accordingly,  the  flag-lieutenant,  Mr.  Bent,  and  the 
interpreter,  Mr.  Williams,  were  deputed  by  the  Commodore,  under  suitable 
instructions  as  to  terms,  to  confer  with  the  regent  of  Lew  Chew ; and  these 
gentlemen,  on  the  8th  of  July,  met  that  oiScial  on  shore  by  appointment, 
and  discussed  with  him  the  proposed  compact,  a rough  draft  of  which  they 
presented.  The  preamble  to  this  recognized  Lew  Chew  as  an  independent 
nation.  To  this  recognition  the  regent  objected,  saying  that  such  an  as- 
sumption on  their  parts  would  get  them  into  trouble  with  China,  to  which 
country  they  owed  allegiance  ; that,  as  to  the  articles  of  the  compact,  they 
would  cheerfully  assent  to  them,  and  faithfully  fulfll  them,  nor  would  they 
hesitate  to  afiix  their  seals  to  the  instrument,  but  that  it  had  better  not  bear 
on  its  face  the  assertion  or  appearance  of  their  claiming  absolute  indepen- 
dence. There  was  none  of  the  delaying,  crooked  policy  of  the  Japanese  in 
these  negotiations.  The  Lew  Chewans  were  made  fully  to  understand  what 
had  transpired  in  Japan,  and  probable  derived  confidence  and  candor  from 
• their  knowledge  of  the  Japanese  treaty,  which  was  shown  to  them. 

After  the  discussion  our  officers  returned  on  board  to  report  to  the  Com- 
modore their  proceedings,  and  submit  the  terms  proposed  and  accepted.  On 
the  10th,  the  same  gentlemen  were  sent  to  hold  another  interview  with  the 
regent,  when  they  soon  succeeded  in  arranging  all  the  terms  of  the  compact 
satisfactorily  to  both  parties,  and  obtained  from  the  regent  a promise  that 
a bazaar  should  be  opened  on  shore,  on  the  succeeding  Wednesday  and 
Thursday,  for  the  officers  of  the  ships.  It  was  also  arranged  that  the  Com- 
modore would  visit  the  regent  at  an  appointed  hour  on  the  morrow.  On  the 
next  day,  in  the  morning,  the  Commodore  sent  on  shore  a number  of  presents 
for  the  regent,  treasurer,  and  other  officers  of  the  island,  consisting  of  re- 
volvers, lorgnettes,  a dressing-case,  and  numerous  valuable  agricultural  im- 
plements. He  was  also  particularly  careful  to  send  a handsome  present  to  the 
poor  woman  who  had  been  the  subject  of  Board’s  outrage.  At  noon  he 
landed  himself,  and,  with  a small  escort  of  marines,  visited  the  regent  at  the 
town-hall. 

After  the  usual  compliments,  and  a formal  delivery  of  the  presents  he 
had  sent  on  shore,  the  articles  of  agreement  or  compact  that  had  been  made 


5V0 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


were  produced,  written  in  the  English  and  Chinese  languages,  and  read,  and 
the  instruments  were  duly  signed  and  sealed,  and  copies  exchanged,  by  the 
Commodore,  regent,  and  treasurer  of  Lew  Chew,  the  English  version  being 
as  follows  : 

“ Compact  hetweenthe  United  States  and  the  kingdom  of  Lew  Chew,  signed 
at  Napha,  Great  Lew  Chew,  the  \lth  day  of  July,  1854. 

“ Hereafter,  whenever  citizens  of  the  United  States  come  to  Lew  Chew, 
they  shall  he  treated  with  great  courtesy  and  friendship.  Whatever  articles 
these  persons  ask  for,  whether  from  the  officers  or  people,  which  the  country 
can  furnish,  shall  he  sold  to  them;  nor  shall  the  authorities  interpose  any 
prohibitory  regulations  to  the  people  selling;  and  whatever  either  party 
may  wish  to  buy  shall  be  exchanged  at  reasonable  prices. 

“ Whenever  ships  of  the  United  States  shall  come  into  any  harbor  in  Lew 
Chew,  they  shall  he  supplied  with  wood  and  water  at  reasonable  prices ; 
hut  if  they  wish  to  get  other  articles  they  shall  be  purchasable  only  at 
Napha. 

“ If  ships  of  the  United  States  are  wrecked  on  Great  Lew  Chew,  or  on 
islands  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  royal  government  of  Lew  Chew,  the 
local  authorities  shall  dispatch  persons  to  assist  in  saving  life  and  property, 
and  preserve  what  can  be  brought  ashore  till  the  ships  of  that  nation  shall 
come  to  take  away  all  that  may  have  been  saved  ; and  the  expenses  incurred 
in  rescuing  these  unfortunate  persons  shall  be  refunded  by  the  nation  they 
belong  to. 

“ Whenever  persons  from  ships  of  theL^nited  States  come  ashore  in  Lew 
Chew  they  shall  be  at  liberty  to  ramble  where  they  please,  without  hindrance, 
or  having  officials  sent  to  follow  them,  or  to  spy  what  they  do ; but  if  they 
violently  go  into  houses,  or  trifle  with  women,  or  force  people  to  sell  them 
things,  or  do  other  such  like  illegal  acts,  they  shall  be  arrested  by  the  local 
officers,  but  not  maltreated,  and  shall  be  reported  to  the  captain  of  the  ship 
to  which  they  belong,  for  punishment  by  him. 

“ At  Tumai  is  a burial-ground  for  the  citizens  of  the  United  States,  where 
their  graves  and  tombs  shall  not  be  molested. 

“ The  government  of  Lew  Chew  shall  appoint  skilful  pilots,  who  shall  be 
on  the  look-out  for  ships  appearing  off  the  island  ; and  if  one  is  seen  coming 
towards  Napha,  they  shall  go  out  in  good  boats  be3'ond  the  reef  to  conduct 
her  in  to  a secure  anchorage ; for  which  service  the  captain  .shall  pay  the 
pilot  five  dollars,  and  the  same  for  going  out  of  the  harbor  bej'ond  the 
reefs. 

“ Whenever  ships  anchor  at  Napha,  the  local  authorities  shall  furnish 
them  with  wood  at  the  rate  of  three  thousand  six  hundred  copper  cash  per 
thousand  catties;  and  with  water  at  the  rate  of  six  hundred  copper  cash 


COMPACT  CONCLUDED. 


571 


(43  cents)  for  one  thousand  catties,  or  six  barrels  full,  each  containing  thirty 
American  gallons. 

“ Signed  in  the  English  and  Chinese  languages,  by  Commodore  Matthew 
C.  Perry,  commander-in-chief  of  the  United  States  naval  forces  in  the  East 
India,  China,  and  Japan  seas,  and  special  envoy  to  Japan,  for  the  United 
States;  and  by  Sho  Fu  Fing,  superintendent  of  affairs  (Tsu-li-kwan)  in  Lew 
Chew,  and  Ba  Rio-si,  treasurer  of  Lew  Chew,  at  Shui,  for  the  government 
of  Lew  Chew  ; and  copies  exchanged  this  11th  day  of  July,  1854,  or  the 
reign  Hien  Fung,  4th  year,  6th  moon,  17th  day,  at  the  town  hall  of 
Napha.” 

As  soon  as  this  business  was  thus  happily  completed,  a handsome  enter- 
tainment, furnished  by  the  Lew  Chew  authorities,  was  served,  of  which  the 
Americans  partook,  and  great  kindness  and  cordiality  characterized  the  fes- 
tivities. At  four  o’clock  the  Commodore  returned  to  his  ship.  On  the  next 
day,  the  12th,  there  was  sent  off  to  the  Commodore  a large  bell,  as  a present 
from  the  regent ; whether  of  Lew  Chew  casting  is  not  known,  though  the 
probability  is  it  was  made  in  Japan,  and,  at  any  rate,  it  is  no  discreditable 
specimen  of  foundry  work.  A little  circumstanee  that  occurred  on  this  last 
visit  to  Lew  Chew  was  highly  gratifying  to  the  feeling  with  which  every 
American  thinks  of  the  character  of  Washington.  Various  parts  of  the  world, 
as  is  known,  have  testified  their  appreciation  of  the  exalted  virtues  of  the 
father  of  our  country,  by  contributing  a stone  to  be  wrought  into  the  monu- 
ment which  is  rising  at  Washington,  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  one  who 
presented  a specimen  so  rare  of  the  qualities  which  ennoble  humanity.  There 
is  something  at  once  impressive  and  beautiful  in  such  a tribute,  coming  from 
the  men  of  various  lands  and  tongues,  as  if  all  were  anxious  to  claim  their 
kindred  share  in  a glorious  possessor  of  human  nature,  and  to  attest  their 
respect  fbr  such  an  illustration  of  human  purity.  It  serves  to  show  that  as 
a man  Washington  belonged  to  the  world,  and  men  everywhere  are  justly 
proud  of  their  brotherhood ; such  pride  is  their  tribute  to  human  virtue ; as 
the  leader  of  our  army  who  perilled  all  he  had  on  earth  for  his  country,  and 
as  the  head  of  our  republic,  he  belonged  indeed  to  us ; but  we  are  willing 
and  glad  that  good  men  everywhere  should  seek  to  catch  inspiration  from  his 
virtues.  When  these  poor  Lew  Chewans  knew  that  a stone  from  their  far 
distant  island  would  be  acceptable,  even  they  understood  what  it  meant,  they 
had  heard  of  “ the  great  mandarin,”  as  they  called  him,  and  the  stone  was 
sent.  So,  too,  the  rocks  of  Japan  and  Formosa  have  furnished  their  quota 
of  material,  and  thus  the  broad  lands  of  earth’s  continents,  and  the  remote 
islands  of  oriental  seas,  have  alike  brought  together  their  enduring  tributes 
to  a memorial  which  is  meant 


*•  To  give  the  world  assurance  of  a man  ! 


572 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


It  was  during  this  last  visit,  also,  that  a circumstance  occurred  which 
served  to  show  that  some  of  the  common  Japanese,  at  least,  had  seen  enough 
of  the  world  and  of  other  people  than  their  countrymen  to  make  them  de- 
sirous of  seeing  more.  While  the  squadron  was  lying  at  anchor  at  Xapha,  a 
native  of  Japan,  who  was  in  Lew  Chew,  in  what  capacity  we  know  not, 
swam  from  the  shore  to  the  Lexington  with  a bundle  of  clothing,  and  beg- 
ged to  be  received  on  board  and  to  be  brought  to  the  United  States.  The 
officer  in  command  of  the  Lexington  sent  him  to  the  flag-ship;  and  while 
the  Commodore  would  have  made  no  objection  provided  the  assent  of  the 
Japanese  authorities  had  been  obtained,  yet,  knowing  their  severe  restric- 
tions on  the  subject  of  natives  leaving  the  kingdom,  and,  scrupulously 
anxious  not  to  give  oflFence,  he  declined  receiving  the  man,  and  ordered 
him  to  be  set  on  shore  again.  The  only  J apanese  who  came  home  in  the 
squadron  were  part  of  the  shipwrecked  crew  of  a junk,  of  which  we  have 
already  spoken.  These  men  were  taken  from  San  Francisco  to  China,  and 
there  two  of  them  shipped  themselves  as  landsmen  on  board  the  Susque- 
hanna, and  both  are  now  in  the  United  States.  Frequent  intercourse  with 
one  of  them — a young  man  of  some  twenty-two  years — enables  us  to  say  that 
he  is  remarkably  intelligent,  reads  and  writes  Japanese,  both  Kata-kana  and 
Hira-kana,  has  learned  to  speak  (though  imperfectly)  and  to  write  English, 
is  very  desirous  of  information,  conforms  to  our  customs  and  fashion  in  dress, 
and  is  most  scrupulously  clean  and  tidy.  His  wish  is  to  learn  more  of  our 
country  and  language,  and  then  to  return  to  Japan. 

On  the  evening  of  the  14th  the  Commodore  gave  a parting  entertain- 
ment on  board  his  ship  to  the  authorities  of  Lew  Chew.  All  passed  off 
pleasantly,  and  at  nine  o’clock  the  guests  returned  on  shore,  after  uttering 
many  thanks  for  the  attentions  the  Commodore  had  shown  them  on  his  re- 
peated visits,  and  expressing  and  seemingly  feeling  great  gratification  in  the 
courtesies  that  had  been  shown  them.  On  the  next  day  the  Lexington  was 
ordered  to  Hong  Kong  and  sailed  immediately;  and  on  the  17th  the  Com- 
modore left  in  the  Mississippi,  accompanied  by  the  Powhatan,  these  being 
the  only  remaining  vessels  of  the  squadron,  and  the  harbor  of  Kapha  was 
left  to  the  quiet  in  which  it  reposed  when  our  ships  first  anchored  in  its 
waters. 

Whatever  satisfaction  their  departure  may  have  afforded  the  Lew 
Chewans  was  doubtless  enhanced  by  the  fact  that  the  ships  took  away  Dr. 
Bettelheim.  This  gentleman  had  been  superseded  by  the  Kev.  Mr.  More- 
ton,  who  was  on  the  ground ; and  Dr.  Bettelheim’s  family  had  left  some  time 
before  for  China  in  the  Supply.  The  earnestness  of  application  to  the 
Commodore  to  take  Dr.  Bettelheim  away  with  him  forcibly  demonstrates 
the  very  little  prospect  there  was  of  any  useful  labors,  on  his  part,  among 
the  natives ; and,  indeed,  their  desire  to  be  rid  of  3Ir.  Moreton  also. 


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.11 


EXPEDITIOK  TO  FORMOSA, 


573 


would  seem  to  hold  out  but  small  hope,  at  present,  of  evangelizing  Lew 
Chew.* 

The  Powhatan,  pursuant  to  orders,  took  her  course  for  Ning-po-fou, 
Fuh-chow-fuh,  and  Amoy,  on  the  coast  of  China,  to  inquire  into  the  in- 
terests of  Americans  resident  in  those  places,  and  was  instructed  to  pro- 
ceed from  Amoy  to  Hong  Kong.  The  Mississippi  proceeded  direct  to  the 
last  named  port. 

And  now,  while  she  is  on  her  passage,  we  will  return  in  our  narrative  to 
the  expedition  to  Formosa,  the  incidents  of  which  occurred  simultaneously 
with  those  which  form  the  subject  of  the  previous  part  of  this  chapter.  It 
will  he  remembered  that  the  Macedonian,  Captain  Abbot,  and  the  Supply, 
Lieutenant  Commanding  Sinclair,  had  been  sent  from  Simoda,  before  the 
squadron  left  that  port,  with  instructions  to  visit  Formosa,  and  the  former 
ship  was  also  ordered  on  her  way  thence  to  China,  to  stop  at  the  Philip- 
pines. There  was  more  than  one  object  contemplated  in  the  visit  to  For- 
mosa. Certain  of  our  countrymen,  as  our  authorities  at  home  had  been  in- 
formed, navigating  near  Formosa,  had  been  shqwrecked  and  thrown  upon 
that  island,  where  they  remained,  either  in  a state  of  captivity  or  because 
they  were  unable  to  get  away.  Instructions  were  therefore  given  by  the 
navy  department  to  the  Commodore  to  make  research  and  inquiry  into  this 


* From  the  miihorities  of  Lew  Chew  to  Commodore  Perry : 

A prepared  statement.  Sho  Fu-fing,  general  superintendent  of  affairs  in  the  kingdom 
of  Lew  Chew,  and  Ba  Rio-si,  treasurer  at  Shui,  earnestly  beg  your  excellency’s  kind  con- 
sideration of  some  circumstances  ; and  that,  to  show  compassion  on  our  little  country,  you 
will  take  away  back  to  their  own  land  Bettelheim  and  Moreton,  who  have  remained 
here  long.  ******* 

In  the  years  1844  and  1846  some  French  officers  came,  and  the  Englishman  Bettelheim 
also  brought  hither  his  wife  and  children  to  reside,  and  they  all  required  something  to  be 
daily  given  them,  to  our  continual  annoyance  and  trouble.  Whenever  an  English  or  a 
French  ship  came  in,  we  earnestly  represented  these  circumstances  to  them,  and  besought 
them  to  take  these  people  away  with  them.  The  Frenchmen,  knowing  our  distresses,  went 
away  in  the  year  1848  to  their  own  country,  and  have  not  hithei'to  returned  ; but  Bettel- 
heim has  loitered  away  years  here  and  not  gone,  and  now,  further,  has  brought  Moreton 
with  his  family  to  take  his  place,  and  live  here,  greatly  to  the  discomfort  of  the  peopie, 
and  distress  and  inconvenience  of  the  country. 

We  have  learned  that  your  excellency  has  authority  over  all  the  East  Indian,  China 
and  Japan  seas,  ana  not  a ship  of  any  western  country  can  go  from  one  of  these  seas  to 
the  other  but  you  know  and  regulate  its  movements.  Wherefore  we  lay  before  you  our  sad 
condition  in  all  its  particulars,  humbly  beseeching  your  kind  regard  upon  it,  and  request- 
ing that,  when  your  fine  ships  return,  you  will  take  both  Bettelheim  and  Moreton  away 
with  you.  This  will  solace  and  raise  us  up  from  our  low  condition,  and  oblige  us  in  a 
way  not  easy  to  be  expressed.  We  vrish  your  life  may  be  prolonged  to  a thousand  autumns, 
in  the  enjoyment  of  the  highest  felicity. 

July  10,  1854. 


574 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


matter.  Again,  the  importance  of  an  abundant  supply  of  coal  for  the  use  of 
steamers,  not  only  of  our  own,  hut  of  other  nations  that  may  reasonably  be 
expected  ere  long  to  throng  these  seas,  furnished  another  motive  for  the  visit 
to  Formosa,  as  there  was  reason  to  think  the  mineral  existed  in  abundance  on 
that  island.  There  was  also  a particular  reason  for  touching  at  the  Philip- 
pines, which  we  will  detail  presently. 

On  the  29th  of  June,  the  Macedonian  and  Supply  left  Simoda.  On  the 
second  day  out  the  Supply  disappeared,  and  was  not  seen  again  until  she  en- 
tered the  harbor  of  Kelung  in  Formosa,  on  the  21st  of  July,  ten  days  after 
the  arrival  at  that  place  of  the  Macedonian,  wPich  had  made  the  run  from 
Simoda  in  about  twelve  days,  encountering  an  opposing  current,  head  winds, 
and  tempestuous  weather  through  nearly  the  entire  voyage.  The  island  was 
made  at  its  northern  end,  and  the  entrance  to  Kelung  was  not  very  plain. 
Certain  landmarks,  however,  were  noted  by  the  officers,  upon  further  ac- 
quaintance with  the  locality,  and  by  these  and  the  charts  made  by  the  sur- 
veying party  during  the  stay  of  the  ship,  information  was  obtained  which 
may  be  relied  on.  Very  violent  currents  were  found  at  the  north  end  of  the 
island,  though  these  may  have  been  stronger  than  usual  at  the  arrival  of  the 
Macedonian,  as  there  had  then  been  a tempest  of  some  days’  continuance. 
A pilot  came  off  and  took  the  ship  safely  into  the  harbor. 

As  to  our  supposed  shipwrecked  and  captive  countrymen.  Captain  Abbot 
made  the  most  diligent  investigation,  through  the  medium  of  his  Chinese 
steward,  but  could  gain  no  intelligence,  although  his  inquiries  were  made, 
not  only  of  the  mandarins  or  officials  in  and  about  Kelung,  but  also  of  all 
classes  of  the  peojjle.  The  report  from  all  was  uniform ; they  declared  that 
they  neither  knew  nor  had  heard  of  any  shipwreck  of  any  American  or 
European  vessel  on  any  part  of  the  island ; nor  had  they  ever  known  or  heard 
of  the  existence  of  the  crew,  or  any  part  thereof,  of  any  such  vessel  anywhere 
in  Formosa,  and  Captain  Abbot  became  quite  convinced  that,  in  this  partic- 
ular, they  told  the  truth,  and  reported  to  the  Commodore  accordingly,  that 
he  had  “ no  belief  that  any  of  our  missing  countrymen  are  alive  on  the  island 
of  Formosa.” 

But  after  this  conclusion  had  been  reached,  and  no  doubt  correctly,  a 
specimen  of  cunning  was  exhibited,  on  the  part  of  the  island  authorities, 
such  as  meets  us  at  every  turn  in  the  story  of  our  intercourse  with  all  the 
eastern  people,  and  indeed  seems  characteristic  of  oriental  negotiation.  The 
chief  mandarin  of  Kelung  came  to  Captain  Abbot,  just  as  he  was  about  sail- 
ing (he  had  doubtless  purposely  deferred  his  visit  until  that  moment,  to 
forestall  the  possibility  of  strict  inquiry),  and  informed  him  that  he  had  been 
making  more  jjarticular  investigations  concerning  shipwrecks,  and  had 
learned  that  some  six  or  seven  years  before  a ship  had  been  wrecked,  forty 
or  fifty  miles  from  Kelung,  on  the  tvestern  side  of  the  island,  having  a num- 
ber of  black  men  on  board  as  well  as  white;  that  the  white  men  took  the 


COAL  IN  FORMOSA. 


575 


boat  and  went  off  to  an  adjacent  island,  while  the  black  men  were  left,  and 
all  died  on  board  the  ship ; and  that  he  would  send  some  of  his  war-junks 
with  the  Macedonian  to  show  Captain  Abbot  the  place.  This  story  was  a 
lie  too  transparent  to  deceive  Captain  Abbot  for  a moment,  and  was  evidently 
a ruse  by  which  the  Formosan  hoped  to  induce  the  commander  of  the  Macedon- 
ian to  do  what,  for  several  days,  he  had  been  unavailingly  persuading  him  to 
perform.  He  had  been  endeavoring  to  prevail  on  him  to  take  the  ship,  in 
company  with  some  of  his  war-junks,  to  the  western  side  of  the  island,  a run 
that,  in  going  and  returning,  would  occupy,  he  said,  four  or  five  days  only, 
and  there  assist  him  in  driving  off  the  rebels  who  were  there  collected,  with 
whom  his  troops  had  lately  had  a fight  and  been  beaten,  with  a loss  of  thirty 
men  killed  and  wounded.  The  fact  was  that  he  lived  in  constant  fear  of  an 
invasion  from  Amoy.  He  told  Captain  Abbot  that  if  he  would  render  him 
this  assistance,  he  would,  immediately  on  his  return,  make  him  a present  of 
a large  ship-load  of  coal.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  Captain  Abbot  paid  no 
attention  to  his  proposals  for  a moment ; he  then  seemed  very  anxious  that 
the  ship  should  prolong  her  stay  at  Kelung,  as  he  supposed  her  presence 
there  would  insure  the  place  from  any  attack  by  the  rebels  during  her  stay. 

As  to  another  object  of  the  mission  to  Formosa,  the  search  for  coal,  this 
was  confided  to  the  chaplain,  Mr.  Jones,  of  the  Mississippi;  and  Midshipmen 
Breese  and  Jones,  with  Mr.  Williams,  master’s  mate,  all  of  the  same  ship, 
were  detailed  for  special  duty  as  assistants.  Suffice  it  here  to  say,  that  he 
found  an  abundance  of  coal,  of  excellent  quality,  admirably  situated  for 
transportation  from  the  mines  to  the  water  at  very  little  expense ; and  that 
he  had  reason  to  believe  that  a considerable  part  of  the  island,  around 
Kelung,  at  least,  was  underlaid  with  coal.  Several  tons  were  purchased  and 
brought  away,  though  in  the  negotiation,  the  Formosans,  high  and  low, 
showed  themselves  to  be  such  adepts  in  falsehood  and  cunning,  that  even  the 
equanimity  of  the  good  chaplain  was  disturbed,  and  his  really  mild  and 
amiable  spirit  was  roused  to  meet  the  prevarications  of  the  chief  mandarin, 
by  bidding  the  interpreter  say  to  him,  “ that  he  had  trifled  with  us,  had  lied, 
and  tried  to  deceive  us  from  the  beginning,  and  that  he  would  be  trifled  with 
no  longer;”  and  this,  from  the  lips  of  Mr.  Jones,  will  appear  to  those  who 
know  his  eminently  peaceful  temper,  to  be  terribly  enei’getic  language.  It 
may  well  be  doubted  whether  he  ever  before  told  any  body,  in  good  whole- 
some English,  that  “ he  lied;”  and  yet  the  squadron,  probably,  did  not  con- 
tain a more  resolute  and  fearless  man. 

On  the  23d  of  July,  the  Macedonian  left  Kelung,  for  Manilla,  in  the 
island  of  Luconia.  The  Supply  was  ordered  to  remain,  to  take  in  the  coal 
and  sail,  as  soon  as  she  could,  for  Hong  Kong.  On  this  part  of  her  voyage, 
the  Macedonian  encountered  terrible  weather,  having  met  with  the  border 
of  a typhoon  soon  after  getting  clear  of  the  northern  shores  of  Formosa. 
This  providentially  carried  the  ship  very  rapidly  on  her  course  to  the  south- 


576 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


ward  of  the  south  end  of  the  island  before  the  tempest  became  so  violent 
that  she  could  not  run.  In  the  long  experience  of  Captain  Abbot,  (so  he 
reports,)  he  never  before  encountered  such  weather  at  sea.  “We  had,”  says 
he,  “a  constant  succession  of  heavy,  tempest  squalls,  with  hard,  drenching 
rains,  some  of  them  peculiarly  severe  and  frightful  in  appearance.  The  ship 
suffered  more,  during  this  short  passage,  in  her  sails  and  rigging,  than  on  her 
whole  passage  out  from  the  United  States.” 

But  this  is  emphatically  the  region  for  phenomena  and  convulsions  of 
nature.  The  vessels  of  the  squadron  had  a varied  experience  in  these  waters. 
Some  met  typhoons,  and  some  suddenly  found  themselves  alongside  of  marine 
volcanoes.  It  was  within  ten  miles  of  Formosa  that  Lieutenant  Command- 
ing Boyle,  in  the  store-ship  Southampton,  when  on  his  way  from  the  United 
States  to  join  the  squadron  at  Hong  Kong,  came  near  a marine  volcano.  He 
thus  describes  it : “ On  the  29th  of  October,  1853,  near  the  island  of  For- 
mosa, I discovered  a volcano,  distant  from  the  land  about  ten  miles,  in  a 
violent  state  of  eruption,  throwing  out  columns  of  vapor  to  a great  height, 
resembling  in  appearance  a similar  phenomenon  to  which  I was  witness  some 
years  ago  on  the  coast  of  Sicily;  this,  however,  was  of  greater  magnitude 
and  force  than  that,  although  no  lava  was  visible,  by  reason  of  the  dense 
bank  of  vapor  which  hung  around  it.  The  depth  of  water  here  is  much 
greater  than  on  the  Sicilian  coast,  and  hence  my  conclusion  as  to  the  cause 
of  not  seeing  lava.  When  last  seen,  at  3 p.  m.,  it  was  in  a lively  state  of 
activity,  and  bore  N.N.W.,  distant  about  ten  miles.  It  was  in  latitude  about 
21°  N.,  and  longitude  121°  50'  E. ; there  was  no  sail  in  sight. 

“ Shortly  after  passing  the  neighborhood  of  the  volcano,  we  passed 
through  a very  heavy  over-fall  or  rip,  so  much  so,  that  the  executive  officer 
and  others,  at  first,  supposed  that  there  were  breakers.  I had  seen  such  an 
appearance  before,  and  decided  that  it  was,  what  it  proved  to  be,  an  efi'ect 
of  the  volcano  merely.  On  arriving,  a few  days  afterwards,  at  Lew  Chew, 
I found  that  they  had  had  a few  shakes.  ****** 

“ On  my  discovery  of  the  phenomenon  off  Formosa,  I had  at  the  mast- 
head, in  addition  to  the  usual  look-out,  a seaman,  called  Gilbert  Lee,  in 
whom  I had  great  confidence,  who  at  first  thought  the  appearance  was  caused 
by  a steamer.  One  of  the  petty  officers,  A.  L.  Benton,  also,  took  particular 
notice  of  it ; several  on  deck  said  they  did  not  know  what  to  make  of  it.  As 
I have  before  stated,  it  had  the  same  appearance  as  when  Graham’s  island 
rose  from  the  ocean  off  the  coast  of  Sicily.”  * 

* It  would  seem  that  this  part  of  the  ocean  exliibits  this  phenomenon  with  considerable 
frequency.  We  have  before  us  a letter  from  Lieutenant  Jones,  addressed  to  Lientenant 
Bent,  ill  which  he  describes  a similar  convulsion,  to  which  he  was  a witness^  in  January, 
18.50,  and  not  far  from  the  spot  designated  by  Lieutenant  Commanding  Boyle.  Mr.  Jones 
was,  at  the  time,  in  command  of  the  United  States  sloop-of-war  St.  Mary’s,  and  thus  writes : 
“It  was  in  latitude  about  20°  56'  N.,  and  longitude  134°  45'  E.  I was  in  the  St.  Mary’s. 


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IJJQUIRY  INTO  A MURDER. 


571 


As  no  opportunity  was  ever  lost  by  tbe  squadron  of  obtaining  accurate 
information  that  might  benefit  nautical  men  of  all  countries,  while  the  Mace- 
donian was  at  Kelung,  Lieutenant  Preble  was  employed,  under  Captain 
Abbot’s  orders  from  the  Commodore,  in  making  a survey  of  the  harbor;  in 
this  work  Passed  Midshipman  Jones  volunteered  as  an  assistant,  and  a chart 
was  prepared  by  these  gentlemen,  the  correctness  of  which  may  be  relied  on. 
The  object  of  the  Commodore  in  directing  the  Macedonian  to  proceed  from 
Kelung  to  the  Philippines  was  twofold.  In  the  mouth  of  March,  1853,  a 
shocking  murder  had  been  committed  by  several  Spaniards  on  two  Ameri- 
cans, at  a rope-factory  at  Santa  Mesa,  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  governor 
and  captain  general  of  the  Philippines.  Captain  Abbot  was  instructed  re- 
spectfully to  ask  of  the  authorities  what  measures,  if  any,  had  been  taken  to 
discover  and  bring  to  punishment,  under  the  Spanish  law,  the  perpetrators 
of  the  homicide.  The  Marquis  de  Novaleches,  the  governor-general,  in  reply 
to  Captain  Abbot’s  inquiries,  very  promptly  informed  him  that  the  courts 
had  been  employed  ever  since  the  murder  occurred,  in  ferreting  out  and 
punishing  the  guilty ; that  some  of  those  concerned  had  been  detected  and 
sentenced  ; that  two  of  the  criminals  had  not  yet  been  found,  but  that,  if  in 
the  islands,  the  court,  which  had  not  relaxed  its  zeal  and  diligence,  would 
find  and  punish  them;  that  instructions  had  been  received  from  the  govern- 
ment at  home  most  earnestly  to  prosecute  the  matter  to  the  fullest  penalties 
of  the  law  on  all  who  were  guilty  ; and  finally,  that  all  which  had  been  done 
had  been  fully  reported  to  the  Government  of  her  Catholic  Majesty,  and 
probably  through  that  channel  to  the  authorities  of  the  United  States. 

The  other  cause  for  Captain  Abbot’s  visit  was  occasioned  by  an  act  of 
humanity  on  the  part  of  our  countrymen.  On  the  morning  of  the  5th  of 
August,  1853,  in  about  latitude  18°  46'  N.,  longitude  124°  E.,  the  store- 
ship  Southampton,  Lieutenant  Commanding  Boyle,  was  steering  S.W.  by 

We  were  bound  from  the  Sandwich  Islands  to  Hong  Kong.  The  wind  at  the  time  was 
moderate  from  the  eastward,'  and  the  sea  smooth.  At  about  lip.  m.,  the  ship  going  seven 
or  eight  knots,  the  wind  suddenly  died  away,  the  sea  became  troubled,  the  air  heated,  and 
a sulphurous  smell  was,  to  some  of  the  men,  very  apparent.  There  were  puffs  of  wind  from 
different  quarters,  but  before  the  yards  could  be  braced  around,  it  would  be  calm  again. 
This  lasted  about  twenty-five  minutes,  when  the  wind  came  out  as  before  from  the  east- 
ward, and  when  I came  on  deck,  at  midnight,  there  was  nothing  unusual  in  the  appearance 
of  the  weather  or  sea.  Unfortunately,  the  officer  of  the  deck  did  not  take  the  temperature 
of  the  air  or  the  water,  nor  did  he  think  of  sounding. 

“ My  information  was  derived  immediately  after  the  watch,  from  the  officers  and  men 
of  the  watch.  All  noticed  the  wind  dying  away  suddenly,  and  most  of  them  the  heated  air. 
A number  observed  the  sea,  and  thought  they  were  in  a tide-rip,  but  a larger  one  than 
they  had  ever  before  seen.  Only  a few  remarked  the  sulphurous  smell,  but  they  were  posi- 
tive and  to  be  relied  on ; they  were  intelligent  men.  The  officer  of  the  deck  I think  was 
one,  also  the  quartermaster.  Though  all  did  not  give  the  same  account,  there  was  no  con- 
tradiction.” 


37 


578 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


W.,  the  wind  blowing  from  the  northward  and  westward  a fresh  top-gallant 
breeze,  with  considerable  swell,  when  a boat  was  discovered  to  windward. 
The  ship  was  hove  to,  and  presently  succeeded  in  getting  on  board,  the  boat 
and  its  contents.  When  hoisted  in  and  measured,  the  craft  was  found  to  be 
twelve  feet  long,  four  wide,  and  seventeen  inches  deep.  On  board  of  the 
boat,  when  the  ship  thus  picked  her  up,  were  six  males,  four  of  whom  were 
adults,  and  two  were  boys,  the  one  about  ten  and  the  other  fourteen  years 
of  age.  They  were  all  of  healthy  appearance,  of  medium  stature,  of  a dark 
color,  the  hair  cut  close,  not  tattooed,  and  did  not  appear  to  be  much  ex- 
hausted. Captain  Boyle  supposed,  from  their  appearance,  that  they  might 
have  been  adrift  some  two  or  three  days.  They  had  in  the  boat  about  two 
or  three  dozen  ears  of  Indian  corn  (maize),  a few  sweet  potatoes,  some  pre- 
pared betel  nuts,  a cask,  two  gongs,  a fishing  net,  an  axe,  a small  piece  of 
grass  cloth  as  a sail,  and  a colored  piece  supposed  to  be  a flag.  Of  water 
they  had  none ; but  from  the  frequent  showers  encountered  by  the  ship, 
Captain  Boyle  concluded  they  had  not  suffered  much  from  the  want  of  it. 

To  what  nation  or  people  these  poor  creatures  belonged  no  one  could  tell, 
as  nobody  on  board  could  understand  their  language.  It  was  observed,  how- 
ever, that  the  word  most  frequently  on  their  lips  was  Sil-li-ha-hoo.  The 
nearest  land  to  the  ship  was  Cape  Engano,  the.  N.E.  point  of  Luconia,  dis- 
tant about  one  hundred  miles.  The  Babuan  and  Bashee  group  were  about 
one  hundred  and  eighty  miles  directly  to  windward ; and  the  first  conjec- 
ture was  that  possibly  they  might  belong  to  these.  Their  dress  consisted  of 
wide-legged  trowsers  extending  a little  below  the  knee,  with  a dark-colored 
gown  enveloping  the  entire  person,  and  secured  around  the  neck  by  a draw- 
ing string ; their  heads  they  would  sometimes  bind  around  with  a cotton 
handkerchief,  after  a fashion  not  unlike  that  used  by  the  blacks  of  the  South- 
ern States.  Though  seemingly  not  much  exhausted  when  they  were  taken 
on  board  the  ship,  yet  they  evidently  experienced  great  difficulty  in  walking, 
from  their  long  confinement  in  a cramped  position.  Sleep,  with  suitable  diet, 
however,  soon  restored  them  to  their  usual  condition. 

When  the  ship  came  near  and  passed  through  the  group  of  islands  just 
named,  the  commander  watched  closely  to  observe  if  they  showed  any  mark 
of  recognition.  Their  attention  was  called  to  them  by  signs,  and  they  seemed 
to  understand  the  pantomimic  inquiry,  for  they  invariably  shook  their  heads 
as  if  to  imply  that  their  home  was  not  there,  and  pointing  towards  the  east- 
ward, said,  “ Sil-li-ba-boo.”  Soon  after  the  ship  arrived  at  Com-sing-moon, 
in  China,  and  here  great  pains  were  taken  to  discover,  if  possible,  where 
these  poor  adventurers  belonged.  There  were  many  ships  lying  there,  and 
the  Commodore  directed  that  diligent  search  should  be  made  among  them 
all,  in  the  hope  that,  perchance,  some  one  might  be  found  who  could  com- 
municate with  them.  They  were  visited  by  many  from  the  various  vessels, 
and,  from  their  timidity,  they  fell  at  first  under  the  suspicion  that  they  were 


BOAT  WITH  NATIVES  OF  SIIXIBABOO,  PICKED  DP  BY  TI1E  SOUTDAMPTON. 


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1 


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otli>laja  sdi  >0  lidi  »b  ^m^psa  iklU  «i 

»iiiin*^i(pv0aif  «^'ni1  4i4il^'  ^Utfni  W iUi«»,anE4i  *♦.)  • j 


THE  SILLIBABOOS. 


579 


anxious  to  remain  unknown  ; but  Captain  Boyle  became  quite  convinced  that 
tbeir  shyness,  and  repugnance  to  leave  the  ship,  proceeded  from  fear  alone. 
They  were  taken  on  board  each  of  the  trading  ships  at  Cum-sing-moon,  and 
out  of  the  numerous  tongues  spoken  on  board  not  one  was  found  like  that 
spoken  by  these  men.  At  length  they  uttered  some  words  when  on  the 
deck  of  the  English  ship  Bombay,  which  Captain  Jamieson,  the  commander, 
thought  he  recognized  as  belonging  to  the  language  of  the  natives  of  the 
Bentinck  Isles.  On  perceiving  that  their  words  were  attracting  notice, 
they  made  their  usual  salaam,  and  uttering  8il-li-ba-boo,  afterwards  held 
their  peace.  There  is  an  island  called  by  that  name,  and  mentioned  by 
Horsburg  as  being  in  latitude  4°  N.,  longitude  127°  B.,but  this  is  so  remote 
from  the  spot  where  they  were  picked  up,  some  twelve  or  fifteen  hundred, 
miles,  that  Captain  Boyle  could  not  suppose  it  possible  they  had  drifted  such 
a distance.  The  wind  had,  indeed,  for  several  days  been  strong  from  the  south- 
ward and  eastward,  just  before  the  boat  was  seen,  though  at  the  time  they 
were  picked  up  it  was  from  the  northward  and  westward.  Notwithstanding 
this,  however,  it  seemed  most  improbable  that  in  their  frail  craft  they  coul  d 
have  floated  so  many  miles.  Captain  Jamieson  and  his  crew  interested 
themselves  much  for  these  poor  creatures,  and  persevered  in  their  efforts  to 
communicate  with  them  by  means  of  the  slight  vocabulary  they  had  ac- 
quired in  their  voyagings ; and  though  such  communication  was  very  imper-* 
feet,  of  course,  yet  it  was  plain  some  words  were  understood,  and  the  unfor- 
tunate men  were  evidently  pleased,  and  sought  opportunities  of  mingling 
with  those  who  could  compi-ehend  any  portion,  however  small,  of  their  lan- 
guage. With  these  imperfect  means  of  knowledge,  the  best  account  Captain 
Jamieson  could  gather  from  them  was,  that  they  did  come  from  Sil-li-ba-boo, 
distant  as  it  was ; that  they  left  the  land  in  their  boat  with  some  articles  of 
food  for  a vessel  in  the  ofllng,  met  a fresh  breeze  which  carried  them  out  to 
sea,  and,  by  its  continuance,  prevented  their  return  to  land,  and  that  they 
had  been  in  the  boat  fifteen  days  when  the  Southampton  picked  them  up. 
By  direction  of  the  Commodore,  two  of  the  surgeons  of  the  squadron  made 
a minute  examination  of  these  Sil-li-ba-boos,  and  reported  in  substance  as 
follows  : 

“ The  Sil-li-ba-boos  are  of  medium  height  and  well  set,  with  moderate 
muscular  development,  and,  though  possessed  of  no  great  strength,  are  active 
in  movement.  Destitute  of  the  fatty  tissue  beneath  the  skin  which  generally 
gives  roundness  and  fullness  to  the  forms  of  northern  races,  the  Sil-li-ba- 
boos  have,  from  this  deficiency,  a sharp  and  angular  contour,  that  deprives 
them  of  all  claim  to  physical  beauty.  Their  features  have  the  irregular  ex- 
pression of  the  negro,  though  their  color  resembles  that  of  the  mulatto. 
Their  heads  are  small  and  round,  with  a large  disproportionate  development 
of  the  posterior  part  of  the  skull ; their  faces  are  oval,  their  foreheads  mod- 


580 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


erately  Ligli,  tlieir  eyes  dark,  but  not  very  brilliant  or  intelligent,  and  their 
chins  broad  and  massive.  Their  noses  are  long  and  flat,  their  lips  thick  and 
prominent,  and  their  large  mouths  display  strong,  vrell-formed  teeth,  which, 
however,  are  generally  blackish,  from  the  use  of  the  betel  nut.  The  skin  is 
smooth,  with  a small  supply  of  black  coarse  hair  in  those  parts  where  it  is 
usually  found,  except  on  the  head ; there  it  grows  profusely  and  straight,  but 
is  worn  short.  Their  limbs  are  lithe,  and  their  hands  and  feet  small.  Their 
language  is  soft  and  agreeable  to  the  ear,  but,  although  it  is  supposed  to  be 
a derivation  from  the  Malayan,  it  is  not  intelligible  to  those  on  board  familiar 
with  the  ordinary  dialect  of  the  Malays.  They  are,  however,  believed  to  be 
of  Malay  origin,  much  modified  by  the  efifects  of  climate  and  accidental  causes. 
The  intelligence  of  the  Sil-li-ba-boos  is  so  far  blunted  as  to  place  them  with- 
in the  category  of  the  savage  races,  to  which,  in  habits  and  social  character- 
istics, they  are  closely  allied.” 

One  purpose  of  the  visit  of  the  Macedonian  to  Manilla  was  to  hand  over 
the  Sil-li-ba-boos  to  the  governor-general  of  the  Philippines,  that  they 
might  be  protected  and  sent  home.  The  governor,  with  many  expressions  of 
gratitude  for  the  kindness  that  had  been  shown  toward  these  involuntary 
wandei-ers,  received  them ; and  we  may  indulge  the  hope  that,  long  ere  this, 
Ihey  have  reached  their  native  island,  there  to  tell  to  their  wondering  coun- 
trymen the  story  of  their  providential  preservation  and  marvellous  adven- 
tures. 

On  the  17th  of  August,  the  Macedonian  (her  oflncers  having  been  shown 
the  greatest  civility  and  kindness  both  by  the  authorities  and  the  American 
residents)  left  Manilla  for  Hong  Kong,  and  her  voyage  presented  a strong 
contrast  to  what  she  had  experienced  in  the  run  from  Formosa  to  Manilla. 
Captain  Abbot  reported  that  for  the  first  five  days  he  had  either  a dead 
calm,  or  light,  baffling  winds  from  the  north  and  northwest,  which  did  no 
more  than  enable  him  to  make  an  offing  from  the  land ; and  after  that,  either 
calms  or  moderate  breezes  had  prevailed,  with  pleasant  weather,  and  the  very 
unusual  circumstance  of  scarcely  any  southing  in  the  winds.  On  the  26th, 
the  Macedonian  was  at  her  anchorage  at  Hong  Kong. 

Our  artists,  as  usual,  busied  themselves  in  sketching  scenes  and  objects 
of  interest  on  this  their  last  visit  to  China,  and  directed  their  attention  par- 
ticularly to  the  manipulations  connected  with  the  preparation  of  agricultural 
products  for  market.  The  rice-hulling  machine  falls  far  behind  that  of  the 
Japanese  worked  by  water. 

Nor  is  the  mode  of  whipping  cotton,  which  fell  under  their  observation, 
more  worthy  of  admiration.  It  is  a clumsy  and  laborious  contrivance,  which 
Yankee  ingenuity  would  soon  supersede,  provided  the  Emperor  of  the’Celes- 
tials  would  grant  “ a patent  for  the  invention,”  which  could  be  protected. 
Without  that,  we  think  Jonathan  will  not  tax  his  ingenuity. 


CHINESE  AGGKESSIONS. 


581 


It  will  be  remembered  that  we  left  the  flag-ship,  the  Mississippi,  on  her 
way  from  Lew  Chew  to  Hong  Kong.  She  arrived  after  a short  passage, 
and  the  Commodore  now  turned  his  attention  to  aflfairs  in  China.  The 
reader  will  not  have  forgotten  that  the  Plymouth,  Commander  Kelly,  had 
been  left  at  Shanghai  to  watch  over  the  interests  of  our  countrymen  there, 
and  did  not  accompany  the  squadron  on  the  second  visit  to  the  Bay  of  Yedo. 
And  now  it  was  found  that  the  Chinese  imperial  troops  had  given  both  the 
English  and  ourselves  some  work  to  do  during  the  Commodore’s  absence. 
The  first  acts  of  aggression  were  shown  in  the  latter  part  of  February  and 
begginning  of  March,  very  soon  after  our  squadron  had  left  for  Japan  on  the 
second  trip.  The  imperial  troops  were  at  that  time  encamped  around  the 
settlement  of  the  foreigners  at  Shanghai,  and  the  imperial  fleet  was  an- 
chored off  the  place.  They  soon  began  their  acts  of  violence  and  robbery  on 
the  land,  by  tearing  down  buildings  that  the  foreigners  were  erecting,  and 
stealing  the  materials ; while  their  fleet,  without  the  slightest  previous 
notice,  commenced  firing  upon  and  searching  all  boats  passing  up  or  down 
the  river.  Complaints  were  made  in  the  first  instance  to  the  general  com- 
manding the  Chinese  troops,  and  to  the  Taoutae,  or  commander-in-chief  of 
the  fleet.  These  functionaries  at  length  acknowledged  their  inability  to 
prevent  such  acts  of  aggression,  and  said  that  the  foreigners  would  have  to 
protect  themselves. 

It  so  happened  that  on  the  6th  of  March  a pilot  boat,  under  the  Ameri- 
can flag,  and  belonging  to  three  of  the  foreign  residents,  Ayers,  Linklater, 
and  Donaldson,  all  American  citizens,  was  passing  on  the  river  with  her  en- 
sign flying,  when,  without  hail  or  warning,  she  was  fired  upon  by  one  of  the 
imperial  fleet,  the  Sir  H.  Compton,  and  ordered  alongside.  The  order  was 
perforce  complied  with.  On  reaching  the  Compton  she  was  immediately 
boarded 'from  that  vessel  by  a body  of  armed  men,  who  forthwith  hauled 
down  the  American  ensign,  draggoi  the  crew  of  the  boat  up  the  side  of  the 
ship,  and  made  them  fast  by  lashing  their  long  Chinese  queues  to  the  main- 
mast. Commander  Kelly  was  informed  of  these  facts  by  the  American 
consul  at  seven  o’clock  that  evening,  when,  in  a very  few  minutes.  Lieutenant 
Guest  had  his  orders,  and  was  under  way  for  the  Compton,  in  one  of  the 
ship’s  cutters,  manned  by  eleven  men,  armed,  and  accompanied  by  the 
owners  of  the  pilot  boat.  His  instructions  were  to  release  the  boat  and 
crew,  and  demand  of  the  captain  by  what  authority  he  had  dared  thus  to 
insult  the  American  flag.  Lieutenant  Guest,  of  course,  interpreted  his  in- 
structions to  mean  that,  if  necessary,  he  should  use  force  to  release  the  boat 
and  her  crew.  He  was  soon  alongside  of  the  Compton,  and,  pursuant  to  orders, 
inquired  first  for  her  captain,  to  whom  Commander  Kelly  had  addressed  a 
note  on  the  subject  of  the  outrage.  He  was  told  that  the  captain  was  on 
board  the  Agnes,  another  Chinese  vessel  of  war ; he  pulled  to  her,  and  was 
there  told  that  he  was  on  shore.  Lieutenant  Guest  did  not  suppose  it  to  be 


582 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


hIs  duty  to  seek  for  him  any  further,  and  was  soon  hack  to  the  Compton. 
This  vessel  was  anchored  in  the  middle  of  the  Chinese  fleet,  mounted  some 
ten  or  twelve  guns,  and  had  about  forty  men  on  her  deck,  renegades  and  scoun- 
drels of  all  nations.  On  getting  alongside,  the  lieutenant  immediately 
ascended  the  vessel’s  side,  accompanied  by  the  owners  of  the  boat,  ordering 
his  eleven  men  to  remain  in  the  cutter,  and  to  come  when  he  called  them, 
but  not  before.  On  reaching  the  deck  he  asked  for  the  officer  in  command, 
when  a Portuguese  stepped  forward  and  claimed  that  rank.  Lieutenant 
Guest  then  asked  him  how  he  dared  to  Are  upon  and  make  prisoners  of 
men  under  the  protection  of  the  American  flag,  and  demanded  that  they 
should  be  immediately  released  and  their  boat  given  up.  He  replied  that 
he  did  not  do  it,  and  that  in  the  captain’s  absence  he  had  no  authority  to 
release  either  men  or  boat.  He  then  conferred  with  another  official  (a 
Chinaman),  and  he  confirmed  his  decision.  Lieutenant  Guest  then  called  out 
to  his  men,  “ come  on  board,”  and  with  wonderful  alacrity  and  speed  they 
were  on  the  deck,  each  with  cutlass  in  hand,  and  in  a moment  had  released 
the  prisoners  from  their  confinement  to  the  mainmast.  About  this  time  the 
crew  of  the  Compton  had  assumed  a menacing  attitude,  and  Mr.  Donaldson 
called  out  to  the  lieutenant  that  some  of  the  men  on  the  poop-deck  were 
levelling  their  muskets  at  the  Americans.  Fortunately  the  Portuguese 
commanding  officer  was  at  that  moment  very  near  Lieutenant  Guest.  In- 
stantly drawing  and  cocking  his  pistol,  the  American  officer  levelled  it  at 
the  Portuguese,  and  told  him  that  on  the  first  shot  fired  he  would  blow  out 
his  brains.  On  hearing  this  threat,  he  called  loudly  to  his  men  on  the 
poop  to  desist,  and  no  further  obstacle  was  interposed  to  the  taking  away 
of  either  boat  or  men.  One  of  the  owners  examined  the  pilot  boat  before 
her  removal,  and  reported  to  the  lieutenant  that  his  property  was  all  safe, 
and  she  was  then  taken  with  her  crew  to  a place  of  safety,  within  gun-shot 
of  the  Plymouth. 

The  next  morning  (the  17th)  Commander  Kelly  informed  the  Taoutae, 
or  commander  of  the  imperial  fleet,  through  our  consul,  that  as  the  Compton 
had  insulted  the  American  flag,  she  had  an  act  of  public  atonement  to  render, 
which  consisted  in  her  hoisting  our  national  colors  at  her  fore-royal  mast- 
head in  open  day,  and  saluting  them  with  twenty-one  guns ; and  he  made  a 
demand  accordingly.  The  Taoutae  seeming  not  disposed  to  make  this  act 
of  reparation  for  unprovoked  insult,  Commander  Kelly,  after  the  allowance 
to  him  of  a reasonable  time,  got  under  way,  and  proceeded  to  the  anchorage 
of  the  imperial  fleet  for  the  pm-pose  of  enforcing  his  demand  by  arguments, 
less  gentle  indeed,  but  probably  more  efi’ective  than  any  he  had  yet  used. 
The  Plymouth,  however,  had  scarcely  gained  her  position,  before  the  cap- 
tain of  the  Compton  came  on  board,  and  informed  Commander  Kelly  that  he 
was  ordered  by  the  Taoutae  to  make  any  concession  he,  the  American  captain, 
might  demand,  and  that  on  the  following  day  he  would  hoist  the  American 


BRUSH  WITH  THE  CHINESE. 


583 


flag  at  the  fore,  and  at  noon  salute  it  with  twenty-one  guns.  Commander 
Kelly  thought  he  might  as  well  stay  where  he  was  and  see  it  done,  as  he  was 
determined  it  should  he,  and  on  the  next  day,  at  noon,  it  was  done  accord- 
ing to  promise,  when  the  Plymouth  returned  to  her  old  anchorage  off  the 
American  consulate. 

One  would  have  supposed  that  the  Chinese  might  have  learned  from  this 
transaction  that  there  was  a limit  to  the  patience  and  forbearance  of  the 
foreigners  at  Shanghai ; hut,  though  we  hear  no  more  of  their  insolence 
on  the  water,  the  aggressions  of  the  land  troops  still  continued  in  the  out- 
skirts of  the  settlement ; and  although  they  were  frequently  warned  by  the 
consul  of  every  nation  of  the  probable  consequences  of  such  conduct,  it 
availed  nothing,  and  at  last  the  old  reply  came,  that  the  foreigners  must 
take  care  of  themselves.  The  foreigners  then  resolved  to  take  the  Chinese 
at  their  word  and  protect  themselves. 

The  marauding  celestials  were  not  long  in  forcing  them  to  execute  their 
resolution.  On  the  third  of  April  some  of  the  imperial  troops  commenced 
destroying  a building,  which  one  of  the  foreigners  was  erecting,  and  carrying 
off  the  timbers.  The  owner,  on  hearing  of  it,  repaired  with  a friend  to  the 
spot,  where  his  remonstrances  were  answered  by  an  attack  on  both  the  gen- 
tlemen luith  swords.  Providentially  one  of  them  had  a revolver,  with 
which  he  defended  himself  and  wounded  two  of  his  assailants,  who  then  re- 
treated. Very  soon  after,  however,  they  began  to  assemble  from  the  differ- 
ent camps,  and  attacking  a lady  and  gentleman,  compelled  the  former  to  flee 
for  her  life,  pursued  by  these  miscreants,  and  inflicted  several  wounds  on  the 
latter.  It  was  now  obvious  that  the  time  had  come  to  deal  with  these  ver- 
min, and  the  alarm  was  given.  Her  Britannic  Majesty’s  ships  Encounter 
and  Grecian  were  in  the  harbor,  as  well  as  the  Plymouth,  and  from  the  for- 
mer a small  body  of  marines  had  been  previously  put  on  shore  for  the  pur- 
pose of  giving  protection.  As  soon  as  the  alarm  was  given,  these  repaired 
to  the  race-course,  where  the  Chinese  were  assembled  in  large  numbers,  and 
were  immediately  fired  upon.  The  ground  in  the  vicinity  is  literally  covered 
with  tombs,  and  behind  these  the  little  handful  of  marines  were  obliged  to 
seek  temporary  shelter  until  reinforcements  could  arrive.  The  blue  jackets 
and  marines  were  soon  landed  from  the  English  ships  and  from  ours,  and  the 
Chinese  were  driven  back  to  their  encampments,  one  of  which  was  captured 
and  destroyed.  The  English  and  Americans  then  retired  for  the  night, 
keeping  up  strong  patroles.  The  next  morning  early  a conference  was  held 
by  the  English  and  American  consuls.  Captain  O’Callaghan,  of  the  English 
service,  and  Commander  Kelly,  who  came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was 
necessary  for  the  safety  of  the  foreign  settlement  and  population,  that  the 
entrenched  encampments  of  Chinese,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  race-course,  should 
be  abandoned  by  them ; and  the  gentlemen  resolved  to  inform  the  Chinese 
general  and  the  commander  of  their  fleet  that  they  must  be  so  abandoned  by 


584 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


four  o’clock  on  that  day,  failing  which,  they  would  be  destroyed.  To  this 
communication  no  reply  had  been  received  at  half-past  three,  when  the 
foreigners  proceeded  to  their  work.  Captain  O’Callaghan,  with  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  sailors  and  marines  from  the  English  ships,  and  the  Shang- 
hai volunteers,  occupied  the  right;  the  sailors  and  marines  from  the  Ply- 
mouth, in  number  about  sixty,  together  with  thirty  men  from  the  American 
merchant  ships,  and  two  private  field-pieces,  worked  by  American  citizens, 
who  placed  themselves  under  Captain  Kelly,  occupied  the  left,  the  whole  of 
this  later  detachment  being  under  the  orders  of  Commander  Kelly.  This 
detachment  had  also  a twelve-pound  howitzer,  with  which  at  four  o’clock  it 
commenced  thi'owing  shells  into  the  encampment.  This  was  continued  for 
some  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  when,  no  return  being  made  from  the  entrench- 
ment, Commander  Kelly  ordered  the  firing  to  cease,  with  the  view  of  charging 
into  the  camp.  The  men  advanced  accordingly,  when  thay  found  themselves 
separated  from  the  encampment,  at  a distance  of  about  thirty  yards  from  it, 
by  a creek  twenty  feet  wide  and  seven  deep.  Here  the  Chinese  opened  a 
smart  fire  of  musketry  and  gingals  from  behind  their  mud  walls,  while  our 
men  were  totally  unprotected.  The  fire  continued  here  about  ten  minutes 
when  Commander  Kelly  directed  a fiank  movement  to  the  left,  where  were 
numerous  mounds,  which  would  afl’ord  the  assailants  some  protection,  and 
whence  they  could  also  throw  their  shot  into  the  enemy’s  camp.  In  about 
eight  minutes  the  Chinese  fied  in  great  disorder,  leaving  behind  them  a 
number  of  wounded  and  dead. 

While  these  things  were  passing  on  the  left.  Captain  O’Callaghan  had 
assaulted  them  on  the  right,  captured  their  entrenchments  on  that  side,  and 
set  their  encampment  on  fire.  He  then  marched  up  to  the  rear  of  that 
entrenchment  which  Commander  Kelly  had  attacked  in  front,  so  that  it  was 
between  the  two  detachments,  and  set  fire  to  that  encampment  also.  The 
English  and  Americans  then  retired  for  the  night.  The  next  morning,  at 
daylight,  they  were  again  on  the  spot,  when  a hundred  Chinese  coolies  were 
set  to  work,  and  soon  levelled  all  the  embankments.  The  casualties  to  the 
English  and  Americans  were  equal ; each  had  one  man  killed  and  three 
wounded.  After  this  the  Chinese  behaved  themselves  quietly. 

And  now  the  Commodore,  having  finished  the  work  assigned  him  by  his 
country,  and  worn  down  by  long-continued  anxiety  of  mind,  ill  health  of 
body,  aggravated,  doubtless,  by  his  solicitudes  and  cares  for  many  months^ 
and  an  increasing  debility,  began  to  look  toward  the  rest  of  home,  which  he 
so  much  needed.  He  had  written  to  the  Hon.  Secretary  some  time  before, 
asking  leave,  when  his  work  was  done,  to  turn  over  the  command  to  the 
officer  next  in  rank,  and  return  to  the  United  States.  At  Hong  Kong  he 
found  awaiting  him  dispatches  from  the  Navy  Department,  conveying  the 
leave  he  asked,  leaving  it  optional  with  him  to  retnrn  in  the  Mississippi,  or 
by  the  overland  route  from  India.  He  chose  the  latter,  and  delivering  to 


CLOSE  OF  THE  EXPEDITION. 


585 


CaptaiQ  Abbot  the  command  of  the  squadron,  now  composed  of  the  Mace- 
donian, Powhatan,  and  Vandalia  only  (the  rest  having  been  all  ordered 
home),  after  a most  friendly  acknowledgment  of  his  services  by  his  country- 
men living  in  China,  and  a kind  farewell  expressed  in  a correspondence  be- 
tween himself  and  the  great  commercial  houses  of  Russel,  Nye,  Wetmore, 
King,  and  indeed  all  the  American  firms  and  residents, — he  embarked,  in 
company  with  his  flag  lieutenant,  in  the  English  mail  steamer  Hindostan, 
and  arrived  in  New  York  on  the  12th  day  of  January,  1855,  having  been 
absent  from  the  United  States  two  years  and  two  months. 

On  the  23d  of  April,  1855,  the  Mississippi  reached  the  navy  yard  at 
Brooklyn,  and  on  the  next  day  the  Commodore,  repairing  on  board,  and 
formally  hauling  down  his  flag,  thus  consummated  the  final  act  in  the  story 
of  the  United  States  expedition  to  Japan. 


SUPPLE^klENTAEY  CHAPTEK. 


Commander  Adams  arrives  in  the  United  States  with  the  treaty. — Submitted  by  the  President  and  ratified 
by  the  Senate. — Commander  Adams  sent  back  with  authority  to  exchange  ratifications. — Arrives  at 
Simoda  after  an  absence  of  little  more  than  nine  months. — Altered  aspect  of  the  place  from  the  effects 
of  an  earthquake. — Japanese  account  of  the  calamity. — Loss  of  Russian  ship«of-war  Diana. — Russians 
make  a treaty  exactly  like  ours,  with  a substitution  merely  of  Naga.saki  for  Napha  as  one  of  the  three 
ports. — French  ship  brings  in  two  shipwrecked  Japanese. — Authorities  refuse  to  receive  them  except 
from  under  our  flag,  having  no  treaty  with  France. — Men  taken  on  board  the  Powhatan,  and  then  re- 
ceived by  their  countrymen. — Energy  of  Japanese  in  rebuilding  Simoda. — Freedom  of  intercourse 
with  the  people. — No  more  espionage. — Brisk  trafiic  at  the  shops.— Delivery  to  Captain  Adams  of  some 
religious  tracts  left  at  Simoda  by  Mr.  Bittinger. — Japanese  had  learned  to  manage  the  locomotive,  but 
not  tlie  telegraph. — Moryama  Yenoske  promoted. — Message  from  the  Commissioners  to  Commodore 
Perry. — Ratifications  exchanged. 


HE  Narrative  of  the  Japanese  Ex- 
pedition, properly  speaking,  ended 
with  the  act  recorded  in  the  clos- 
ing sentence  of  the  last  chapter; 
but  for  the  completion  of  the 
story,  it  is  thought  it  will  prove 
not  unacceptable  to  our  country- 
men to  present  the  subsequent 
transactions  connected  with  the 
treaty  up  to  the  exchange  of  rati- 
fications by  the  respective  repre- 
sentatives of  Japan  and  our  own 
government. 

Commander  Adams,  it  will  be 
remembered,  was  dispatched  home 
with  a copy  of  the  treaty,  on  the 
4 th  of  April,  1854,  in  the  Sara- 
toga. On  the  1st  of  May,  he 
reached  Honolulu,  and  took  the 
first  vessel  that  offered  for  San 
Francisco,  and  thence,  taking  the 
usual  route,  via  Panama,  reached  the  City  of  Washington  on  the  12th  of 
July  thus  making  the  travel  from  Japan  to  our  seat  of  government  in 


EAETHQUAKE  AT  SIMODA. 


587 


three  months  and  eight  days.  The  treaty  was  submitted  hy  the  President 
to  the  Senate,  and  was  hy  that  body  promptly  and  unanimously  ratified ; 
and  on  the  30th  of  September  Commander  Adams  left  New  York  with  the 
ratified  copy  for  Japan.  On  reaching  England,  he  took  the  overland  route, 
and  arrived  at  Hong  Kong  on  the  1st  of  January,  1855.  The  Powhatan 
was  ordered  by  Commodore  Abbot  immediately  to  convey  Commander 
Adams  to  Simoda,  where  he  arrived  on  the  26th  of  January,  1855,  with 
full  powers  as  the  representative  of  the  United  States  to  exchange  with  the 
Japanese  authorities  the  ratifications  of  the  treaty.  The  journey  back  to 
Simoda  occupied  three  months  and  twenty-seven  days,  and  the  whole  time 
that  elapsed  between  the  signing  of  the  treaty  and  the  arrival  of  it  in 
Japan,  duly  ratified  by  the  President  and  Senate,  was  nine  months  and 
twenty-two  days. 

On  the  arrival  of  Commander  Adams  at  Simoda,  he  found  a great  and 
sad  change  in  the  physical  aspects  of  the  place.  In  the  interval  during  his 
absence  from  Japan,  (on  the  23d  of  December,  1854,)  an  earthquake  had 
occurred  which  was  felt  on  the  whole  coast  of  Japan,  doing  some  injury 
to  the  capital,  Yedo,  completely  destroying  the  fine  city  of  Osaca  on  the 
southeastern  side  of  Niphon,  and  leaving  abundant  evidences  of  its  ruinous 
effects  at  Simoda.  One  who  should  now  visit  the  place,  would  find  the 
description  of  it  given  in  our  narrative  and  the  pictured  illustrations  of 
our  artists  no  longer  appropriate.  They  represent  Simoda  as  it  was.  Every 
house  and  public  building  on  the  low  grounds  had  been  destroyed ; a few 
temples  and  private  edifices  that  stood  on  elevated  spots  were  all  that 
escaped,  and  but  sixteen  structures  were  all  that  was  left  of  what  was  once 
Simoda.  The  inhabitants  told  Commander  Adams  that  the  destruction  was 
not  caused  by  the  immediate  agitation  of  the  earth,  but  by  the  action  of 
the  sea  which  it  occasioned,  and  which  regularly  followed  the  shocks. 
According  to  the  statements  of  the  Japanese,  the  waters  in  the  bay  and  near 
the  shore  were  first  obsei'ved  to  be  violently  agitated ; they  soon  began  rap- 
idly to  retreat,  leaving  the  bottom  of  the  harbor,  where  usually  there  were 
five  fathoms  of  water,  nearly  bare.  The  water  then  rushed  in  upon  the  land  in 
a wave  five  fathoms  above  its  usual  height,  and,  overflowing  the  town  up  to 
the  tops  of  the  houses,  swept  everything  away.  The  frightened  inhabitants 
fled  to  the  hills  for  safety,  but  before  they  could  reach  their  summits  they 
were  overtaken  by  the  climbing  waters  and  hundreds  were  drowned.  The 
waters  retreated  and  returned  in  this  manner  five  several  times,  tearing 
down  everything,  and  strewing  the  adjacent  shores  with  the  wrecks  and 
ruins  of  houses  prostrated  and  vessels  torn  from  their  anchorage.  The 
Russian  frigate  Diana,  bearing  the  flag  of  Admiral  Pontiatine,  was  lying 
in  the  harbor  at  the  time.  The  Russian  officers  told  Commander  Adams 
that,  when  the  waters  retreated,  the  mud  boiled  up  from  the  bottom  in  a 
thousand  springs.  When  they  came  in  they  boiled  like  a maelstrom,  and 


588 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


such  was  their  velocity  and  force  that  the  frigate  actually  made  forty-three 
complete  revolutions  in  the  space  of  thirty  minutes.  The  officers  and  crew 
were  made  giddy  by  this  rapid  turning.  Their  anchor  had  been  let  go  in  six 
fathoms ; when  the  waters  retreated  they  could  see  it,  and  had  but  four  feet 
of  water  alongside.  The  ship’s  rudder,  stern-post,  and  a great  part  of  her 
keel,  were  knocked  off  and  lost,  and  her  bottom  was  very  much  injured. 
After  the  effects  of  the  earthquake  had  somewhat  subsided,  and  the  sea 
became  comparatively  tranquil,  she  was  found  to  leak  badly.  Her  guns 
were  landed,  and  as  there  was  no  suitable  place  in  Simoda  to  heave  her 
down.  Admiral  Pontiatine  sent  to  look  for  some  contiguous  spot  fit  for  the 
purpose ; and  it  may  subserve  the  interests  of  navigation  here  to  record, 
that  he  informed  Commander  Adams  that  he  found  a most  excellent  and 
sheltered  harbor,  resembling  that  of  Hakodadi,  but  smaller,  and  completely 
land-locked,  with  an  abundance  of  water.  It  is  about  sixty  miles  from 
Simoda,  at  a place  called  Hed-do^  situated  at  the  head  of  the  bay  which  lies 
westward  of  the  peninsula  of  Idzu.  Here  the  Russian  admiral  attempted 
to  take  his  disabled  ship  and  repair  her,  but  a gale  came  on,  and  she  foun- 
dered near  the  shore,  the  officers  and  crew  with  difficulty  saving  their  lives. 
They  were  all  in  Japan  during  the  stay  of  Commander  Adams,  and,  at  that 
time,  with  little  prospect  of  getting  away.  They,  however,  subsequently 
chartered  the  American  schooner  Foote,  as  we  have  related  on  a previous 
page,  and  sailed  in  her  for  Petropaulowski.  The  Russians  were  in  distress, 
and  Captain  McCluuey,  of  the  Powhatan,  generously  supplied  them  with  all 
the  provisions  he  could  spare  from  his  ship.  The  object  of  the  admiral  was 
to  make  for  Ills  country  a treaty  with  Japan,  and  it  was  concluded  after  the 
loss  of  his  ship,  and  during  the  stay  of  Commander  Adams;  who  was 
informed  by  the  admiral  that  it  was  exactly  like  that  made  by  Commodore 
Ferry  for  us,  with  the  single  change  of  a substitution  of  the  harbor  of 
Nagasaki  for  that  of  Napha  in  Lew  Chew;  this,  we  venture  to  suggest,  is 
no  improvement,  inasmuch  as  the  long  continued  and  tame  submission  of  the 
Dutch  at  Dezima  has  taught  the  Japanese  officials  there  to  be  very  arro- 
gant and  insolent  toward  foreigners.  But,  although  Admiral  Pontiatine 
thus  succeeded  in  making  a treaty,  to  Commander  Adams  the  Japanese 
“ appeared  to  entertain  no  goodwill  toward  the  Russians.”  They  are  prob- 
ably suspicious  of  their  ultimate  purposes. 

While  the  Powhatan  was  at  Simoda,  a French  ship  arrived  there  and 
anchored  in  the  outer  harbor,  having  on  board  two  Japanese  seamen  who 
had  been  taken  off  the  wreck  of  a junk  about  three  years  before  by  an 
American  whale-ship.  The  authorities  ordered  the  vessel  off,  would  permit 
none  of  their  people  to  go  on  board  of  her,  and  positively  refused  to  receive 
the  shipwrecked  seamen.  They  had,  they  said,  no  treaty  with  France,  and 
French  vessels  had  no  right  to  come  there  under  any  pretext.  At  the 
intercession,  however,  of  Commander  Adams  and  Captain  McCluney,  they 


EFFECT  OF  EAKTHQUAKE  ON  THE  HAEBOR.  589 


agreed  to  receive  their  shipwrecked  countrymen  from  the  Powhatan,  if 
Captain  McCluney  would  first  receive  them  on  hoard  his  ship,  and  then 
deliver  them  as  coming  from  an  American  man-of-war.  This  plan  was 
adopted.  The  men  were  kept  all  night  on  hoard  the  Powhatan,  and  land- 
ed the  next  morning.  They  were  immediately,  however,  compelled  to  lay 
aside  their  European  clothing,  and  conform  in  all  respects  to  the  Japanese 
costume ; besides  which  they  were  placed  under  a strict  surveillance,  which 
continued,  at  any  rate,  as  long  as  the  ship  remained. 

Notwithstanding  the  calamities  caused  by  the  earthquake,  there  was 
shown  a resiliency,  in  the  Japanese  character,  which  spoke  well  for  their 
energy.  They  did  not  sit  down  and  weep  over  their  misfortunes,  but,  like 
men,  went  to  work,  seemingly  but  little  dispirited.  They  were  busily 
engaged,  when  the  Powhatan  arrived,  in  clearing  away  and  rebuilding. 
Stone,  timber,  thatch,  tiles,  lime,  &c.,  were  coming  in  daily  from  all  quar- 
ters, and,  before  the  Powhatan  left,  there  were  about  three  hundred  new 
houses  nearly  or  quite  completed,  though  occasional  and  some  pretty  strong 
shocks,  during  the  ship’s  stay,  were  admonishing  them  of  a possible  recur- 
rence of  the  calamity. 

The  outlines  of  the  harbor  of  Simoda,  Commander  Adams  states,  were 
not  altered  at  all  by  the  earthquake,  but  the  holding  ground  seems  to  have 
been  washed  out  to  sea,  leaving  no  bottom  scarcely  but  naked  rocks.  This, 
however,  will  be  resupplied,  as  it  was  furnished  in  the  first  instance,  by  the 
washings  from  the  land,  whch  will  probably  accumulate  rapidly.  The  Pow- 
hatan, for  want  of  holding  ground,  dragged  with  three  anchors  ahead,  the 
wind  blowing  across  the  harbor,  and  no  sea.  Indeed,  she  was  obliged  to 
rely  on  her  steam  to  keep  off  the  rocks. 

From  the  place  we  now  turn  to  the  people.  The  Japanese  were  much 
more  disposed  to  be  friendly  and  sociable  than  on  the  former  visit.  • The 
ofiicers  of  the  ship  roamed  over  the  country  undisturbed,  went  into  the  vil- 
lages, and  were  received  with  a welcome  everywhere.  Espionage  seemed 
to  have  been  laid  aside,  for  there  was  no  attempt  to  follow  or  watch  them. 
The  shops  having  all  been  destroyed,  and  not  yet  replaced,  a bazaar  was 
opened  in  a temple  repaired  for  the  purpose,  and  was  soon  filled  with  a 
variety  of  beautiful  articles  brought  from  Yedo  and  the  interior  towns. 
The  officers  were  not  only  invited  but  importuned  to  buy,  which  they  did 
very  freely.  An  anxious  wish  was  expressed  by  the  people  to  Commander 
Adams,  that  trading  vessels  from  America  would  soon  begin  to  visit  them, 
and  the  governor  of  Simoda  (who  was  one  of  the  commissioners  that  made 
the  treaty)  intimated  to  the  Commander  that  it  would  be  very  agreeable  to 
him,  personally,  if  a consul  from  the  United  States  should  be  appointed  to 
reside  at  Simoda. 

The  Japanese,  were  exceedingly  desirous  of  obtaining  English  books, 
particularly  on  medical  and  scientific  subjects;  and  many  valuable  works 


590 


EXPEDITION  TO  JAPAN. 


were  given  to  them  hy  our  officers.  But  they  coveted  our  hooks  on  any 
subject  except  religion.  One  circumstance  occurred  which,  says  Command- 
er Adams,  “ made  me  feel  a little  ashamed.”  “ The  governor  of  Simoda 
sent  off  a bundle  of  religious  hooks  which  he  said  ‘ Bittinger  ’ (one  of  the 
chaplains  of  Commodore  Perry’s  squadron)  had  left  there  clandestinely, 
which  was  contrary  to  J apanese  law,  and  ‘ not  right ; ’ and  he  begged  me  to 
take  them  away  with  me,  which  I agreed  to  do.” 

Commander  Adams  found  that  they  had  learned  to  manage  the  locomotive 
which  the  President  had  sent  to  the  Emperor ; they  had  also  the  life-boat 
afloat  with  a trained  crew,  but  the  magnetic  telegraph  they  said  was  too 
hard  for  them  yet.  Every  day,  when  Commander  Adams  was  not  employed 
on  shore,  the  lieutenant  governor  or  some  official  of  high  rank  came  off  to 
visit  him,  and  their  meetings  were  those  of  old  friends.  Some  of  them 
indeed  were  old  acquaintances;  the  governor  of  Simoda  was  Isawa,  Mima- 
saki  Nokami,  one  of  the  treaty  commissioners,  and  our  old  friend  the  inter- 
preter, Moryama  Yenoske,  who  assisted  in  making  our  translation  of  the 
treaty  (he  understood  English)  was  also  at  Simoda,  having  been  very 
deservedly  promoted ; others  of  the  commissioners  were  also  there  for  the 
purpose  of  exchanging  ratifications,  and  Commander  Adams  was  not  allowed 
to  feel  as  if  he  were  among  strangers.  The  commissioners  inquired  with 
great  interest  about  Commodore  Perry,  sent  many  messages  of  friendship 
and  remembrance,  and  charged  Commander  Adams  to  say  to  him  that  his 
“ name  would  live  for  ever  in  the  history  of  Japan.” 

As  to  the  exchange  of  ratifications,  the  Japanese,  at  first,  interposed 
two  objections;  these,  however,  did  not  arise  from  unwillingness  to  abide 
by  their  engagements,  but  were  rather  technical,  and  founded  upon  their 
scrupulous  interpretation  of  the  terms  of  a written  contract,  and  upon 
their  profound  respect  for  ceremonials.  The  objections  were,  first,  that 
their  copy  of  the  treaty  said  it  was  to  be  ratified  after  eighteen  months ; 
ours  said  within  eighteen  mouths ; but  as  the  Dutch  and  Chinese  transla- 
tions agreed  with  our  English  copy,  and  as  that  had  been  taken  as  the 
original,  from  which  all  the  translations,  including  their  Japanese  version, 
had  been  made,  they  became  convinced  that  the  discrepancy  arose  from  the 
ignorance  of  their  translator,  and  having  had  explained  to  them  what  was 
meant  by  our  English  word  “ within,”  as  here  used,  they  very  gracefully 
withdrew  all  objection  on  this  score.  The  other  objection  was  to  the 
Emperor’s  affixing  his  sign  manual  to  the  Japanese  copy  for  our  govern- 
ment. They  said  the  Emperor  never  signed  any  document,  but  the  supreme 
council  only.  Commander  Adams  represented  to  them  that  the  President 
and  Secretary  of  State  had  signed  the  copy  he  had  brought  for  them,  and 
beside,  the  Emperor  was  the  party  named  in  the  instrument  as  having  made 
the  treaty,  and  therefore  he  wished  his  signature.  Finally,  it  was  conclud- 
ed that  both  the  Emperor  and  supreme  council  should  sign  it,  and  it  was 


EXCHANGE  OF  RATIFICATIONS. 


591 


accordingly  done.  On  the  21st  of  February  the  exchanges  were  formally 
made,  and  as  soon  as  it  was  done,  the  Powhatan  immediately  showed  the 
Japanese  flag  at  the  fore  and  fired  a salute  of  seventeen  guns. 

The  commissioners  also  gave  Commander  Adams  a ratified  copy  of  the 
“ additional  regulations  ” made  between  the  Commodore  and  the  Japanese 
commissioners,  which  they  seemed  to  consider  part  of  the  treaty,  with  a 
request  that  he  would  deliver  it  to  the  President,  and  ask  him  to  send  out, 
by  some  American  ship,  the  American  ratification  as  soon  as  it  was  com- 
pleted. On  the  day  after  the  ratification,  February  22,  the  Powhatan  left 
Simoda,  and  our  new  and,  as  we  trust,  enduring  friendly  relations  with 
Japan  are  thus  associated,  in  date  at  least,  with  the  name  of  Washington. 


APPENDIX. 


Sailing  directions  for  the  harhor  of  Simoda,  hy  Lieut.  Wm.  L.  2Iaury, 

U.  S.  N. 

Vessels  bound  to  the  harbor  of  Simoda,  from  the  southward  and  west- 
ward, should  make  Cape  Idzu,  from  which  Rock  island  bears  ESE.  ^ E., 
distant  about  six  miles ; and  if  the  weather  is  at  all  clear,  the  chain  of 
islands  at  the  entrance  of  the  Gulf  of  Yedo  will  at  the  same  time  be  plainly 
visible. 

Between  Rock  island  and  the  main  land  there  are  a number  of  rocks 
awash  and  above  water,  among  which  the  Japanese  junks  freely  pass,  but  a 
ship  should  not  attempt  a passage  inside  of  Rock  island,  unless  in  case  of 
urgent  necessity,  particularly  as  the  northeasterly  current  which  sweeps 
along  this  coast,  seems  to  be,  at  this  point,  capricious,  both  in  direction  and 
velocity. 

Giving  Rock  island  a berth  of  a mile,  the  harbor  of  Simoda  will  be  in 
full  view,  bearing  N.  W.,  distant  five  miles. 

Vandalia  bluff,  on  the  east  side  of  the  entrance,  may  be  recognised  by  a 
grove  of  pine  trees  on  the  summit  of  the  bluff,  and  the  village  of  Susaki, 
which  lies  about  one  third  of  the  way  between  it  and  Cape  Diamond.  Cape 
Diamond  is  a sharp  point  making  out  to  the  eastward  of  the  entrance  of  the 
harboi’. 

Standing  in  from  Rock  island,  you  will  probably  pass  through  a number 
of  tide-rips,  but  not  get  soundings  with  the  hand-lead  until  near  the  entrance 
of  the  harbor,  when  you  will  be  in  from  seventeen  to  twenty-four  fathoms. 

Should  the  wind  be  from  the  northward,  and  fresh,  a vessel  should 
anchor  at  the  mouth  of  the  harbor  until  it  lulls  or  shifts,  or  until  she  can 
conveniently  warp  in,  as  it  is  usually  flawy  and  always  baffling. 

Approaching  from  the  northward  and  eastward,  a vessel  can  pass  on 


APPENDIX. 


593 


either  side  of  Oho-Sima,  from  the  centre  of  which  Cape  Diamond  bears 
W.  by  S.,  distant  about  seventeen  miles. 

Between  Oho-Sima  and  Simoda  no  dangers  are  known  to  exist ; but  the 
northeasterly  current  must  be  borne  constantly  in  mind,  particularly  at  night 
and  in  thick  weather.  Its  general  strength  is  from  two  to  three  miles  per 
hour ; but  as  this,  as  well  as  its  direction,  is  much  influenced  by  the  local 
winds,  headlands,  islands,  &c.,  neither  can  be  relied  upon. 

Should  Oho-Sima  be  obscured  by  thick  weather  before  reaching  Cape 
Diamond,  endeavor  to  sight  Rock  island,  for  there  are  no  very  conspicuous 
objects  on  the  main  land  by  which  a stranger  can  recognise  the  harbor  at  a 
distance,  and  the  shore  appears  as  one  unbroken  line. 

To  the  westward  of  the  harbor  there  are  several  sand-beaches,  and  three 
or  four  sand-banks.  These  can  be  plainly  discerned  when  within  six  or 
eight  miles,  and  are  good  landmarks. 

A vessel  from  the  southward  and  eastward  should  pass  to  the  westward 
of  the  island  of  Kozu-Sima,*  which  may  be  known  by  a remarkable  snow- 
white  cliff  on  its  western  side.  There  is  also  a white  patch  on  its  summit 
to  the  northward  of  the  cliff.  From  this  island  the  harbor  bears  N.  by 
W.  ^W.,  distant  about  twenty- six  miles. 

There  are  but  two  hidden  dangers  in  the  harbor.  The  first  is  the 

SOUTHAMPTON  ROCK, 

which  lies  in  mid-channel,  bearing  N.  ^ W.  from  Vandalia  bluff,  about 
three-fourths  of  the  way  between  it  and  Centre  island.  The  rock  is  about 
twenty-five  feet  in  diameter,  and  has  two  fathoms  water  upon  it.  It  is 
marked  by  a white  spar-buoy. 

The  secouri  is  the 

SUPPLY  ROCK, 

bearing  S.  by  W.,  a short  distance  from  Buisako  islet ; is  a sharp  rock, 
with  eleven  feet  water  upon  it.  Its  position  is  designated  by  a red  spar- 
buoy. 

Both  of  these  buoys  are  securely  moored,  and  the  authorities  of  Simoda 
have  promised  to  replace  them,  should  they  by  any  cause  be  removed. 

Centre  island,  which  receives  its  name  from  being  the  point  from  which 
the  treaty  limits  are  measured,  is  high,  conical,  and  covered  with  trees.  A 
cave  passes  entirely  through  it. 

In  the  outer  roads,  or  mouth  of  the  harbor,  a disagreeable  swell  is  some- 
times experienced ; but  inside  of  the  Southampton  rock  and  Centre  island, 
vessels  are  well  sheltered,  and  the  water  comparatively  smooth.  Moor  with 
an  open  hawse  to  the  southward  and  westward. 

There  are  good  landings  for  boats  in  Simoda  creek,  and  at  the  village  of 
Kakisaki. 

A harbor-master  and  three  pilots  have  been  appointed ; wood,  water, 

* This  is  the  most  south-western  island  of  the  chain  of  islands  lying  off  the  Gulf  of  Yedo. 


APPENDIX. 


')94 

fish,  fowls,  and  eggs,  also  sweet  potatoes  and  other  vegetables,  may  be  pro- 
cured from  the  authorities.  It  is  necessary  to  supply  them  with  casks  to 
bring  the  water  off 

Latitude  Centre  island,  34°  39'  49"  N. ; longitude,  138°  57'  30"  E. 
Variations,  52'  westerly.  High  water,  F.  & C.,  V hr.  Extreme  rise  of 
tide,  5 feet  7 inches.  Mean  rise  of  tide  3 feet. 

To  make  the  foregoing  directions  more  easily  comprehended,  they  have 
been  rendered  as  concise  as  possible ; but  to  furnish  further  information  to 
navigators  bound  to  or  passing  the  port,  the  following  additional  remarks 
are  appended  : 

The  harbor  of  Simoda  is  near  the  south-eastern  extremity  of  the  peninsula 
of  Idzu,  which  terminates  at  the  cape  of  that  name.  To  the  northward  of 
the  harbor,  a high  ridge  intersects  the  peninsula,  and  south  of  this,  all  the 
way  to  the  cape,  it  is  broken  by  innumerable  peaks  of  less  elevation. 

The  harbor  bears  SW.  by  W.  from  Cape  Sagami,  at  the  entrance  of 
Yedo  bay,  distant  about  45  miles. 

Rock  island  is  about  120  feet  high,  and  a third  of  a mile  long,  with  pre- 
cipitous shores  and  uneven  outlines.  It  has  a thick  matting  of  grass,  weeds, 
moss,  &c.,  on  the  top. 

From  the  summit  of  this  island  overfalls  were  seen,  bearing  N.  ^ "W., 
distant  a mile,  or  a mile  and  a half.  These  may  have  been  caused  by  a 
rock  or  reef.  An  attempt  was  made  to  find  it ; but  the  strong  current  and 
fresh  wind  prevented  a satisfactory  examination.  The  Japanese  fishermen, 
however,  deny  the  existence  of  any  such  danger. 

N.  by  W.  from  Rock  island,  distant  two  miles,  are  the  Ukona  rocks. 
These  are  two  rocks,  though  they  generally  appear  as  one.  The  largest  is 
about  70  feet  high.  Between  these  and  Rock  island,  the  current  was  found 
setting  east-northeasterly,  fully  four  miles  an  hour. 

Centre  island  bears  from  Rock  island  N.  ^ E.,  distant  five  and  a half 
miles,  and  from  Ukona  rocks  N.  by  E.  ^ E.,  distant  three  and  a half  miles. 

Buisako  islet  lies  NNE.  from  Centre  island.  It  is  about  40  feet  high, 
and  covered  with  trees  and  shrubs. 

Should  the  buoy  on  Southampton  rock  be  removed,  the  east  end  of 
Centre  island,  on  with  the  west  end  of  Buisako,  will  clear  the  rock  to  the 
westward. 

Off  the  village  of  Susaki,  and  distant  one-third  of  a mile  from  the  shore, 
is  a ledge  of  rocks,  upon  which  the  swell  is  always  breaking ; give  them  a 
berth  of  two  cables  in  passing. 

Due  west  from  Vandalia  bluff,  about  one  third  of  the  way  to  the  opposite 
shore,  is  a deep  hole,  with  upwards  of  30  fathoms  water. 

Approaching  from  the  eastward,  the  harbor  will  not  open  until  you  get 
well  inside  of  Cape  Diamond. 

To  the  northward  of  Cape  Diamond  is  the  bay  of  Sirahama,  which  is 


APPENDIX. 


595 


quite  deep,  and,  as  it  has  also  several  sand-beaches,  it  may  be  mistaken  for 
Simoda;  but  as  you  approach  this  bay.  Cape  Diamond  will  shut  in  the 
Ukona  rocks,  and  Rock  island  to  the  southward,  whilst  in  the  Simoda  roads 
they  are  visible  from  all  points. 

Capeidzu — latitude,  34°  36'  03"  N. ; longitude,  138°  48'  51"  E.  Rock 
island — latitude,  34°  33'  50"  N. ; longitude,  138°  57'  16"  E. 

To  the  southward  and  westward  of  Kozu-Sima  there  are  two  patches  of 
dangerous  rocks,  15  or  20  feet  high,  which  have  been  named  Redfield  rocks. 
They  are  in  latitude  33°  56'  13"  N.,  longitude  138°  48'  31"  E.,  and  lati- 
tude 33°  57'  31"  N.,  longitude  138°  49'  13"  E. 

These  positions  may  not  be  strictly  correct,  but  it  is  believed  they  are 
not  much  out  of  the  way. 

By  order  of  Commodore  M.  C.  Perry,  U.  S.  N. 

SILAS  BENT, 

Flag  Lieutenant 

U.  S.  Steam-Feigate  Mississippi, 

Napa,  Lew-Chew,  July  7,  1854. 


Sailing  directions  for  Hahodadi,  hy  Lieut.  Wm.  L.  Maury,  U.  S.  N. 

This  spacious  and  beautiful  bay,  which  for  accessibility  and  safety  is  one 
of  the  finest  in  the  world,  lies  on  the  north  side  of  the  straits  of  Sangar, 
which  separates  the  Japanese  islands  of  Nippon  and  Yesso,  and  about  mid- 
way between  Cape  Sirija  Saki  * (the  NE.  point  of  Nippon,)  and  the  city  of 
Matsmai.  It  bears  from  the  cape  NW.  ^ W.,  distant  about  45  miles,  and 
is  about  4 miles  wide  at  the  entrance,  and  5 miles  deep. 

The  harbor  is  the  southeastern  arm  of  the  bay,  and  is  completely  shel- 
tered, with  regular  soundings  and  excellent  holding-ground.  It  is  formed 
by  a bold  peaked  promontory  standing  well  out  from  the  high  land  of  the 
main,  with  which  it  is  connected  by  a low  sandy  isthmus,  and,  appearing  in 
the  distance  as  an  island,  may  be  readily  recognised. 

The  town  is  situated  on  the  northeast  slope  of  this  promontory,  facing 
the  harbor,  and  contains  about  6,000  inhabitants. 

Approaching  from  the  eastward,  after  passing  Cape  Suwo  Kubo,  named 
on  our  chart  Cape  Blunt,  which  is  a conspicuous  head-land  12  miles 
E.  S.  E.  E.  from  the  town,  the  junks  at  anchor  in  the  harbor  will  be 
visible  over  the  low  isthmus. 

FOR  ENTERING  THE  HARBOR. 

Rounding  the  promontory  of  Hakodadi,  and  giving  it  a berth  of  a mile, 

* Saki  in  the  Japanese  language  means  cape  ; consequently  it  should  he  more  properly 
called  Cape  Sirija ; hut  to  prevent  mistakes  it  has  been  thought  advisable  to  adopt  the 
Japanese  names. 


596 


APPENDIX,. 


to  avoid  the  calms  under  the  high  land,  steer  for  the  sharp  peak  of  Komaga- 
daki,  hearing  about  north,  until  the  east  peak  of  the  Saddle,  bearing  about 
NE.  by  N.,  opens  to  the  westward  of  the  round  knob  on  the  side  of  the 
mountain ; then  haul  up  to  the  northward  and  eastward,  keeping  them  open 
until  the  centre  of  the  sand-hills  on  the  isthmus  bears  SE.  by  E.  f E.  (these 
may  be  recognised  by  the  dark  knolls  upon  them.)  This  will  clear  a spit 
which  makes  out  from  the  western  point  of  the  town  in  a north-northwesterly 
direction  two-thirds  of  a mile ; then  bring  the  sand-hills  a point  on  the  port 
bow,  and  stand  in  until  the  western  point  of  the  town  bears  SW.  ^ W., 
when  you  will  have  the  best  berth,  with  5^  or  6 fathoms  water.  If  it  is 
desirable  to  get  nearer  in,  haul  up  a little  to  the  eastward  of  south  for  the 
low  rocky  peak  which  will  be  just  visible  over  the  sloping  ridge  to  the 
southward  and  eastward  of  the  town.  A vessel  of  moderate  draught  may 
approach  within  a quarter  of  a mile  of  Tsuki  Point,  where  there  is  a 
building-yard  for  junks.  This  portion  of  the  harbor,  however,  is  generally 
crowded  with  vessels  of  this  description ; and  unless  the  want  of  repairs,  or 
some  other  cause,  renders  a close  berth  necessary,  it  is  better  to  remain 
outside. 

If  the  Peak  or  Saddle  is  obscured  by  clouds  or  fogs,  after  doubling  the 
promontory,  steer  N.  N.  E.,  until  the  sand-hills  are  brought  upon  the  bearing 
above  given,  when  proceed  as  there  directed. 

A short  distance  from  the  tail  of  the  spit  is  a detached  sand-bank  with 
3^  fathoms  on  it,  the  outer  edge  of  which  is  marked  by  a white  spar-buoy. 
Between  this  and  the  spit  there  is  a narrow  channel  with  4 and  5 fathoms 
water.  Y essels  may  pass  on  either  side  of  the  buoy,  but  it  is  most  prudent 
to  go  to  the  northward  of  it. 

Should  the  wind  fail  before  reaching  the  harbor,  there  is  a good  anchor- 
age in  the  outer  roads,  in  from  25  to  10  fathoms. 

Excellent  wood  and  water  may  be  procured  from  the  authorities  of  the 
town;  or  if  preferred,  water  can  be  easily  obtained  from  Kamida  creek, 
which  enters  the  harbor  to  the  northward  and  eastward  of  the  town. 

The  season  at  the  time  of  our  visit  was  unfavorable  for  procuring  sup- 
plies ; a few  sweet  and  Irish  potatoes,  eggs  and  fowls,  however,  were 
obtained,  and  these  articles  at  a more  favorable  period  of  the  year  will,  no 
doubt,  be  furnished  in  sufficient  quantities  to  supply  any  vessels  that  may 
in  future  visit  the  port. 

Our  seine  supplied  us  with  fine  salmon  and  a quantity  of  other  fish,  and 
the  shores  of  the  bay  abound  with  excellent  shell-fish. 

During  our  stay  in  this  harbor,  from  the  17th  May  to  3d  June,  the 
weather  was  generally  pleasant  until  the  1st  June,  when  the  fog  set  in.  It 
was  usually  calm  in  the  morning,  but  towards  the  middle  of  the  day  a brisk 
breeze  from  SW.  sprung  up. 

Latitude  mouth  of  Kamida  creek,  41°  49'  00"  N. ; longitude,  140°  47' 


APPENDIX. 


597 


45"  E. ; variation,  4°  30'  W. ; high  water,  F.  & C.  T hours ; extreme  rise 
and  fall  of  tide,  3 feet. 

Our  chronometers  were  rated  at  Napa  Kiang,  Lew-Chew,  from  the 
position  of  that  place  as  given  by  Captain  Beechy,  R.  N. 

By  order  of  Commodore  M.  C.  Perry,  U.  S.  N. 

SILAS  BENT, 

Flag  Lieutenant. 

U.  S.  Steam-Frigate  Mississippi, 

At  Sea,  July  18,  1854. 


Sailing  directions  for  Yedo  Bay,  ly  Lieut.  Wm.  L.  Maury,  U.  S.  Navy. 

Vessels  from  the  southward  hound  to  this  hay,  should  pass  up  to  the 
westward  of  the  chain  of  islands  lying  olF  the  Gulf  of  Yedo,  and  are  cau- 
tioned against  mistaking  the  deep  bight  of  Kawatsu  hay  for  the  entrance 
of  Uraga  channel,  for  on  the  northeast  side  of  this  hay  there  is  a ledge  of 
rocks  several  miles  from  the  shore,  hearing  from  Cape  Sagami  about  WNW., 
distant  ten  miles,  upon  which  one  of  the  vessels  of  our  squadron  grounded. 
A stranger  without  a correct  chart  would  naturally  make  this  mistake,  as 
the  opening  of  the  channel  is  not  seen  at  a distance  from  this  quarter,  the 
shore  appearing  as  an  unbroken  line. 

The  entrance  to  the  channel  hears  from  the  centre  of  Oho-Sima  NE.  ^ 
N.,  distant  about  twenty  miles.  Stand  in  upon  this  line,  and  the  saddle-hill 
to  the  northward  of  Cape  Sagami  will  be  readily  recognised,  as  well  as  the 
round  black  knob  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  channel.  On  approaching  Ura- 
ga, the  Plymouth  rocks  will  he  plainly  seen ; give  these  a berth  of  half  a 
mile  to  clear  the  Ingersoll  Patch,  a sunken  rock  with  but  one  fathom  on  it, 
and  which  is  the  only  known  danger  in  the  channel. 

Between  Plymouth  rocks  and  Cape  Kami-Saki  the  ground  is  clear  and 
the  anchorage  good,  if  care  he  taken  to  get  pretty  well  in,  so  as  to  avoid  the 
strong  tides  which  sweep  round  the  latter  with  great  rapidity.  A spit 
makes  out  a short  distance  to  the  southward  of  Kami-Saki;  but  to  the 
northward  of  the  cape,  the  shore  is  bold  and  the  water  very  deep. 

On  rounding  Cape  Kami-Saki,  if  bound  for  the  city  of  Yedo,  steer  NW. 
by  N.  until  Perry  island  bears  S.  by  W.  f W.,  so  as  to  clear  Saratoga  spit, 
which  extends  well  out  from  the  eastern  shore  ; then  haul  up,  keeping  Perry 
island  upon  this  bearing  until  the  beacon  on  the  low  point  to  the  southward 
of  Yedo  bears  WNW.  This  clears  the  shoal  off  the  point,  and  here  there 
is  good  anchorage  in  about  ten  fathoms  water,  in  full  view  of  the  city  of 
Yedo. 

At  this  point  our  survey  terminated ; the  boats,  however,  found  a clear 
channel  with  plenty  of  water  for  the  largest  vessels  several  miles  farther  to 
the  northward,  and  within  a few  miles  of  the  city 


598 


APPENDIX. 


If  bound  to  the  American  anchorage,  from  Cape  Kami-Saki  steer 
and  anchor  in  eight  or  ten  fathoms  water,  with  Perry  island  bearing  SSE., 
and  Webster  island  SW.  by  S. 

To  the  southward  of  Webster  island  there  is  also  good  anchorage  in  six 
and  seven  fathoms.  Near  this  anchorage  there  are  two  snug  coves,  very 
accessible,  in  which  vessels  may  conveniently  repair  and  refit. 

Susquehanna  bay,  three  miles  WNW.  from  Cape  Kami-Saki,  is  well 
sheltered,  but  it  contains  a number  of  reefs  and  rocks,  and  is  therefore  not 
recommended  as  an  anchorage. 

Mississippi  bay  is  four  miles  north  of  the  American  anchorage  ; it  is  well 
sheltered  from  the  prevailing  winds.  Upon  anchoring,  it  is  necessary  to 
give  the  shore  a good  berth,  to  avoid  a shoal  which  extends  out  from  a half 
to  three-quarters  of  a mile.  The  conspicuous  head-land  or  long  yellow  bluff 
on  the  north  side  of  this  bay  is  called  Treaty  Point;  a shoal  surrounds  the 
point  from  two-thirds  of  a mile  to  a mile  distant. 

Between  the  American  anchorage  and  Treaty  Point  the  soundings  are 
irregular,  shoaling  suddenly  from  twelve  to  five  fathoms  on  a bank  of  hard 
sand. 

To  the  northward  of  Treaty  Point  and  NNW.  from  Cape  Kami-Saki. 
distant  fourteen  miles,  is  Yokuhama  bay.  To  reach  this  anchorage,  bring 
the  wooded  bluff  which  terminates  the  high  land  on  the  north  side  of  the 
bay  to  bear  N.  by  W.  ^ W.,  and  steer  for  it  until  Treaty  Point  bears  SW. 
by  S. — this  clears  the  spit  off  the  point ; then  haul  up  about  NW.  by  N.  for 
the  bluff  over  the  town  of  Kanagawa,  and  anchor  in  five  and  a half  or  six 
fathoms,  with  the  Haycock  just  open  to  the  eastward  of  Mandarin  bluff. 
Mandarin  is  the  steep  bluff  a mile  to  the  northward  of  Treaty  Point. 

A fiat  extends  out  from  the  northern  shore  of  this  bay,  between  Kana- 
gawa and  Beacon  Point  from  one  to  two  miles ; off  Mandarin  bluff  there  is 
also  a shoal  extending  a mile  to  the  northward. 

The  bay  of  Yedo  is  about  twelve  miles  wide,  and  thirty  deep,  with  ex- 
cellent holding-ground,  and  capable  of  sheltering  the  fleets  of  the  world. 

Our  survey  embraced  the  western  shore  only,  from  Cape  Kami-Saki  to 
Beacon  Point.  We  had  no  opportunity  of  examining  the  eastern  side. 
The  soundings  from  Treaty  Point  across  in  an  ESE.  direction  are  regular, 
and  three  fathoms  were  found  about  a mile  and  a half  from  the  opposite 
shore. 

Of  Uraga  channel,  a reconnoissance  was  made  of  the  western  shore  only. 

During  our  stay  in  the  bay,  from  the  17th  of  February  to  the  18th  of 
April,  the  weather  was  generally  flne,  being  occasionally  interrupted  by 
strong  winds  and  heavy  rain.  The  gales  came  up  suddenly  from  the  south- 
ward and  westward  with  a low  barometer,  and  continued  for  a short  time, 
when  the  wind  hauled  round  to  the  northward  and  westward  and  moderated. 
W e had  no  easterly  blows ; in  fact,  the  wind  was  rarely  from  this  quarter. 


APPENDIX. 


599 


except  when  hauling  round  from  the  northward  (as  it  invariably  did)  by 
east  to  the  southward  and  westward. 

The  tide  is  quite  strong  out  in  the  bay ; and  off  the  tail  of  Saratoga  spit, 
Perry  island,  and  Cape  Kami-Saki,  its  velocity  is  much  increased.  But  at 
the  anchorage  in  the  hay  of  Yokuhama  it  was  scarcely  felt.  At  Yokuhama 
the  Japanese  authorities  supplied  us  with  wood  and  water,  and  a few  vege- 
tables, fowls,  eggs,  oysters,  and  clams. 

Latitude  Cape  Sagami,  35°  06'  30"  N. ; longitude,  139°  42'  45"  E.  Lati- 
tude Webster  island,  35°  18'  30"  N. ; longitude,  139°  40'  34"  E.  Latitude 
of  Treaty  building,  north  end  of  Yokuhama,  35°  27'  15"  N. ; longitude, 
139°  40' 23"  E.  Variation,  25' westerly.  High  water  F.  and  C.,  VI.  Rise 
and  fall  at  Yokuhama,  6 feet. 

By  order  of  Commodore  M.  C.  Perry. 

SILAS  BENT, 

Flag  Lieutenant. 

U.  S.  Steam-Frigate  Mississippi, 

Hong-Kong,  Septemher  4,  1854. 


Sailing  Directions  for  Napha,  Island  of  Great  Lew  Chew. 

This  is  the  principal  sea-port  of  the  island,  and  perhaps  the  only  one 
possessing  the  privileges  of  a port  of  entry. 

Its  inner,  or  “ Junk  Harbor,”  has  a depth  of  water  of  from  two  to  three 
fathoms,  and  though  small,  is  sufficiently  large  to  accommodate  with  ease, 
the  fifteen  or  twenty  moderate  sized  junks  which  are  usually  found  moored 
in  it.  These  are  mostly  Japanese,  with  a few  Chinese  and  some  small  coast- 
ing craft,  which  seem  to  carry  on  a sluggish  trade  with  the  neighboring 
islands. 

The  outer  harbor  is  protected  to  the  Eastward  and  Southward  by  the 
main  land,  whilst  in  other  dif3ctions  it  is  surrounded  by  merely  a chain  of 
coral  reefs,  whieh  answer  as  a tolerable  breakwater  against  a swell  from  the 
Northward  or  Westward,  but  affords  of  course  no  shelter  from  the  wind. 
The  holding  ground  is  so  good,  however,  that  a well  found  ship  could  ride 
out  here  almost  any  gale  in  safety. 

The  clearest  approach  to  Napha  from  the  Westward,  is  bypassing  to  the 
Northward  of  the  Amakarima  islands  and  sighting  Agenhu  island,  from 
whence  steer  a S.  E.  course  for  the  harbor,  passing  on  either  side  of  Reef 
Islands,  being  careful,  however,  not  to  approach  them  too  near  on  the  West- 
ern and  Southern  sides,  as  the  reefs  below  water  in  these  directions,  are 
said  to  be  more  extensive  than  is  shown  by  the  charts. 

After  clearing  Reef  Islands,  bring  Wood  Hill  to  bear  S.  S.  E.,  when 
standing  down  for  it,  until  getting  npon  the  line  of  bearing  for  South  chan- 
nel. This  will  carry  you  well  clear  of  Blossom  Reef,  yet  not  so  far  off  but 


GOO 


APPENDIX. 


that  the  White  Tomb  and  clump  of  trees  or  bushes  to  the  Southward  of 
Tumai  Head  (see  view  No.  3 on  chart,)  can  be  easily  distinguished.  An 
E.  N.  E.  1-4  E.,  or  E.  N.  E.  course  will  now  take  you  in  clear  of  all 
dangers,  and  give  a good  anchorage  on  or  near  the  Seven-fathom  bank,  about 
half  a mile  to  the  Northward  and  Westward  of  False  Capstan  Head.  This 
channel  being  perfectly  straight,  is  more  desirable  for  a stranger  entering 
the  harbor,  than  Oar  channel,  which,  though  wider,  has  the  disadvantage 
of  its  being  necessary  for  a vessel  to  alter  her  course  some  four  or  five  points, 
just  when  she  is  in  the  midst  of  reefs  which  are  nearly  all  below  the  surface 
of  the  water. 

TO  ENTER  BY  OAR  CHANNEL. 

Bring  the  centre  of  the  island  in  Junk  harbor  (known  by  the  deep  ver- 
dure of  its  vegetation,)  to  fill  the  gap  between  the  forts  at  the  entrance  of 
Junk  harbor,  (see  view  No  2 on  chart,)  and  steer  a S.  E.  1-2  E.  course,  until 
Capstan  Head  bears  East,  when  haul  up  to  E.  N.  E.  and  anchor  as  before 
directed. 

THE  NORTH  CHANNEL 

Is  very  much  contracted  by  a range  of  detached  rocks  making  out  from 
the  reef  on  the  West  side,  and  should  not  under  ordinary  circumstances  be 
attempted  by  a stranger ; as  at  high  water  the  reefs  are  almost  entirely 
covered,  and  it  is  difiicult  to  judge  of  your  exact  position,  unless  familiar 
with  the  various  localities  and  landmarks.  To  enter  by  this  (North)  chan- 
nel, bring  a remarkable  notch  in  the  Southern  range  of  hills,  in  line  with  a 
small  hillock  just  to  the  Eastward  of  False  Capstan  Head  (see  view  No.  1 on 
chart,)  and  stand  in  on  this  range  S.  by  E.  1-2  E.  until  Tumai  Head  bears 
E.  1-2  N.,  when  open  a little  to  the  Southward,  so  as  to  give  the  reef  to  the 
Eastward  a berth,  and  select  your  anchorage. 

There  is  a black  spar-buoy  anchored  on  Blossom  reef  half  way  between 
its  Eastern  and  Western,  extremities,  a red  spar-buoy  on  the  point  of  reef 
to  the  W.  N.  W.  of  Abbey  point,  and  a white  spar-buoy  on  the  Southeast 
extremity  of  Oar  reef.  Flags  of  corresponding  colors  are  attached  to  all 
these  buoys,  and  they  afford  good  guides  for  the  South  and  Oar  channels. 
There  are  two  large  stakes  on  the  reefs  to  the  Eastward  and  Westward  of 
North  channel,  planted  there  by  the  natives,  this  being  the  channel  mostly 
used  by  junks  trading  to  the  northward. 

An  abundance  of  water  can  always  be  obtained  at  the  fountains  in  Junk 
river,  where  there  is  excellent  landing  for  boats.  There  is  a good  spring 
near  the  tombs  in  Tumai  blufi",  but  unless  the  water  is  perfectly  smooth  the 
landing  is  impracticable,  and  under  any  circumstances  it  is  inconvenient 
from  the  want  of  sufficient  depth,  except  at  high  tide. 

It  is  directed  by  the  Commander-in-chief  that  the  vessels  of  the  squadron 
under  his  command,  shall  heave  to,  on  approaching  Napha,  and  make  signal 


APPENDIX. 


601 


for  a pilot,  wheii  an  officer  familiar  with  the  localities  and  landmarks  will 
be  sent  off  from  the  vessel  in  port  to  pilot  her  in,  or  point  out  to  her  com- 
mander the  position  of  the  dangers  to  be  avoided. 

Should  there,  however,  be  no  vessel  in  port,  then  boats  are  to  be  sent 
ahead,  and  anchored  upon  the  extremities  of  the  reefs  between  which  the 
vessel  intends  to  pass. 

By  order  of  Commodore  M.  C.  Perry. 

SILAS  BENT, 

Lieut.  U.  S.  Navy. 

Macao.,  Oct.  Is#,  1853. 

Note. — The  spar-buoys  above  described,  were  securely  moored  at  the 
time  they  were  placed  in  their  respective  positions,  by  order  of  Commodore 
Perry,  but  may  be  displaced,  or  entirely  removed,  by  the  heave  of  the  sea, 
or  by  the  natives,  and  should  therefore  not  be  entirely  relied  upon. 

S.  BENT. 

U.  S.  Steam-Frigate  Powhatan,  Harbor  of  Hakodadi, 

Island  of  Yesso,  Japan,  May  21th,  1854. 


The  Kuro-Siwo,  or  Japan  Stream, 

Is  an  immense  oceanic  current  on  the  east  coast  of  Asia,  which  will  be 
found  on  the  adjoining  chart  as  delineated  from  the  observations  made  by 
the  Expedition,  and  bears  a striking  analogy,  in  every  essential  point,  to  the 
Gulf  Stream  of  the  Atlantic. 

The  results  of  these  observations  show  quite  conclusively  that  the  stream 
has  its  origin  in  the  great  equatorial  current  of  the  Pacific,  from  which  it  is 
separated  by  the  south  end  of  Formosa,  about  the  latitude  of  22°  N.,  long. 
122°  E.,  whence  it  is  defiected  to  the  northward  along  the  east  coast  of  For- 
mosa, until  reaching  the  parallel  of  60°  North,  when  it  bears  off  to  the  north- 
ward and  eastward,  washing  the  whole  south-east  coast  of  Japan  as  far  as 
the  Straits  of  Sangar. 

Near  its  origin  the  stream  is  contracted,  and  is  usually  confined  between 
the  islands  of  Formosa  and  Majico-Sima,  with  a width  of  one  hundred  miles, 
but  to  the  northward  of  the  latter  it  rapidly  expands  on  its  southern  limit, 
and  reaches  the  Lew  Chew  and  Bonin  groups,  attaining  a width  to  the 
northward  of  the  latter  of  five  hundred  miles. 

The  north-western  edge  of  the  stream  is  strongly  marked  by  a sudden 
thermal  change  in  the  water,  of  from  10°  to  20°,  but  the  southern  and  eastern 
limit  is  less  distinctly  defined,  there  being  a gradual  thermal  approximation 
of  the  air  and  water. 

Along  the  borders  of  the  stream  where  it  chafes  against  the  counter 
currents  and  torpid  waters  of  the  ocean;  as  also  in  its  midst,  where  whirls 
and  eddies  are  produced  by  islands  and  the  inequalities  in  its  bed,  strong 


602 


APPENDIX. 


tide  rips  are  encountered,  often  resembling  heavy  breakers  on  reefs  or  shoals. 
Its  average  velocity,  between  the  south  end  of  Formosa  and  the  Straits  of 
Sangar,  was  found  to  be  from  35  to  40  miles  per  twenty-four  hours.  Yet, 
upon  one  occasion,  off  the  Gulf  of  Yedo,  its  maximum  strength  is  recorded 
as  high  as  80  miles  per  day. 

To  the  northward  of  the  parallel  of  40°  N.  in  long  143°  E.  there  is  a cold 
counter  current  intervening  between  it  and  the  south  coast  of  Yesso,  as 
shown  by  a sudden  thermal  change  in  the  water,  of  from  16°  to  20°,  which, 
it  is  believed,  sets  to  the  westward,  through  the  Straits  of  Sangar,  hut  the 
limited  stay  of  the  squadron  in  that  vicinity,  and  the  harassing  prevalence 
of  fogs,  prevented  such  observations  being  made  as  to  satisfactorily  deter- 
mine whether  or  not  there  was  a predominant  current  flowing  in  either 
direction,  or  whether  it  was  merely  the  ebb  and  flow  of  the  tides  through 
the  Straits.  To  the  westward,  however,  of  a line  connecting  the  north  end 
of  Formosa  and  the  south-western  extremity  of  Japan,  a cold  counter  cur- 
rent was  again  found,  which  sets  to  the  southward  through  the  Formosa 
channel  into  the  China  sea,  and  it  does  not,  therefore,  seem  unreasonable  to 
believe  that  a hyperborean  current  will  he  found  in  the  Japan  sea,  setting 
to  the  southward  between  the  Japanese  islands  and  the  main  coast  of  Asia, 
fed  by  that  on  the  south  eoast  of  Yesso,  and  supplying  that  one  setting 
through  the  Formosa  channel. 

The  Japanese  are  well  aware  of  the  existence  of  the  Great  Stream  which 
washes  the  South-Eastern  shore  of  their  Empire,  and  have  given  it  the  name 
of  Kuro-Siwo,  or  Black  Stream,  from  its  deep  blue  color  when  compared 
with  the  neighboring  waters  of  the  ocean. 

It  was  also  noticed  by  Captains  Cook,  Kruzenstern  and  other  explorers, 
but  no  systematic  series  of  observations,  it  is  believed,  has  ever  before  been 
made  upon  it. 

The  average  maximum  temperature  of  the  Kuro-Siwo  is  86°  and  the 
difference  between  its  temperatui-e  and  that  of  the  ocean  due  to  the  Latitude 
is  about  12°.  There  is  no  counter  current  intervening  between  the  Kuro- 
Siwo  and  the  coast  of  Japan,  to  the  southward  of  the  Straits  of  Sangar,  and 
nothing  was  found  to  manifest  the  existence  of  such  a current  as  under- 
running  that  stream,  and  although  the  observations  indicate  strata  of  cool 
water,  lying  in  the  Longitudinal  direction  of  the  Kuro-Siwo,  yet  their  temper- 
ature varied  hut  a few  degrees  from  the  main  body  of  the  stream,  and  was 
almost  invariably  superior  to  that  of  the  atmosphere  above  them.  The 
insular  position  of  J apan,  and  the  separation  of  the  cold  counter  current 
from  the  Kuro-Siwo,  allowing  the  latter  to  hug  close  along  the  south-eastern 
shores  of  the  islands,  have  a modifying  influence  upon  the  climate  of  the 
Empire,  making  it  milder  and  more  equable  than  in  corresponding  latitudes 
on  the  east  coast  of  the  United  States.  There  is  a floating  sea-weed  found 


APPENDIX. 


603 


in  the  Kuro-Siwo,  similar  in  appearance  to  the  Fucus  natans  of  the  Gulf 
stream. 

In  the  passage  of  the  Mississippi  from  Simoda  to  the  Sandwich  Islands 
the  thermometer  showed  a cold  aqueous  space  between  the  meridians  of 
155°  E.  and  170°  W.  and  the  Parallels  of  30°  and  35°  N.  which  hears  a 
general  correspondence  in  the  Pacific  to  the  position  of  the  Sargassa  Sea  in 
the  Atlantic. 


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I ID  E X 


A 

Abbey  point,  Lew  Chew,  176,  223. 

Abbot  (Capt.),  misled  by  Von  Siebold’s  charts,  379. 
inquiries  at  Formosa,  677. 
report  of  squalls  near  Formosa,  576. 

Adams,  William,  pilot  of  the  Dutch  fleet,  his  ac- 
count of  his  visit  to  Japan,  35, 
his  letters  sent  to  England,  43. 

Adams  (Capt.),  conferences  with  Japanese  officials, 

413,  414. 

conversation  with  Japanese  officials  respecting 
the  death  of  the  emperor,  885. 
delivers  American  presents  to  the  Japanese, 

414. 

conversation  with  Tezaiman,  897. 
discussion  respecting  Uraga,  387. 
interview  with  Japanese  officials  at  TTraga,  396. 
Adams  (Commander),  interview  with  the  governor 
of  TTraga,  273,  277. 

interview  with  the  mayor  of  Napha,  827. 
bearer  of  treaty  to  XJnited  States,  458. 
arrives  home,  586. 

returns  with  ratifled  treaty  to  Simoda,  587. 
his  numerous  visits  at  Simoda,  590. 

Admiral,  title  of,  used  for  that  of  Commodore  in 
treating  with  the  Japanese,  284. 

Agriculture  of  the  Japanese,  their  grains, — tea,  66. 
Advanced  state  of  Lew  Chew,  256. 

Agriculturist,  his  share  in  the  products  of  the  land, 
252. 

Ainos,  Yesso,  524. 

Alexander  the  Great,  fleet  of,  visits  Ceylon,  140. 
Althea,  Lew  Chew,  194. 

Amahs,  Chinese  nurses;  841. 

Amakirima  islands  near  Lew  Chew,  321. 

Amaral,  Portuguese  governor  of  Macao,  plot  against, 
349. 

America,  Japanese  knowledge  of,  531. 

^America,  commercial  houses  of,  high  character  of 
among  the  Chinese,  160. 


American  merchants  at  Shanghai  claim  protection, 
171. 

anchorage,  bay  of  TTraga,  308. 
anchorage,  bay  of  Tedo,  380. 
merchants  at  Hong  Kong  make  application  ot, 
to  Com.  Perry,  336. 
sailor  captive  in  Japan,  396. 
ships,  intercourse  of,  with  Japan,  407,  409. 
limits  in  Japan,  419. 
ships  in  Japan,  supplies  for,  422. 
intercourse  with  the  Japanese,  547. 
intercourse  with  Japan,  treaty  regulations  re- 
specting, 549. 

Americans  shipwrecked. at  Formosa,  573. 
Anatomical  drawing,  Japanese,  529. 

Antidote  for  poison  in  use  in  the  Indian  seas,  143. 
Arch,  peculiar,  at  Nagaguska,  Lew  Chew,  195. 
Architecture,  Japanese,  509. 

Areca  tree,  Bonin  islands,  227. 

Argonaut,  visit  of  the  ship  to,  Japan,  49. 

Arms  of  Iz.awa,  emblazoned,  40L 
Arrack  tree,  Bonin  islands,  227. 

Art,  Japanese,  527. 

Arts  of  design  in  Japan,  64. 

Arzobispo,  a name  given  to  the  Bonin  islands,  230. 
Astronomical  knowledge  of  the  Japanese,  73. 

Awa,  province  of  Japan,  266. 
capes  of,  494. 

Ayahs,  Chinese  nurses,  341. 

B 

Baby,  Japanese,  461. 

Bache,  Prof.,  charts  of  the  coast  survey,  496. 
Baggass,  or  crushed  sugar  cane,  864, 

Bailey  islands,  226. 

I Ballastier,  Mr.,  visit  to  Siam,  146. 

Bamboo  range  of  mountains,  Mauritius,  182. 
Bamboo,  Lew  Chew,  363. 

1 fences,  Lew  Chew,  203. 


GOG 


INDEX. 


Banner  rock,  Lew  Chew,  193. 

Banyan,  Lew  Chew,  363. 

Barometrical  observations  in  the  Indian  ocean,  126. 
Barrels,  Hokodadi,  525. 

Barrow's  bay.  Lew  Chew,  197,  198,  200,  204. 
Bastions,  substitutes  for,  in  the  Fort  of  Nagaguska, 
Lew  Chew,  195. 

'^Baths,  public,  Simoda,  469. 

Battas,  a tribe  of  the  Malays,  their  dainty  cannibal- 
ism, 156. 

Batteries,  Japanese,  bay  of  Yedo,  400. 

Beacon  fires,  Japanese,  bay  of  Uraga,  271. 

Beard,  a full,  black,  a distinctive  mark  of  the  Ja- 
panese and  Lew  Chewans,  365. 

Beech  tree.  Peel  island,  240. 

Beechey  (Capt.),  names  the  Bonin  islands,  226. 
his  nomenclature  of  the  islands  disowned,  230. 
position  in  his  chart  of  Cape  Lloyd  erroneous, 
232. 

account  of  the  Lew  Chewans,  253. 

Beggars,  commutation  with,  at  Canton,  342. 
Begging,  mode  of.  Canton,  342. 

Belcher  (Capt.),  account  of  the  Lew  Chewans,  253. 
Bell,  a large,  presented  to  Com.  Perry  by  the  regent 
of  Lew  Chew,  571. 

Bellows  in  blacksmith’s  shop  at  Napha,  25L 
Japanese,  526. 

Bent  (Lt.),  his  MS.  journal,  iv. 

pilots  the  expedition  in  Napha  harbor,  173. 
survey  of  the  bay  of  Uraga,  274. 
conversation  with  Japanese  respecting  America, 
581. 

rebukes  servility  of  Sam  Patch,  657. 
commissioner  of  treaty  -with  Lew  Chew,  569. 
Bettelheim  (Dr.),  a missionary  at  Lew  Chew,  visits 
Com.  Perry,  176,  177. 

remark  on  the  old  regent  of  Lew  Chew,  247. 
believes  Lew  Chew  a part  of  Japan,  254. 
remarks  on  education  in  Lew  Chew,  256. 
history  of,  and  his  operations  in  Lew  Chew,  258. 
a layman,  258. 
removal  of,  871. 
leaves  Lew  Chew,  572. 

Lew  Chew  official  declaration,  concerning,  572. 
Biny,  Japanese  rouge,  460. 

Birds,  scarcity  of.  Lew  Chew,  199. 

Bonin  islands,  233. 

Bishops  bay,  Macao,  165. 

Bettinger  (Eev.),  visits  Kanagawa,  Japan,  419. 
his  exchange  of  American  for  Japanese  coin, 
419. 

his  kind  treatment  by  the  Japanese,  420. 
coins  obtained  by,  returned,  426. 

Blacksmiths,  Japanese,  526. 

Blacksmith’s  shop,  Napha,  251. 

Blunt  Cape,  near  Hakodadi,  498. 

Boar,  wild.  Lew  Chew,  207. 

Peel  island,  236. 

Board,  supposed  murder  of,  at  Napha,  566. 

Boas  of  Ceylon,  148. 

Boatmen,  Canton,  348. 

Boats,  Japanese,  520. 

Bocca  Tigris,  Canton  river,  161. 


Buonaparte,  Napoleon,  remarks  on  war  to  Bnril 
Hall,  869. 

Bonham,  Sir  George,  conference  with  Com.  Perry, 
respecting  the  Bonin  islands,  352. 

Bonin  islands,  226,  243. 

discovery  of  the,  by  the  Japanese,  227. 
advantages  of  establishing  a naval  station  at  the, 
242. 

described,  231. 
sovereignty  of  the,  229. 

, Capt.  Kelly’s  visit  to  the,  331. 

\ English  claim  to  the,  352. 

Books  in  Japan,  74. 
in  Lew  Chew,  257. 

Japanese,  531. 

Borodino  islands,  245. 

Bosquett  (M.),  a writer  on  hurricanes,  137. 
Boundaries,  American,  Simoda,  550. — Hakodadi, 
551. 

Boundary  of  American  intercourse  in  Japan,  546. 
Bourbonlon  (M.  De),  French  minister  at  Canton, 
85L 

Boyle  (Lt.),  assists  the  Macedonian,  aground  in  the 
bay  of  Yedo,  379. 

places  a buoy  on  a rock,  bay  of  Yedo,  466. 
visits  Obason  island,  537. 
report  of  a marine  volcano,  near  Formosa,  576. 
treatment  of  the  Sillibaboos,  578. 

Brabant  mountains,  Mauritius,  132. 

Broom  com.  Lew  Chew.  196. 

Broughton  rocks,  bay  of  Yedo,  378. 

Brown  (Mr.),  daguerreotypist,  178. 

Buchanan  (Commander),  conducts  regent  of  Lew 
Chew  over  the  Susquehanna,  247. 
interview  with  the  governor  of  Uraga,  273,  281. 
leads  the  escort  of  Com.  Perry,  293. 
first  American  who  landed  in  Japan,  294, 
conversation  with  the  governor  of  Uraga,  806. 
Buddha,  statues  ofj  in  the  graveyard  of  Simoda,  471. 
Buddhism,  extent  of  Its  infiuence,  26. 
in  Ceylon,  145. 

Buddhist  priest  at  a funeral,  Japan,  412. 
temples,  Simoda,  470,  473. 
offerings,  474. 
gardens,  476. 
religious  services,  544 
temples,  Hakodadi,  512. 
occasionally  used  as  places  of  concourse,  513. 
Building  erected  to  receive  the  letter  of  the  Presi- 
dent, Japan,  295. 

Burial  customs.  Lew  Chew,  870. 

of  a sailor  at  Kakizaki,  491. 

Butting  a part  of  Japanese  wrestling,  483. 

Buttons,  Japanese  taste  for  American,  417. 

C 

Caiinets  d'Aisance,  public,  Japan,  523. 

Caflre  war,  consequences  of  the,  123, 126. 

Caflres,  description  of  125. 

Camoens,  history  of,  165. 
cave  of  165. 


INDEX 


607 


Camp  Perry,  Lew  Chew,  192. 

Camphor  tree  in  Japan,  7T. 

-Cannibalism,  daintiness  in,  155, 

Canton,  yisit  to,  159. 
annual  trade  of,  162. 
charitable  asylums  ofi  343. 
river,  159. 

Cape  Colony,  population  of,  124. 

Cape  de  Verde  Islands,  the  Harmattan  observed  at, 

111. 

Cape  of  Good  Hope,  route  to,  from  England,  121. 
Cape  Town,  visit  to,  121. 

Cards,  Japanese  game  of,  533. 

Cassa,  sent  to  Japan  by  Sir  Stamford  Baffles,  55. 
Castles  of  Lew  Chew,  211. 

Cats  and  hogs,  wild,  hunted  in  the  Bonin  islands, 
233. 

Catherine,  Empress  of  Eussia,  directs  shipwrecked 
Japanese  to  he  sent  home,  5T. 

Cattle  at  Simoda,  491. 

Cecille  (Admiral),  explores  Lew  Chew,  263. 

Cedars,  Japanese,  large  size  of,  77. 

Centipede  boats,  182. 

Centre  islands,  Simoda  harbor,  480. 

Ceylon,  visit  to,  138. 

Chairs,  Lew  Chew,  217. 

Chama  gigas,  Bonin  islands,  232. 

Chang-Tuen,  the  Lew  Chew  guide,  195. 

Chapin  (Aldin  B.),  visits  the  Bonin  islands,  200, 250. 

an  early  settler  of  the  Bonin  islands,  354 
Charcoal,  Japanese  custom  respecting,  369. 
Charitable  institutions.  Canton,  343. 

Charms  on  gravestones,  Toku-hama,  472. 

'Charts  of  Japanese  waters  in  use,  incorrect,  878. 
Chess,  Japanese  game  of,  533. 

Chimneys,  absence  of,  Simoda,  467. 

Chin-chin  to  Com.  Perry,  177. 

China  laws  regulating  etiquette  on  the  death  of  an 
emperor,  374. 

benefit  of  American  trade  to,  410. 

American  treaty  with,  445,  446. 
sea,  navigation  of  the,  156. 

China  street.  Canton,  161. 

China,  imitation  of,  in  Lew  Chew,  256. 

Chinese,  their  claims  to  have  colonized  Japan,  10. 
language  not  understood  by  the  Japanese,  11. 
commerce  with  Singapore,  150. 
traders,  activity  of,  at  Hong  Kong,  158. 
coolies  inefficient,  198. 
coolie,  treatment  of  a sick,  205. 
lack  of  sympathy  for  a dying  comrade,  224. 
emigrants,  Com.  Perry’s  remark  on  the  trans- 
portation of,  to  California,  243. 
claim  sovereignty  over  Loo  Choo,  254. 
account  of  the  origin  of  the  Lew  Chewans,  255. 
treated  as  strangers  in  Lew  Chew,  255. 
emigrants  to  Low  Chew,  256. 
books  in  Lew  Chew,  257. 
revolution,  inquiry  < f a Japanese  respecting, 
803. 

abstemiousness  of  the,  389. 
servants,  comprador,  340. 


feet,  women  averse  to  showing,  841. 
higher  classes,  344 
preponderance  in  Macao,  347. 
treaty  with  the  United  States,  a copy  of  fur- 
nished to  the  Japanese  commissioners,  408. 
imperial  troops,  conduct  to  American  citizens, 
581. 


imperial  troops,  assaults  on  American  mer- 
chants, Shanghai — English  and  American  at- 
tack upon,  584. 

Chow-Hwang,  his  account  of  the  origin  of  the  Lew 
Chewans,  254. 

Christianity,  its  early  introduction  into  Japan 
doubtful,  27. 

early  introduction  into  Ceylon,  145. 
the  common  people  of  Lew  Chew  favorably  dis- 
posed towards,  258. 
introduction  of  into  Japan,  516. 
in  Japan,  544 

Chun-ching,  castle  ol^  Lew  Chew,  211. 

Cleanliness  of  Lew  Chew,  221. 

Cleopatra  islands.  Lew  Chew,  377. 

Clergyman,  treatment  of  a,  in  Japan,  516. 

Clifford  (Lt.),  forms  the  Lew  Chew  Naval  Mission, 
258. 


\ 


Climate  of  St.  Helena,  115. 
of  Simoda,  478. 

Clipped  camellia,  Lew  Chew,  201. 

Clock,  Japanese,  69. 

Contee  (Lt.),  179. 

Coals,  abundant  in  Japan,  76. 

supplies  of,  a prominent  object  of  the  Japanese 
expedition,  96,  98. 
opportune  supply  of,  188. 
depot  at  Singapore,  153. 
at  Lew  Chew,  330. 
at  Bonin  islands,  852. 

the  United  States  desirous  to  procure,  from  Ja- 
pan, 298. 

building  for  storing,  Lew  Chew,  830. 
at  Shah  bay,  Lew  Chew,  361. 

Japan,  397,  407. 
at  Simoda,  552. 
analysis  of  558. 
supply  of,  from  Formosa,  575. 

Cockes,  Richard,  first  director  of  the  English  &c- 
tory  in  Japan,  46. 

Cocoa  nut  in  Ceylon,  141. 

Coffin  (Capt.),  visits  the  Bonin  islands,  229. 

Coffin  islands,  229,  283. 

Color  printing,  Japan,  528. 

Columbus  examines  Marco  Polo's  writings,  5. 
Columbus,  visit  of  the,  to  Japan,  267. 

Commercial  treaty,  the  Japanese  decline  making  a, 
447. 


Compradors  of  European  households  in  China,  840. 
Compton,  the  Sir  IL,  of  the  Chinese  imperial  fleet, 
attack  on  an  American  pilot  boat,  581. 
forced  to  make  reparation,  582. 

Conference  at  Hakodadi,  503. 

Confacian  temples,  schools  at,  256. 

writings,  text  books  at  Lew  Chew,  257. 


608 


INDEX, 


Confucian  -writings,  remark  of  the  Bishop  of  Tictoria 
on,  258. 

Congress  -waters  at  Shanghai,  168. 

Constantia  vineyards,  -visits  to,  124. 

Consul,  American,  in  Japan,  435,  447. 
date  of  appointment,  448. 

Consular  fees  of  the  United  States  often  insufficient 
for  support,  189. 

^ Consuls,  American,  in  Japan,  4.39. 

Contee  (Lt.),  his  MS.  journal,  iv. 

conference  with  the  deputy  governor  of  Uraga, 
273. 

conversation  with  the  governor  of  Uraga,  306. 
Coolies  at  the  Mauritius,  133. 

of  Lew  Chew  commended,  190,  198,  202. 
Coopers,  Hakodadi,  525. 

Copper  abundant  in  Japan — mode  of  casting,  76. 
Coral  in  Napha  harbor.  Lew  Chew,  178. 
reef,  China  sea,  156. 
reefs,  497. 

rock.  Lew  Chew,  361. 

Corpse,  Japanese  official  inspection  of  a,  491. 
Costume  of  the  sexes  similar  in  Lew  Chew,  182. 
Cotton  weaving,  Japan,  527. 

whipping,  Hong  Kong,  580. 

Courses  of  a Japanese  entertainment,  218. 
Courteous  deportment  of  Japanese  officials,  282. 
Crows,  precautions  against,  Simoda,  467. 
Crucifixion,  Japanese  punishment  o^  558. 

Crumeno,  a tree,  Bonin  islands,  240. 

Crustacea,  Bonin  islands,  232. 

Cultivator,  an  American,  at  the  cape  of  Good  Hope, 
124. 

Cumberland  coal,  analysis  of,  553. 

Cum-sing-moon,  China,  578. 

near  Hong  Kong,  rendezvous  of  the  squadron 
at,  387. 

Cunq-qua,  or  Khan,  Lew  Chew,  189,  197,  201. 
Cunning  of  mandarin  of  Kelung,  575. 
of  the  inhabitants,  575. 

Currency,  the  Lew  Chewans  do  not  possess  a,  260. 
Current  at  sea  observed,  102. 

at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  127. 
between  Lew  Chew  and  Japan,  263. 
south  east  of  Formosa,  858. 
near  Hakodadi,  498. 

Currents,  113, 

near  Japan,  317. 

Custom  dues,  Uraga,  279. 

Cutlery,  Japanese,  inferior,  526. 

Cyclone,  near  Mauritius,  136. 

D 

Daguerreotypists  of  the  expedition,  223. 
Dai-ho-saki,  or  “WTiite  Cape,  497. 

Dairi,  or  ecclesiastical  emperor  of  Japan,  815. 

Dans  Kevitch,  a Japanese,  558. 

Dead,  respect  for  the,  in  Lew  Chew,  259. 

Death  of  a Chinese  opium  eater,  224 
Decorations  of  the  Treaty  House,  Japan,  401. 


Defences,  military  at  Uraga,  277. 

Demons,  boxes  for  feeding  hungry,  Simoda,  407. 
Dezima,  factory  at,  4. 

the  residence  of  the  Dutch  in  Japan,  8. 
described,  41. 

Diamond,  cape,  Simoda  harbor,  480. 

Diana,  the  Eussian  frigate  at  Simoda,  45-3. 

Diaz,  discovery  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  122. 
Diet,  Simoda,  464 

Dinner  to  the  regent  of  Lew  Chew,  on  board  the 
Susquehanna,  247. 

Dinners,  Japanese,  unsubstantial,  443. 
Disappointment  island,  position  oi;  244. 

Discipline  of  the  expedition  in  Japan,  482. 
Disembowelment,  practice  o^  among  the  Japanese, 
20. 

Dishes  served  up  in  Lew  Chew,  218. 

Divine  service  at  sea,  224 
Docks,  Simoda,  467. 

Doeff,  a writer  on  Japan,  4,  8. 

his  intrigues  against  the  English  in  Japan,  60. 
his  treatment  of  the  expeditions  of  Baffles,  54, 
56. 

Dogs,  Peel  island,  poor  hunters,  237. 
presented  by  the  Japanese,  429. 

Japanese,  429. 
introduced  in  England,  429. 

Dogwood,  tree  resembling  the.  Peel  island,  241. 

“ Dollar  boats,”  Whampoa,  159. 

Domestic  animals  running  -wild,  Bonin  islands,  233, 
241. 

Domestic  life.  Lew  Chew,  196. 

Dosia,  a preparation  imparting  flexibility  to  a corpse, 
also  administered  to  the  living,  71. 

Doty  (Mr.),  his  letters  respecting  the  treatment  of 
Americans  at  Simoda,  454 
Drainage,  Japanese,  524 
Drawings,  Japanese,  529. 

Dress  of  dignitaries  at  Lew  Chew,  248. 
of  the  Japanese,  460. 

Duer  (Lt),  observation  of  a meteor,  bay  of  Uraga, 
271. 

Duggan  (Prof),  remarks  on  Japanese  art,  583. 
Dutch,  intercourse  of  the,  -with  Japan,  39,  445. 
extent  of  their  knowledge  of  Japan,  S. 
expedition  to  Japan,  W.  Adams’  account  of^  38. 
deny  the  authority  of  papal  grants,  34 
and  English  carry  on  joint  buccaneering  enter- 
prises, 34 

aid  the  Japanese  in  making  war  on  the  native 
Christians,  38. 
removed  to  Dezima,  44 
concessions  to  Japanese  opinions,  44 
do  not  trample  on  the  cross,  42. 
officials  formerly  -visited  the  Emperor  of  Japan. 
42. 

intercourse  out  of  their  factory  -with  the  Japa- 
nese, 42. 

induce  Japanese  to  refuse  intercourse  -with  the 
English,  49. 

their  foothold  in  India  destroyed  by  Clive  and 
Hastings,  50. 


INDEX 


609 


Dutch,  answer  to  their  claim  to  have  assisted  the  Ja- 
panese expedition,  80,  85. 
in  1844  recommend  Japan  to  abolish  her  ex- 
clusive system,  81. 
proposed  treaty,  82. 
possession  of  St.  Helena,  114. 
possession  of  Mauritius,  132. 
possessions  in  Ceylon,  140. 
treaty  with  Japan,  452. 
nostrum  for  sale  in  Japan,  468. 

Duyong,  alleged  mermaid  qf  Singapore,  155. 

Dwarf  trees  of  the  Japanese,  66. 

B 

Earthquake,  Japan,  587. 

East  India  Company  construct  roads  in  St.  Helena, 
115. 

Education  in  Japan,  73. 

of  the  Lew  Chewans,  Dr.  Bettelheim's  evidence 
respecting,  256. 

Ehrenberg,  his  examination  of  the  Harmattan,  112. 
Eldridge  (J.  C.),  purser,  report  on  Japanese  curren- 
cies, 548. 

Elephants  of  Ceylon,  hunting,  143. 

“Elevated  inclosure  of  fragrant  festivities,”  Shui, 
Lew  Chew,  217. 

Emperor  of  Japan,  death  of,  373. 

reception  of  his  reply  to  the  letter  of  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  407. 
his  official  signature,  590. 

Endermo  harbor,  survey  of,  beauty  of  its  shores, 
537. 

Engines,  disconnecting,  128. 

English,  intercourse  of  the,  with  Japan,  4,  44 

deny  the  authority  of  papal  grants  of  newly 
discovered  countries,  34. 
trade  with  .Japan  at  first  unprofitable,  46. 
closed  voluntarily  in  1623,  43. 
attempts  to  reopen  trade,  47. 
refused  intercourse  with  the  Japanese,  49. 
colonial  policy  hinders  their  progress  in  Japan, 
50. 

in  1808  send  a man-of-war  to  Japan  in  pursuit 
of  Dutch  ships,  50. 
treaty  with  J.apan,  80,  452. 
possession  of  Mauritius,  132. 
possessions  in  Ceylon,  138. 
temporary  possession  of  the  Bonin  Islands,  230. 
Japanese  restrictions  upon  the,  448. 
ship  encountered  by  the  expedition,  563. 
Epitaphs,  Simoda,  472. 

Escort  of  Com.  Perry  at  Uraga,  cjiosen  by  lot,  292. 
Espionage,  official,  in  Japan,  16. 
effects  of,  19. 
anecdotes  of,  20. 

Ethiopian  minstrels,  Japanese  interest  in  their  per- 
formances, 538. 

Ethnological  resemblances  between  Lew  Chew  and 
Japan,  256. 

4 European  periodicals  read  and  translated  in  Japan, 
531. 


Everett  (Edward),  his  reply  to  Com.  Perry,  108. 
Exchange,  rate  of,  established  with  the  Japanese, 
491. 

Exclusive  policy  of  the  Japanese,  its  origin,  23. 
Executioners  in  Japan,  how  selected,  18. 

E 

Factories  at  Canton,  160. 

Fahs  (Dr.),  exploration  of  Peel  island,  234 
survey  of  Peel  island,  239. 
report  on  the  ethnology  of  Lew  Chew,  366. 
Fans,  Japanese,  312. 

Farm  houses,  near  Simoda,  477. 

Fatsicio  island,  Japan,  316. 

Fatcisko  (Tokushumo),  Japanese  interpreter,  281. 
Fees  at  “ show  places,”  136. 

Feki,  a prince,  story  of,  25. 

Female  servants  in  China,  341. 

Ferns,  Lew  Chew,  36.3. 

Fertility  of  Peel  island,  232,  236. 

Fi-ija,  a stream  in  Lew  Chew,  208. 

Filial  reverence,  the  chief  virtues  in  Lew  Chew  and 
China,  258. 

Fillmore  (Millard),  Ls  Japanese  diplomacy,  94 
• letter  of,  to  the  emperor  of  Japan,  296. 

letter  of  credence  of  Com.  Perry  from  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  301. 

Fine  Arts,  Lew  Chew,  368. 

Fingoos,  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  described,  125. 
Fir  trees  forced  to  an  enormous  size,  67. 

Firando,  first  factory  of  the  Dutch  at,  38. 

Firatatsi,  cape,  494. 

Fire  arms,  astonishment  of  the  Lew  Chewans  at  the 
American,  207. 

Fischer,  a writer  on  Japan,  4,  7. 

account  of  the  ingenuity  of  a Japanese  fisher- 
man, 69. 

Fish  in  Napha  harbor.  Lew  Chew,  178. 

Japanese  mode  of  presenting,  429. 
in  Japanese  waters,  522. 
a favorite  gift,  523. 

Fishermen,  Lew  Chew,  251. 

Fishing  boats,  near  Macao,  157. 

at  Port  Lloyd,  Bonin  islands,  232. 

Flora  of  Peel  island,  240. 

Flowers,  Lew  Chew,  200. 

in  graveyard,  Simoda,  472. 

Fogo,  indistinct  view  of.  111. 

Fogs  off  the  Chinese  coast,  166. 

common  on  the  Japanese  coast,  264,  288. 

Foot  balls.  Lew  Chew,  369. 

Foote,  C.  E.,  the  American  schooner  at  Simoda,  453. 
Forcade  (Father),  remark  of  Sieboid  on,  91. 
Foreigners,  Japanese  jealousy  of,  451. 

Forks,  bamboo  sticks  used  as.  Lew  Chew,  218. 
Formosa  coal,  analysis  of,  553. 

expedition  to,  565. 

Fortifications,  Japanese,  463. 

Fortress  of  Nagaguska,  Lew  Chew,  195. 

Forts,  Chinese,  at  the  mouth  of  Canton  river,  161. 
bay  of  Uraga,  272. 


39 


610 


INDEX, 


Fourth  of  July,  1863,  celebration  of,  by  the  expedi- 
tion, 264. 

Fox,  Japanese  ideas  respecting  the,  523. 

Francis  (John  W.),  anecdote  of  Basil  Hall,  869. 
Fraissinet,  his  opinion  on  Pinto’s  visit  to  Japan,  29. 
acquits  the  Dutch  of  persecuting  the  Japanese 
Christians,  39. 

Frederick,  visit  of  the  ship,  to  Japan,  49. 

Free  negroes  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  126. 
at  Mauritius,  138. 

French,  intercourse  of  the,  with  Japan,  4. 

possession  of  the  isle  of  France,  or  Mauritius, 
132. 

inhabitants  of  Mauritius,  134. 

Fryers  (Lt.),  a writer  on  hurricanes,  187. 
Fudsi-Jamma,  a mountain  of  Japan,  9. 

Funchal,  103, 104. 

Funeral,  American  at  Hakodadi,  543. 

of  a marine,  Japan,  411. 

Fusi  the  Great,  a mountain,  Japan,  265,  266. 

Mount,  Japan,  316. 

Fusi-Tama,  bay  of  Tedo,  summit  o^  878. 

6 

Gale  experienced  by  the  expedition  on  entering 
Tedo,  378. 

Garden  seeds  distributed  to  settlers,  Bonin  islands, 
242. 

Geological  features  of  Lew  Chew,  361. 

formation  of  the  Bonin  islands,  232. 

Geology  of  Lew  Chew,  Eev.  Mr.  Jones’  report  on, 
210. 

of  Peel  island,  240. 

Gingerbread,  tough,  Shui,  Lew  Chew,  217. 
Giumaraes,  Gov.  of  the  Portuguese  navy,  Hong 
Kong,  .348. 

Glass,  manufacture  of  by  the  Japanese,  64 
Glasson  (Lt.),  at  Napba,  565. 

Glynn  (Commander),  enforces  release  of  American 
seamen  in  Japan,  61. 
urges  intercourse  with  Japan,  97. 
discovery  of  Oho-sima  in  1846,  876. 

Gneiss,  Lew  Chow,  200. 

Goats,  wild,  numbers  of  on  Stapleton  island,  Bo- 
nins,  241. 

Goble  (Mr.),  his  interest  in  “ Sam  Patch,”  557. 
Goebroken  Eilander,  264. 

Gohei,  an  ornament  of  the  Japanese  temples,  24 
Gokai  or  “five  laws  ” of  Buddhism,  26. 
Goku-zhen-zhi,  a monastery,  Simoda,  476. 

Gold  abundant  in  Japan,  76. 

Golownin  (Capt.),  his  account  of  Japan,  8. 
his  visit  to  Japan,  59. 
says  scurvy  is  prevalent  in  Tcsso,  524 
Gomera  indistinctly  seen,  109. 

Gordon  (Capt.),  of  the  British  navy,  visits  Japan  in 
1818,  56. 

Gori-Hama,  village  of  Japan,  292. 

Government  of  Japan,  18. 

Gozeman,  a book-keeper  of  the  Dutch  factory  car- 
ried off  by  the  English,  50. 


Gozeman  released,  52. 

Grades,  classification  of  the  Lew  Chewans  into  four 
251. 

of  Lew  Chewan  population,  259. 

Granaries,  Lew  Chew,  364 
Grand  Port,  Mauritius,  135. 

sea  fight  at,  129; 

Granite,  Lew  Chew,  20-3. 

Grass  cloth  robes  worn  by  dignitaries  at  Napha,  2^ 
jackets.  Lew  Chew,  209. 

Grasses,  Peel  island,  241. 

Graveyards,  Simoda,  471. 

Hakodadi,  513. 

Green  (Dr.),  account  of  mineral  water,  Hakodadi, 
518. 

Green  turtle,  Bonin  islands,  232. 

Guerin  (N.),  chart  of  Japanese  seas,  562. 

Guest  (Lt.),  his  course  with  Chinese  vessel  of  war, 
the  Sir  H.  Compton,  581. 

Guilds  of  Porters,  Canton,  342. 
of  beggars,  342. 

Gulf  stream,  analogy  with  the  Kuro-Siwo,  496. 
Gutzlaflr,  remark  of  Siebold  on,  91. 

H 

Hacbiman,  a Sintoo  deified  hero,  474 
Sintoo  temples,  Hakodadi,  515. 

Hail  Columbia  at  Shui,  Lew  Chew,  216. 

Hair,  Lew  Chew  mode  of  wearing  the,  256,  259. 
Hair  pin,  Lew  Chew,  259. 

Hakodadi,  opened  to  trade  by  the  United  States,  88, 
426. 

governor  of,  reply  to  Messrs.  Heed  and  Dough- 
erty, 456. 
harbor  of,  499. 
survey  of,  502. 

negotiations  respecting  the  reception  of  the  ex- 
pedition at,  50. 
products  of;  506. 
environs  of,  506. 

stone  quarries,  resemblance  to  Gibraltar,  506. 
streets  quiet  and  cleanly,  507. 
buildings,  roofs,  precaution  against  fire,  fire  en- 
gines, 508. 

walls,  sliding  partitions,  shops,  509. 
fire  engines,  508. 

internal  decorations  of  houses,  furniture,  509. 
stools,  tables,  cooking  apparatus,  tea  and  tea- 
cups, fuel,  510. 

kitchens,  stoves,  outhouses,  gardens,  fire-proof 
warehouses,  511. 

shops,  commodities,  signs,  shopmen,  fixed 
prices,  Buddhist  temples,  512. 
graveyard  epitaphs,  513. 
prayer  wheel,  514. 

Sintoo  temples,  roadside  shrines,  515. 
defences  of,  517. 

environs,  observatory,  telescope,  517. 
geology  of  mineral  spring,  cave,  518. 
vegetables,  trees,  trade,  junks.  519. 
birds,  animals,  a depot  for  whalers,  523. 


INDEX 


611 


HakodadI,  cattle,  horses,  roads,  sedans,  mountains, 
climate,  fogs,  523. 
temperature,  healthy  climate,  524. 
ship  yards,  526. 

Ra-koo-shoo,  peasants,  Lew  Chew,  259. 

Hall  (Capt.  Basil),  occupies  a house  at  Lew  Chew, 
183. 

erroneous  statements  of,  185. 
erroneous  description  of  the  Lew  Chewans,  252. 
remark  on  the  Lew  Chewans  to  Napoleon  Bo- 
naparte, 369. 

his  remark  on  his  account  of  Lew  Chew,  369. 
Hampton  (Mr.),  taken  sick  during  the  exploration 
of  Peel  island,  238. 

Hansiro,  a Japanese  convert  to  Christianity,  24. 
Hara-kiri,  or  disembowelment,  246. 

Harmattan,  a wind  passing  over  Africa,  112. 

its  alleged  effects,  12. 

Harris,  purser,  his  MS.  journal,  iv. 
Hatchee-Matchee,  or  red  cap.  Lew  Chew,  216,  247. 
Hayashi-daigaku-nokami,  Prince  of  Daigaku,  Japan, 
390. 

letter  of  to  Com.  Perry,  393. 

Japanese  commissioner,  403. 
of  Japanese  presents  by,  428. 
at  the  dinner  given  by  Com.  Perry,  437. 
enjoys  Negro  minstrelsy,  438. 

Haze,  noticed  at  sea.  111. 

Hed-do,  harbor  of,  Japan,  588. 

Heine  (Mr.),  artist  of  the  expedition,  172. 
sketches  Pino,  191. 

Heraldic  devices  of  the  Japanese  emperor  and  com- 
missioners, 406. 

Hide-yosi,  or  Fide-oosi,  his  history,  14. 

Higher  classes  in  China,  344. 

Hindoo  idolatry  in  Lew  Chew,  365. 

Hirakana,  Japanese,  257. 

Hog  lane.  Canton,  161. 

Honesty,  a conventional  virtue  with  the  Chinese, 
344. 

Hongo,  near  Simoda,  477. 

Hongs  at  Canton,  160. 

Hong  Kong,  158. 

Horsburg,  remark  on  the  action  of  the  barometer 
in  the  Indian  ocean,  128. 
remark  on  tides  in  the  tropics,  156. 
mention  of  Sillibaboo  island,  579. 

“ Horse,  the  points  of  a,”  Japanese  drawings  of,  528. 
Horses,  humane  treatment  of,  at  Singapore,  154. 
of  Lew  Chew,  182,  220. 

Japanese,  294. 

Horticulture  of  the  Japanese,  66. 

Hospitality  at  English  colonial  settlements  to 
United  States  oSlcers,  134. 
of  foreign  merchants  in  the  east,  161. 

Host,  incident  of  disrespect  to  the,  at  Macao,  348. 
Hot  water  drunk  in  Lew  Chew,  204. 

House  at  Lew  Chew  refused  to  the  expedition,  183. 
House  court  yards,  Simoda,  468. 

Houses,  construction  of,  Uraga,  276. 
at  Simoda,  468. 

interior  arrangements  of,  Simoda,  468. 


Houses,  number  of,  Simoda,  469. 
uniformity  of  in  Japan,  525. 

Howland  & Aspiuwall,  acknowledgment  of  their 
services  by  Com.  Perry,  138. 

Hue  (M.),  account  of  the  Portuguese  settlement  at 
Macao,  164. 
travels  in  China,  345. 
description  of  a praying  machine,  515. 

Humboldt  (Baron),  remark  on  Tenerifife,  109. 

Hurricanes  at  the  Mauritius,  129, 136. 

Huts  of  natives,  Lew  Chew,  193. 

Hydrographic  survey  of  the  harbor  of  Lew  Chew, 
186. 

report  on  the  Bay  of  Uraga,  277. 

I 

Ichirazichi,  con-t  interpreter.  Lew  Chew,  219,  247. 

Ido-Iwami-no-Kimi  (Prince  of  Iwami),  Japanese 
Commissioner,  404. 

Ido  (Prince  of  Tsusima),  Japanese  Commissioner, 
404. 

Idzu,  or  Negatsuo  Cape,  Japan,  264. 

Ingenuity  of  the  Japanese,  70. 

Inodzu-gama,  the  river,  Japan,  477. 

Inquisition  at  Macao,  346. 

Internal  trade  of  the  Japanese,  67. 

Interpreter,  court.  Lew  Chew,  219. 

Iron  in  Japan,  76. 

Irrigation,  Lew  Chew,  252,  362. 

Ishirashi,  bridge  of.  Lew  Chew,  328. 

Ishee,  or  Lingam,  Lew  Chew,  196. 

Isitza,  Lew  Chew,  199. 

Isomuru,  Japan,  497. 

Itchiiboo,  a Japanese  coin,  505. 

lyeyas,  his  history,  15. 

his  letter  to  the  King  of  England,  45. 

J 

Jamestown,  St.  Helena,  165. 
anchorage  at,  117. 

Jamieson,  Commander  of  the  English  ship  Bom- 
bay, 579. 

Japan,  derivation  of  the  name — ^its  extent— divi- 
sions, 7;  objects  of  curiosity  relating  to,  3; 
writers  on,  4 ; physical  aspect  of,  7 ; rivers — 
roads — ^bridges — canals — climate,  9 ; colonized 
by  the  Chinese,  10 ; duplicate  sovereignty  of, 
13;  its  political  subdivisions,  17 ; its  Council 
of  State,  18 ; its  Governor  of  the  Empire,  19 ; 
introduction  of  Christianity  into,  27 ; visited 
by  Pinto,  28;  Portuguese  intercourse  with, 
30;  missions,  80;  letter  of  Emperor  to  the 
King  of  England,  45 ; progress  of  industrial 
arts  in  metal  works,  63 ; silver,  copper,  quick- 
silver, lead,  tin,  iron,  coal,  sulphur,  precious 
stones,  pearls,  found  in,  76;  Russian  Expedi- 
tion to,  in  1853,  79;  Admiral  Stirling  con- 
cludes a treaty  with,  69;  treaty  between  and 
other  nations  proposed  by  the  Dutch,  82;  sup- 
posed laws  regulating  etiquette  on  the  death 
of  an  Emperor,  374;  an  American  sailor  cap- 


C12 


INDEX. 


tive  in,  396 ; coal  abundant  in,  397 ; polygamy 
unknown  in,  462. 

Japanese  people,  origin  of,  10;  language  not  under- 
stood by  the  Chinese,  10 ; alphabet,  or  sylla- 
barium,  dialects,  construction  of  languages, 
pronunciation,  Kcempfer’s  theory  of  their 
origin,  11;  language,  its  analogies  to  other 
languages,  color  of  the,  of  rank  resemble  Euro- 
peans in  color,  12 ; resemblance  to  the  Tartar 
family,  12;  their  claims  to  antiquity  as  a na- 
tion, 13 ; hereditary  rank  among  the,  priests, 
rank  of  merchants,  peasantry,  leather  manu- 
facturers, executioners,  17 ; government  sec- 
retaries, official  espionage  among  the,  19; 
disembowelment,  20;  reason  of  their  un- 
changeable customs,  interdiction  of  inter- 
course with  Europeans,  falsehood  among  offi- 
cials a result  of  their  system,  21;  not  com- 
mon to  the  people  in  general,  22;  severity  of 
their  laws,  mode  of  trial,  prisons,  23;  religion 
known  as  Sintoo — religion,  difficulty  of  ob- 
taining information  respecting,  19 ; liberal  in 
their  religious  views,  number  of  sects  among, 
refusal  to  banish  Jesuits  and  monks,  27 ; pro- 
clamation expelling  the  Portuguese,  33; 
their  reception  of  the  Dutch,  35;  extirpate 
the  native  Christians,  39;  officials  dealing 
with  the  Dutch  required  to  trample  on  the 
cross,  41;  intercourse  with  the  English,  li- 
cense to  the  East  India  Company,  43;  inter- 
course with  Russia,  56 ; refuse  to  take  back 
their  sailors  shipwrecked  on  the  Russian 
coOwSt,  57 ; decline  the  overtures  of  Resanoff, 
53 ; officials,  conversation  with  the  leaders  of 
the  English  Expedition  to  that  country  in 
1673,  47 ; refuse  intercourse  with  the  English, 
49 ; imprison  Golonin,  59 ; intercourse  with  the 
United  States — refuse  to  take  back  their  sail- 
ors shipwrecked  on  the  United  States  coast, 
treatment  of  the  ships  Morrison,  Vincennes 
and  Preble,  60 ; refuse  trade  with  any  nation 
but  Holland — imprison  United  States  sea- 
men, 61;  tabular  view  of  the  attempts  at 
intercourse  with  the,  62 ; their  skill  in  lac- 
quered woodwork  and  carving,  63;  manu- 
facture of  glass,  porcelain,  paper,  64;  woven 
fabrics  and  leather  by — shoes  of  straw,  65 ; 
agriculture,  live  stock ; horticulture,  66 ; 
dwarfed  trees,  67 ; cultivation,  Lew  Chew, 
191 ; marine  navigation,  vessel's  compass,  67 ; 
their  scientific  knowledge,  clock,  6S;  inge- 
nuity, mermaids,  69 ; knowledge  of  medicine, 
post  mortem  examination  not  permitted, 
medical  works,  71;  Dosia,  72;  their  astro- 
nomical knowledge,  similar  to  that  of  the 
Muiscas  ofBogota,  73 ; colleges,  schools,  books, 
music,  74;  drawing,  painting,  wood  engrav- 
ing, bas-reliefs,  architecture,  syakfdo,  or  ena- 
mel, 75;  mineral  wealth,  76;  cedars,  cam- 
phor tree,  77 ; conduct  to  be  observed  to- 
wards the,  by  the  Expedition,  173;  embassy 
at  Lew  Chew,  177 ; junks,  177 ; official.  Lew 
Chew  conversation  with,  1S3;  possess  fire- 


arms, spies,  185;  guides,  Lew  Chew,  137; 
cultivation.  Lew  Chew,  188;  discovery  of  the 
Bonin  Islands,  225 ; account  of  the  Bonin  Is- 
lands, 226;  junk  driven  into  Port  Lloyd, 
228 ; wrecked  on  Stapleton  Island,  survivors 
taken  off  by  a French  ship,  wreck  seen  by 
officers  of  the  Susquehanna,  229;  garrison  at 
Kapha.  Lew  Chew,  254 ; officials,  conjectured 
at — inform  Com.  Perry  that  they  claim  juris- 
diction over  Lew  Chew,  255;  Expedition 
makes  the  first  full  exploration  of  the  coast 
of  the  northern  Lew  Chew  Islands,  263 ; at 
Yedo,  admiration  of  the  Snsquehanna  by  the, 
265;  coasting  vessels,  hay  of  Yedo,  266; 
guard  boats,  crews,  oars,  flags,  267 ; forts,  272, 
275;  diplomacy,  274;  soldiers,  Uraga — de- 
fences, Uraga,  275;  jxinks,  Uraga,  277;  at- 
tempt to  interrupt  the  survey  of  the  bay  of 
Uraga,  27S;  fond  of  whiskey  and  brandy, 
their  geographical  knowledge,  286;  officials, 
their  inspection  of  the  Susquehanna,  swords, 
287;  internal  trade,  activity  o^  2SS;  official 
etiquette,  290;  preparations  for  the  reception 
of  the  letter  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  291 ; standards,  292 ; ofilcial  uniform, 
293 ; screens  of  painted  cloth,  292 ; oarsmen, 
dexterity  of,  293 ; army,  appearance  of  the — 
horses,  294;  cannon — uniform,  295;  conces- 
sion of  the,  in  the  reception  of  the  letter  of 
the  President  at  Uraga,  805;  friendly  inter- 
course with  Americans  of  the  squadron,  310; 
intercourse  with  forbidden  by  Japanese  offi- 
cials, 811 ; officials  carry  away  remnants  of  a 
collection  in  their  sleeves,  310;  lacquered 
ware,  silks,  fims,  pipes,  812;  curiosity  re- 
specting steam  vessels,  315;  comparison  of  the 
with  the  Lew  Chewans,  black  beards  of  the, 
365;  vocabulary  compared  with  that  of  Lew 
Chew,  366;  harbors,  provision  for  securing 
vessels — charts,  slight  value  of— mode  of  na- 
vigation, 878;  courtesy  and  scrupulous  ho- 
nesty, instance  of— 'Offers  of  assistance  to  the 
Macedonian,  879;  officials  prevented  from 
hoarding  the  American  ships,  380;  officials 
received  by  Capt.  Adams,  881 ; officials  change 
the  place  of  delivery  of  Emperor  s letter,  382 ; 
commissioners  endeavor  to  prevent  a survey 
of  the  Bay  of  Yedo,  884;  officials,  frequent 
visits  of  the,  return  naval  buttons,  urge  re- 
moval of  the  American  squadron  to  Uraga — 
officials,  offer  supplies  as  presents,  3S5;  eti- 
quette respecting  presents,  386;  officials  re- 
fuse to  receive  Com.  Perry  except  at  Kama- 
kura, or  Uraga,  387;  officials  treat  invitation 
to  “bring  their  ladies  with  them”  to  the  ce- 
lebration of  "NVashington's  birthday  as  a joke, 
8SS;  boats  steady  in  a rough  sea— curiosity 
respecting  the  Americans — present  remnants 
of  feasts  to  their  guests,  391 ; intercourse  with 
Americans,  crew  rescued  by  an  American 
merchantman,  396;  ambassadors,  credentials 
of.  897;  winter — boatmen,  rugged  health  of, 
898;  batteries,  Bay  of  Yedo,  400;  commis- 


INDEX. 


613 


sioners,  arrival  of  at  Yoku-hama,  402;  tkeir 
personal  appearance,  404;  deference  to  rank, 
mode  of  obeisance — interpreter,  405;  reply 
to  the  letter  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  407 ; drinking  custom,  respect  for  the 
dead,  411;  interest  in  the  American  railroad 
and  telegraph,  416,  433 ; curiosity  r-especting 
American  dress,  taste  for  pictures,  for  sketch- 
ing, intercourse  with  the  American  squadron, 
taking  notes,  417 ; non-communicative,  com- 
mon people  more  disposed  than  the  officials 
to  have  intercourse  with  the  Americans,  imi- 
tative like  the  Chinese,  418 ; commissioners, 
note  of  the,  to  Com.  Perry,  420 ; report  of 
conference  relative  to  the  treaty  with  the 
United  States,  425;  neatness,  428;  wrestlers, 
430;  presents  to  the  United  States  placed  in 
the  store  ship  Supply,  434;  officials,  convi- 
viality of,  at  the  dinner  given  by  Com.  Perry, 
487 ; officials  carry  away  fragments  of  a feast, 
437 ; entertainment  in  honor  of  the  treaty, 
dinners  unsubstantial,  443 ; commissioners, 
notes  of  their  conferences  with  Com.  Perry, 
447 ; unlike  the  Chinese,  450 ; qualifications 
of  the  treaty,  450 ; jealousy  of  foreigners,  451 ; 
treaty  with  Russia,  452;  treaty  with  Eng- 
land, 452;  treaty  with  the  Dutch,  452;  curi- 
osity respecting  American  women,  treatment 
of  Americans  and  Russians  at  Simoda,  453; 
proclamation  to  the  Americans  at  Simoda, 
455 ; tooth  dye — women,  460 ; women  rouge 
their  lips,  460;  women  work  in  the  fields, 
dress,  baby,  common  people,  courtesy  of  the 
common  people,  461;  w’omen  good-looking, 
women,  social  position  of,  462;  policy  to- 
wards the  Expedition,  463;  stone  dressing, 
boat-building  yards,  465;  buildings  unpaint- 
ed, 474;  inclined  to  intercourse  with  the 
members  of  the  Expedition,  restrained  by 
their  officials,  483 ; scholars,  400 ; request  to 
sail  with  the  Expedition,  486 ; confined  in  a 
cage,  488 ; official  inspection  of  a corpse,  491 ; 
officials,  insult  to  American  officers,  492 ; apo- 
logy for,  493;  boat,  Hakodadi,  502;  vessels. 
Com.  Perry's  account  of,  520 ; navigation, 
boats,  sculling,  rowing,  ship  models,  521; 
tools,  war  junks,  fisheries,  522;  ideas  of  the 
fox,  of  demoniacal  influence,  cabinets  Wai- 
sance^  public,  cattle,  horses,  roads,  sedans 
523;  drainage,  524;  dexterity  in  the  mecha- 
nical arts,  curiosity  respecting  neat  work- 
manship, houses,  carpentry,  masonry,  stone 
cutting,  coopers,  barrels,  525;  steel,  swords, 
cutlery,  razors,  blacksmiths,  bellows,  526; 
cotton  fabrics,  silks,  lacquered  wares,  porce- 
lain, art,  527;  spectacles,  drawings,  drawings 
of  steam  engine,  screen  painter,  528;  prince, 
529 ; sculpture,  530 ; architecture,  books, 
knowledge  of  European  periodicals,  of  Ame- 
rica, 531 ; curiosity,  532 ; chess,  cards,  game 
of  loto,  532,  533 ; official  uniform,  536 ; respect 
to  the  dead,  537;  officials,  their  interest  in 
the  armament  of  the  expedition,  539 ; embas- 


sy respecting  boundaries  at  TTokodacli,  official 
communication,  542;  respect  for  the  dead, 
544;  currencies,  exchange  of,  548;  commis- 
sion, Simoda,  546;  knowledge  of  European 
affairs,  547 ; coal,  552 ; mining,  pretend  to  be 
ignorant  of  coal,  554;  prices,  accounts,  555; 
dogs  sent  to  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  556 ; in  the  United  States,  557 ; capi- 
tal punishments,  558;  treaty  wdth  Russia, 
shipwrecked  seamen,  energy,  588;  friendli- 
ness to  Americans,  anxious  for  trade,  for 
English  books,  589 ; send  away  religious 
tracts,  technicalities  respecting  ratifications, 
590. — See  ITakodadi  and  Simoda. 

Jesuits  endeavor  to  destroy  the  Dutch  visitors  to 
Japan,  36. 

Jewels  in  Japan,  76. 

Johnson  (Charles),  visits  to  the  Bonin  islands,  230. 
an  early  settler  of  the  Bonin  islands,  354. 

Jones  (Lt.),  report  of  volcanic  phenomena  at  sea, 
676. 

Jones  (Rev.  Mr.),  his  MS.  journal,  iv. 

observations  of  the  zodiacal  lights,  114. 
zodiacal  observations,  157. 
sketches,  a plan  of  the  fortress  of  Nagaguska, 
195. 

report  on  geology  of  Lew  Chew,  210. 
conducts  an  exploration  of  the  interior  of  Lew 
Chew,  361. 

reads  the  burial  service  in  Japan,  412. 
view's  on  the  introduction  of  Christianity  into 
Japan,  516. 

observations  on  Japanese  paintings,  529. 
applies  for  directions  respecting  funeral  ser- 
vices, 544. 

conversation  with  Japanese  on  prayer,  545. 
exploration  for  coal  at  Formosa,  575. 

Journal  kept  by  the  Peeking  of  the  exploration  of 
Lew  Chew,  201. 

Journals,  MS.,  of  the  expedition,  iii. 

officers  of  the  expedition  invited  by  Com.  Per- 
ry to  prepare,  110. 

promotion  of  the  publication  of,  by  members  of 
the  expedition,  111. 

“Judge”  (the).  Peel  island,  256. 

Jungle  w'eed.  Peel  island,  241. 

Junks,  Japanese,  177,  267,  279. 

large  number  of  in  the  bay  of  Uragu,  288. 

K 

Ka-ei-silsi-neu,  letter  of,  397. 

Kaempfer,  8. 

a writer  on  Japan,  4. 

his  theory  of  the  derivation  of  the  Japanese,  11. 
remark  on  profits  of  Portuguese  commerce 
w’ith  Japan,  31. 

agency  of  the  Dutch  against  Japanese  Chris- 
tians, 89. 

concessions  of  the  Dutch  in  religious  obser- 
vances, 40. 

remark  on  the  population  of  Japan,  67. 
account  of  Japanese  minerals,  75. 


61i 


INDEX 


account  of  the  Bonin  islands,  227.  I 

account  of  Japanese  vessels,  520. 

Ka-goo,  or  Lew  Chew  chair,  195,  205,  360,  523. 
Kakekigo,  a general,  story  of,  26. 

Kaki-zaki,  Simoda,  476. 

Kama-kura,  Japan,  882. 

Kami,  divinities  of,  26. 

Kaminusi,  or  priests  of  the  temple,  26. 
origin  of,  26. 

Kanagawa,  bay  of,  Yedo,  311,  402. 

Kanaka,  inhabitants  of  the  Bonin  islands,  205. 
Kangsayu,  Matsmai,  interview  with  Com.  Perry, 
534. 

Kantosits,  chronicles,  accuracy  of  the,  329. 

Kelly,  harbor  master  at  Port  Louis,  129. 

KeUy  (Commander),  of  the  Plymouth,  forces  the 
Sir  H.  Compton  to  salute  the  American  flag, 
attacks  Chinese  intrenchments  at  Shanghai, 
582. 

Kelung,  Formosa,  574. 

survey  of  the  harbor,  577. 
mandarin  of,  574. 

Keppel  (Capt.),  British  navy,  rescue  of  an  English- 
man from  justice  at  Macao,  349. 

Kettal,  tree  of  Ceylon,  142. 

Kikai-sima,  or  Bungalow  island,  survey  oi^  562. 
Kindaka,  Lew  Chew,  331. 

King  (C.  "W.),  account  of  the  visit  of  the  Morrison 
to  Japan,  60. 

King,  Cape,  near  the  Gulf  of  T edo,  494. 

Kings  of  the  Central,  Southern  and  Northern  Hills 
Lew  Che-w,  253. 

Kingfisher  described,  172. 

Kiu-siu,  an  island  of  Japan,  7. 

color  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  coast  of,  12. 
Kiyemon,  a Japanese  fisherman,  raises  a sunken 
vessel,  70. 

Klaproth,  comparison  of  the  Japanese  with  other 
languages,  12. 

translation  of  a Japanese  account  of  the  Bonin 
Islands,  227. 

account  of  the  sovereignty  of  Lew  Chew,  254. 
Kockebecker,  a Dutch  director,  aids  the  Japanese 
against  the  native  Christians,  39. 
Komaga-daki,  near  Hakodadi,  499. 

Konazaki,  bay  of  Yedo,  811. 

Kono-zhi,  a Buddhist  temple,  Hakodadi,  51.3. 
Koyanagi,  a Japanese  wrestler,  481. 

Koye,  the  Chinese  dialect  of  Japan,  10. 

Kuan-tong,  160. 

Kung-Kwas,  no  schools  in  the,  256. 
Kura-kawa-Kahie,  a Japanese  official,  881. 
visits  the  American  squadron,  412. 
frequent  visits  to  the  expedition,  418. 

Kuriles,  Hairy,  524. 

Kurosaki,  cape,  497. 

Kuro-siwo,  a current,  Lt.  Bent's  report  on,  495. 

L 

Laboring  classes  of  China,  344. 
class,  Lew  Chew,  252. 

Lacquered  ware,  Japanese,  63,  312,  428,  527. 


Lamparayo,  Portuguese  merchants  oi;  settle  Ma- 
cao, 164 

Land,  tenure  of,  Lew  Chew,  862. 

held  by  the  government,  Lew  Chew,  252. 

Land  crabs.  Peel  island,  2.35. 

Language  of  Lew  Chew,  257. 

Latham  (Dr.),  remarks  on  the  origin  of  the  Ja 
panese,  13. 

Laxman,  a Kussian  officer,  his  visit  to  Japan,  57. 

Lead  in  Japan,  76. 

Leather  manufacturers,  treatment  of  in  Japan,  17. 

Lennox,  Lt.  of  the  garrison  at  Point  de  Galle,  his 
elephant  hunting,  143. 

Letter  of  credence  of  the  Emperor  of  Japan  to  Toda, 
Prince  of  Idzu,  288. 
the  President  of  the  H.  S.,  296. 
delivery  of  to  the  Japanese  Commissioners,  302. 

Lew  Chew  islands.  Com.  Perry  proposes  the  occu- 
pation of  the  ports  of  the,  106. 
acceded  to  by  the  United  States,  103. 
visit  to,  175. 

officers  startled  by  report  of  a cannon,  179. 
exploration  of,  182. 

view  from  the  summit  ridge  of  the  island,  190. 
exploration  of  by  a gentleman  attached  to  the 
Saratoga,  249. 

origin  of  the  population  of(  253. 
sovereignty  of;  254 

their  statements  of  Japanese  garrison  at,  254 
trade  confined  to  Japan,  255. 
pay  tribute  to  China,  255. 
imitation  of  the  Chinese  in,  256. 
authorities  endeavor  to  drive  Dr.  Bettelheim 
from  the  island,  258. 
naval  mission,  258. 

agricultural  products,  live  stock  and  fertility  ot 
260. 

condition  of  the  laboring  classes  in,  260. 
a portion  of  the  coast  unvislted,  263. 
its  northern  islands  first  fully  explored  by  the 
Japan  expedition,  262. 
regent  of,  letter  to  Com.  Perry,  326. 

Com.  Perry's  fourth  visit  to,  859. 
exploration  of  the  interior  of;  36L 
its  soil,  climate,  temperature,  salubrity,  tenure 
of  land,  agriculture,  irrigation,  862. 
products,  86.3. 
sugar  mills,  364 

granaries,  rats,  population,  origin,  comparison 
with  the  Japanese,  865. 
vocabulary  compared  with  that  of  Japan,  866. 
commerce  of  Sakee,  fine  aits,  architecture, 
dwellings,  furniture,  food,  868. 
amusements,  football,  unarmed,  government, 
869. 

youth  of,  sent  to  China  for  education,  870. 
espionage,  literature,  reilgion.  Bowses,  burial 
customs,  370;  fabrics,  spies,  371. 
contemplated  “ surveillance  ” o^  by  the  Ameri- 
can expedition,  875. 
islands,  northern  group  of;  376. 

Japanese  control  over,  42-4 
trial  at,  563. 


INDEX 


615 


New  Year  compliments,  569. 
treaty  with  the  United  States,  570. 

Chewan,  a,  desires  to  join  the  American  squad- 
ron, 572. 

Lew  Chewans  induced  to  accept  pay  for  provisions, 
223. 

inexpert  in  the  use  of  knives  and  forks,  248. 
appreciation  of  an  European  dinner,  248. 
grades  among,  251. 
terror  of  spies,  251. 
their  personal  appearance,  256. 
black  beards  of  the,  366. 
good  figures,  courtesy,  bearing,  367 ; commerce, 
368. 

Licentiousness  of  Japanese  towns,  462. 

of  Japanese,  469. 

Lieou  Kieou,  or  Lew  Chew,  174. 

Light  house,  Board  of  the  United  States,  remark 
on,  130. 

Lignite,  Lew  Chew,  197. 

Lingam,  Lew  Chew,  196. 

Literary  men.  Lew  Chew,  251. 

Literati  of  Lew  Chew  wear  gold  and  silver  hair 
pins,  259. 

Literature  in  Japan,  73. 

Live  stock  in  Japan,  66. 

Lodges,  arrangements  respecting,  Simoda,  468. 
Leather,  manufacture  and  use  of  by  the  Japanese, 
65. 

Lee  (Commander),  services  to  the  Macedonian 
aground  in  the  bay  of  Yedo,  379. 

Left  hand,  the  Japanese  place  of  honor,  389. 

Leite  (Lieut.),  attack  on  at  Macao,  349. 

Lemons,  Peel  island,  237. 

Longwood  St.  Helena,  visited,  115. 

Loo  rock,  anchorage  at  the,  103. 

Loom,  Lew  Chew,  197,  251. 

Lorchas,  Macao,  Portuguese  boats,  346. 

Loreiro  (Capt.),  of  the  Portuguese  Navy,  Hong 
Kong,  348. 

Loto,  Japanese  game  of,  532. 

Lutke  (Capt.),  of  Russian  Navy,  takes  possession  of 
the  Bonin  islands,  230. 

M 

MacEarlane,  remark  on  Japanese  deception,  22. 

on  the  Sintoo  worship,  24. 

McLane  (R.  M.),  U.  S.  Commissioner  to  China,  351. 
McLeod,  Capt.  of  the  Alceste,  inaccurate  account 
of  the  Lew  Chewans,  253. 

Macao,  visit  to,  163. 
salubrity  of,  338. 
population  of,  345. 

Mascarenhas,  discovers  Mauritius,  131. 

Macedonian,  the,  run  aground  in  the  bay  of  Yedo, 
379. 

Machinatoo,  Lew  Chew,  209. 

Madeira,  coast  of,  103. 

Mahommedans  in  Ceylon,  144. 

Mail  routes  from  England  and  the  United  States  to 
China,  letter  of  Com.  Perry  on,  243.  ' 


Malabars  of  Ceylon,  144. 

Malacca,  straits  of,  passage  through,  147. 

Malaria,  burning  wood  a defence  against,  389. 

Malay  race,  extent  of,  155. 

Mimasaki,  prince  of,  receives  the  American  presents 
to  the  Japanese,  432. 

Man  milliner,  China,  much  esteemed  by  American 
residents,  342. 

Mandarin,  Japanese,  enjoying  a railroad  ride,  416. 
dialect  understood  by  the  educated  classes  in 
Japan,  10. 

Mangusteen,  fruit  of  the,  Singapore,  153. 

March  (J.  H.),  his  hospitality,  104. 

Marco  Paulo,  his  account  of  Zipangu,  5. 
account  of,  6. 
visits  Ceylon,  140. 

Marine  volcano,  near  Formosa,  676. 

“Mariners’  temple,”  Simoda,  475. 

Market,  Lew  Chew,  330. 

Marquesas,  native  of  the,  at  Peel  island,  236. 

Marshall,  Humphrey,  his  intercourse  with  the  expe- 
dition, 171. 

Marshes  unknown  in  Lew  Chew,  362. 

Mats  used  as  floor  cloths  and  beds  at  Lew  Ch(  f, 
250. 

Matsmai,  a port  of  Yesso,  8. 

incident  in  the  history  of,  20. 

discussion  relative  to  opening  the  port  of,  424. 

road  to,  506. 

Matsusaki  Michitaro,  Japanese  commissioner,  405. 
his  conviviality,  437. 
friendly  in  his  cups,  438. 

Matzaimon,  Yendo,  governor  of  Hakodadi,  502. 

Matzouri,  a religious  festival,  Simoda,  474 

Mauritius,  visit  to,  129. 

Maury  (M.  F.),  observations  on  the  Gulf  stream,  496. 

Maury  (Lt.),  survey  of  the  bay  of  Yedo  by,  384 

Mazara  (Mattheo),  visits  the  Bonin  islands,  230. 
an  early  colonist  of  the  Bonin  islands,  353. 

Meac-sima,  island  of,  481. 

Medical  knowledge  of  the  Japanese,  71. 

Men,  the  drones  of  Lew  Chew,  250. 

Merchandise,  a term  not  understood  in  Japan,  451. 

Merchants,  rank  of  in  Japan,  17. 

Mermaid-manufacture  in  Japan,  69. 

Metal  workers,  Hakodadi,  526. 

Metals  found  in  Japan,  63. 

wrought  by  the  Japanese,  66. 

Meteor,  bay  of  Uraga,  271. 

Meylan,  8. 

description  of  a Japanese  clock,  69. 

on  the  Japanese  religion,  24. 

speaks  of  a fourth  Japanese  religion,  27. 

Mia,  or  Sintoo  temples,  Hakodadi,  515. 

Simoda,  470,  473. 

Miako,  the  chief  seat  of  learning  in  Japan,  73. 

Mijako-sima,  Lew  Chew,  377. 

Mikados,  the  founder  of  the,  13. 
mode  of  government,  14, 16. 
history  of  the  dynasty,  13. 

Mildtehamp  (Richard),  visits  the  Bonin  islands,  230, 

Millichamp,  an  early  colonist  of  the  Bonin  islands, 
353. 


61j 


INDEX. 


Mills,  Lew  Chew,  364. 

Mima-saki,  prince  of.  Japanese  commissioner,  404. 
Minerals  of  Japan,  76. 

Ming  dynasty,  China,  254. 

Missikiya,  Lew  Chew,  198. 

Missionary  station,  our  American  colony  at  Port 
Lloyd  would  form  a desirable,  244. 
Missionaries  at  Lew  Chew,  258. 

in  China,  their  observations,  345. 

Mississippi,  the,  her  good  conduct  at  sea,  102. 
Malva,  Lew  Chew,  194. 

Monasteries,  Buddhist,  Simoda,  470. 

Money  value  of  foreign  coins  understood  in  Lew 
Chew,  185. 

Monsoons  at  Ceylon,  141. 

Montravel  (M.  de),  French  commodore  at  Canton, 
347. 

Mooring  vessels,  mode  of  at  Port  Louis,  Mauritius, 
129. 

Moreton  (Eev.  Mr.),  succeeds  Dr.  Bettelheim  at 
Lew  Chew,  572. 

Moro,  a Portuguese,  plots  against  the  Japanese,  32. 
Mosquitoes  annoying  at  Lew  Chew,  192. 

Moustache,  worn  in  Lew  Chew  and  Japan,  366. 
Music,  in  Japan,  74. 

Muster,  or  Chinese  pattern,  342. 

Myako-sima  islands.  Lew  Chew,  877. 

N 

Nagagusko  fortress.  Lew  Chew,  253. 

Nagasaki,  4,  9. 

first  occupied  by  the  Portuguese,  4. 

Japanese  endeavor  to  restrict  American  com- 
merce to,  424. 

N.agazima  (Saboroske),  vice  governor  of  TJraga,  269. 

appearance  of  in  his  state  dress,  293. 

Napha,  Lew  Chew,  179. 
visit  to,  181. 

mayor  of,  visits  the  expedition,  179. 

the  mayor  of  invites  Com.  Perry  to  a feast,  213. 

return  to,  246,  320. 

new  regent  of;  246. 

school  at,  256. 

interview  of  Com.  Adams  with  the  mayor  of, 
32.3. 

view  of  Napha,  328. 
difficulties  with  the  inhabitants  of,  565. 
Napoleon  at  St.  Helena,  115. 
conduct  of  England  to,  116. 
tomb  of,  116. 

Navigation  of  the  .Japanese  by  sea,  inland,  68. 
of  the  Chinese  coast,  166. 
of  the  Japanese  close  in  shore,  520. 

Navy  of  the  United  States  backwards  in  adopting 
improvements  in  steam  vessels,  128. 
Megatsus,  or  Idsu,  cape,  Japan,  264. 

Negro  guards  of  Com.  Perry,  295. 

New  Tear  congratulatory  phrases.  Lew  Chew,  568. 
Night  signals  of  the  expedition,  picturesque  effect 
of,  224. 

Nippon,  a work  on  Japan,  by  Siebold,  4. 


Nippon,  volcanoes  o^  9. 
the  modem  Zipanga,  5. 

Dai,  Japanese  name  of  Japan,  7. 
an  island  of  Japan,  7. 

Novaleches,  (Marquis  of),  governor  of  the  Philip- 
pine island,  577. 

Ny-komma,  Lew  Chew,  203. 

0 

Oars,  Japanese,  management  of;  280. 

Observatory,  Japanese,  517. 

0‘Callaghan  (Capt.),  of  British  navy,  attack  on  Chi- 
nese intrenchments,  Shanghai,  584. 

Officers  of  state.  Lew  Chew,  251. 

of  the  Expedition  requested  to  keep  journals, 

111. 

Oho-sima,  263,  265,  716,  481,  494. 
discovery  of,  376. 

Com.  Perry's  visit  to,  484. 
visit  to,  56-3. 

Oki-nawa-sima,  or  Great  Lew  Chew,  377. 

Olason  island,  Endermo  harbor,  537. 

Oo-bang,  public  slaves.  Lew  Chew,  25f 
Opium  eater,  death  of  a Chinese,  22L 
Orsa,  a Japanese  vdllage,  312. 

Osaca,  Japan,  destruction  of,  by  an  earthquake,  510. 
Otaheitan  at  Peel  island,  236. 

Otsu,  village  of;  bay  of  Tedo,  3SL 
Overfalls,  Simoda  harbor,  477. 

Owari,  the  prinee  of,  his  history,  14. 

Oxen  used  in  drawing  carriages  in  Funchal,  105. 

at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  125. 

Oysters,  presented  by  the  Japanese  to  Conn  Perry, 
387. 

P 

Pacific  mail  routes,  243. 

Palace,  Shui,  Lew  Chew,  217. 

Palisades  in  front  of  Tedo,  463. 

Palma  latina.  Peel  island,  237. 

Palmer  (Aaron  H.),  an  early  advocate  for  an  expe- 
dition to  Japan,  98. 

Palms,  Peel  island,  241. 

Palmyra  palm  in  Ceylon,  142. 

Panama,  isthmus  of;  interoceanic  communication 
at  the,  known  to  the  Japanese,  286. 
Pandanus,  Peel  island,  237. 

Lew  Chew,  199. 

Paper,  manufacture  of  by  the  Japanese,  64. 

burnt  by  the  Lew  Chewans,  211. 

Paps,  the,  mountains  on  the  Bonin  islands,  240. 
Parasitic  plants,  thick  growth  o^  Peel  island,  235. 
Parker  (Dr.),  Canton,  341. 

Patriarchal  authority  the  basis  of  the  government 
of  Lew  Chew,  257. 

Paul  and  Tirginia,  foundation  of  the  story  of,  135. 
Pavement,  Lew  Chew,  211. 

Payment  made  for  supplies.  Lew  Chew,  223. 
Peacock,  visit  of  the,  to  Siam,  146w 
Pearl  fishery  of  Ceylon,  142. 


INDEX. 


C17 


Pearls  found  in  Japan,  76. 

Peasantry  of  Lew  Chew,  221. 
rank  of,  in  Japan,  17. 

Pe-ching,  or  Lew  Chew  guide,  192, 
the,  escorts  Com.  Perry,  216. 
or  guide,  Lew  Chew,  keeps  a journal,  201. 
presents  to  the,  222. 

Peel  island,  225. 

European  settlers  at,  238. 
colony  of,  Bonins,  332. 

Pellew  (Capt.),  Japanese  remarks  on,  448. 
visit  to  Japan,  559. 

Perry  (Com.  M.  C.),  wishes  in  regard  to  this  publi- 
cation, his  MS.  journals,  iii;  his  revision  of 
the  narrative,  v;  attestation,  vii;  declines 
admitting  Russian  ships  in  the  American 
squadron,  79;  avoided  intercourse  with  the 
Dutch  in  Japan,  88;  declines  giving  Siebold 
a place  in  the  expedition,  89 ; never  saw  Sie- 
bold's  letter  of  advice,  92 ; expresses  the  wish 
to  the  Japanese  commissioners  that  other  na- 
tions should  share  in  the  benefits  of  the 
treaty,  94 ; first  to  formally  propose  an  expe- 
dition to  Japan,  97 ; aids  in  the  adjustment 
of  the  fishery  question,  99 ; declines  applica- 
tions from  at  home  and  abroad  for  situations 
in  the  expedition,  99 ; departure  from  Anna- 
polis, 100;  letter  written  at  Madeira  to  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  105;  his  view  of  the 
object  of  the  expedition,  106;  order  forbid- 
ding the  transmission  home  of  journals,  110 ; 
requests  officers  to  prepare  journals,  110; 
shows  how  St.  Helena  could  be  attacked,  118 ; 
economy  in  the  use  of  coal,  120;  visits  a Con- 
stantia  vineyard,  124;  remark  on  treatment 
of  savage  aborigines,  125;  visits  a captive 
chief  at  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  125;  opinion  as 
to  the  best  course  from  the  Cape  to  Mauritius, 
127;  hospitality  extended  to,  at  Mauritius, 
134;  letter  of,  to  Phar-Pen-CIow-Chow-Yon- 
Hon,  a prince  of  Siam,  146 ; endeavors  to  open 
communication  with  Siam,  146;  visits  a 
Chinese  temple  at  Singapore,  151 ; remark  on 
hospitalities  of  foreign  nations,  and  “table 
money,”  158;  remark  on  Canton  river,  159; 
disappointed  at  the  appearance  of  the  city, 
160 ; hospitable  treatment  of,  at  Canton,  160 ; 
opinion  of  Shanghai  as  a naval  depot,  167 ; 
his  views  on  the  revolution  iu  China, 
170;  admits  Bayard  Taylor  in  the  expedition, 
175;  receives  a Chin-chin  at  Lew  Chew,  vi- 
sited by  Mr.  Bettelheim  at  'Whang-cha-ching, 
177;  directs  an  exploration  of  Lew  Chew, 
178;  receives  the  Mayor  of  Lew  Chew,  179; 
announces  an  intention  to  return  the  visit, 
180;  directs  a sick  officer  to  occupy  a house 
at  Tumai,  183;  letter  of  Shangey-ta-mu  to, 
184;  declines  invitation  of  the  Mayor  of  Lew 
Chew,  213;  receives  banquet  sent  on  board 
ship,  refuses  to  abandon  his  visit  to  Shui,  214 ; 
his  progress  to  Shui,  215 ; curiosity  of  the  Lew 
Chewans  to  wifness,  with  his  escort,  216:  his 
interview  with  the  regent  of  Lew  Chew,  217; 


healths  proposed  by,  at  Shui,  219 ; remark  on 
the  cleanliness  of  Lew  Chew,  happy  effect! 
of  his  determination,  reliance  of  the  Japanese 
on,  221,  remark  on  acceptance  of  payment  by 
the  Lew  Chewans,  sends  presents  to  the 
Queen,  regent,  and  other  dignitaries  at  Lew 
Chew,  222;  attends  a burial  at  sea,  224;  ob- 
servations of  the  anchorage  of  Port  Lloyd 
harbor,  232;  leaves  live  stock  on  Peel  and 
North  islands,  Bonin  island,  233;  orders  an 
exploration  of  Peel  island,  234 ; orders  an  ex- 
ploration of  Stapleton  island,  Bonins,  recom- 
mends Peel  Island  as  a stopping  place  for 
steam  vessels  between  California  and  China, 
241 ; distributes  garden  seeds  to  settlers,  Bo- 
nin islands,  purchases  land  for  a landing  place 
and  coal  depot — letter  of,  to  the  Navy  De- 
partment on  steam  navigation  and  mail  routes 
in  the  Pacific,  242 ; remark  on  the  commer- 
cial importance  of  Shanghai,  note  on  the  ad- 
vantages of  establishing  a naval  station  at  the 
Bonin  islands,  243;  proposes  the  establish- 
ment of  an  American  colony  at  Port  Lloyd, 
Bonin  islands,  244;  determines  the  position 
of  Disappointment  island,  245;  dinner  to  the 
new  regent  of  Lew  Chew  on  board  of  tho 
Susquehanna,  247 ; presents  garden  seeds  to 
the  regent  of  Lew  Chew,  entertains  him 
with  the  music  of  the  band,  249;  classifies 
the  Lew  Chewans  in  four  grades,  251;  re- 
mark on  the  misery  of  the  Mexican  peers,  on 
the  lower  classes  of  the  Lew  Chewans,  251 ; 
remark  on  the  investigations  of  Hull,  Mc- 
Leod, Beechey,  Belcher,  and  the  Japanese 
expedition,  respecting  the  origin  of  the  Lew 
Chewans,  253;  information  obtained  by,  re- 
specting the  ownership  of  Lew  Chew,  255; 
his  opinion  on  the  mixed  origin  of  the  Lew 
Chewans,  256;  leaves  Napha  for  Japan,  261; 
prepares  for  action  on  entering  the  bay  of 
Tedo,  265;  forbids  the  Japanese  to  visit  the 
squadron  at  Japan,  267 ; prevents  the  Ja- 
panese from  boarding  or  surrounding  the 
squadron  in  the  bay  of  Uraga,  267 ; his  recep- 
tion of  the  deputy  governor  of  Uraga,  269 ; 
his  policy  towards  the  Japanese,  270;  re- 
mark on  a meteor,  bay  of  Uraga,  271 ; recep- 
tion of  Keyamon  Tezaimen,  governor  of  Ura- 
ga, 273 ; enforces  a survey  of  the  bay  of  Uraga, 
274;  refuses  to  go  to  Nagasaki,  275;  threat- 
ens to  land  at  Tedo,  277 ; dispatches  the  Mis- 
sissippi towards  Tedo,  278;  his  letter  to  the 
Emperor  of  Japan,  281;  refuses  to  communi- 
cate with  the  Japanese  through  the  Dutch  or 
Chinese,  refuses  to  go  to  Nagasaki,  282;  sti- 
pulations with  the  governor  of  Uzama  rela- 
tive to  the  delivery  of  the  letter  of  the  Pre- 
sident of  the  United  States,  284,  285 ; prepa- 
rations for  the  delivery  of  the  letter  of  tho 
President  of  the  United  States,  293,  294;  de- 
livery of  his  credentials  and  the  letter  of  the 
President  to  the  Japanese,  296;  announces 
his  departure  and  return,  letters  to  the  Em. 


618 


INDEX. 


peror  of  Japan,  300,  302;  letter  of  credence, 
801 ; orders  the  squadron  np  the  bay  of  Ura- 
ga,  after  the  reception  of  the  letter  of  the 
President,  305;  insists  on  his  right  to  take 
soundings  in  the  bay  of  TJraga,  309;  advances 
to  ■within  ten  miies  of  Tedo,  311;  presents 
American  seeds,  and  cases  of  wine  to  the  go- 
vernor of  TJraga,  313 ; refuses  presents  from 
the  Japanese  unless  they  receive  presents  in 
return,  313 ; desirous  of  protecting  American 
commei'ce  in  China,  315;  his  reasons  for  not 
■waiting  for  a reply  from  the  Emperor  of  Ja- 
pan, 315 ; names  islands  near  the  coast  of  Ja- 
pan, 316 ; departure  from  the  Bay  of  TJraga, 
316 ; concessions  obtained  by,  from  the  Ja- 
panese, 317 ; orders  the  Saratoga  to  Shanghai, 
317 ; the  Plymouth  to  explore  the  shore  of 
Oho-Sima,  317 ; negotiations  at  Lew  Chew 
respecting  intercourse  with  strangers,  321; 
propositions  to  the  authorities  of  Lew  Chew, 
321;  letter  to  the  Tsung-li-kwan  of  Lew 
Chew,  322 ; interview  with  the  regent  of  Na- 
pha,  323 ; directs  survey  of  Melviiie  harbor, 
331;  instructions  to  Com.  Kelly  respecting 
Lew  Chew,  831 ; his  remarks  on  the  effects  of 
his  intercourse  upon  the  Lew  Chewans,  834; 
his  arrangements  for  the  protection  of  Ame- 
rican commerce  in  China,  337 ; takes  a house 
at  Macao,  338;  examines  foot  of  a Chinese 
woman,  341;  his  opinion  of  the  laboring 
classes  of  China,  344;  favorable  opinion  of 
Chinese  honesty,  344;  residence  at  Macao, 
845;  proposes  forming  a naval  station  at 
Hong  ICong,  347 ; his  sojourn  at  Macao,  847 ; 
arrangements  for  the  protection  of  American 
interests,  350 ; recognition  of  this  service  by 
the  American  merchants  at  Canton,  350;  de- 
pai-tnre  from  Hong  Kong,  851 ; his  letter  to 
Sir  I.  G.  Bonham  respecting  the  Bonin  isl- 
ands, 354 ; letter  to  the  secretary  of  the  navy, 
856;  his  second  visit  to  Shui,  360;  endeavors 
to  obtain  Japanese  coins  in  exchange  at  Lew 
Chew,  360;  objects  accomplished  by  him  in 
Lew  Chew,  871 ; receives  information  of  the 
death  of  the  Emperor  of  Japan,  372;  letter 
respecting  the  death  of  the  Emperor  of  Ja- 
pan, 373;  suspects  the  rumor  to  be  a ruse, 
874 ; course  contemplated  by  him  in  case  of  a 
refusal  by  the  Japanese  to  negotiate,  375;  ob- 
jects of  his  mission  to  Japan,  375;  return  to 
the  bay  of  Tedo,  876;  directions  for  the  re- 
lief of  the  Macedonian  aground  in  the  bay  of 
Tedo,  379 ; refuses  to  go  to  Kama-kura,  or  to 
TJraga,  382;  refuses  to  interrupt  the  explora- 
tion of  the  harbor  of  Tedo,  384;  letter  re- 
specting removal  of  the  squadron  to  TJraga, 
885;  proposes  to  visit  Tedo,  387;  letter  to 
the  Japanese  authorities,  388;  asks  for  wood 
and  water  from  the  Japanese,  393;  refuses  to 
go  to  TJraga,  his  letter  on  the  subject,  395; 
policy  adopted  by,  in  his  intercourse  with 
the  Japanese,  394;  consents  to  receive  the 
Emperor’s  letter  at  Toku-hama,  letter  of,  to 


the  Japanese  commissioner,  395;  refuses  U 
allow  the  men  of  the  expedition  to  land  in 
Japan,  396;  causes  screens  surrounding  the 
Treaty  House  to  be  removed,  402 ; prepara- 
tions for  the  reception  of  the  Emperor’s  let- 
ter, 403;  his  interview  with  the  Japanese 
commissioners,  404;  proposes  the  formation 
of  a treaty  to  the  Japanese  commissioners, 
notes  by,  handed  to  the  Japanese  commis- 
sioners, 409;  reasons  presented  to  the  Ja- 
panese in  favor  of  a treaty,  409;  arrange- 
ments for  the  burial  of  a marine,  proposes  to 
purchase  a burial  place  for  Americans,  in  Ja- 
pan, 411;  meets  Japanese  commissioners  at 
the  Treaty  House,  414;  his  replies  to  the 
terms  proposed  for  the  Japanese  treaty,  414 ; 
discussion  of  the  treaty  with  the  Japanese 
commissioners,  415;  assents  to  the  substitu- 
tion of  Hakodadi  for  Matsmai,  426 ; reception 
of  the  presents  of  the  Emperor  of  Japan,  428 ; 
presents  to  the  Japanese,  429;  presents  of 
the  Japanese  government  to,  429;  remarks 
upon  Japanese  dogs,  429 ; examines  Koyana- 
gi,  a Japanese  wrestler,  431 ; conversation  on 
the  treaty  with  Tenoske,  484;  claims  privi- 
leges for  members  of  the  expedifion,  435; 
dinner  to  the  Japanese  commissioners,  436; 
conference  respecting  the  treaty,  489 ; signs 
the  treaty  between  the  United  States  and 
Japan,  440 ; proposes  the  American  limits  in 
Japanese  ports,  441 ; presents  Hyasthi  with 
an  American  flag,  442;  Japanese  entertain- 
ment to,  in  honor  of  the  treaty,  443;  scope  of 
his  instructions,  444;  circulates  a Japanese 
translation  of  the  China  treaty,  447 ; novelty 
of  his  position,  447 ; notes  of  his  conferences 
with  the  Japanese  commissioners,  447;  re- 
fuses to  allow  communications  to  pass 
through  the  hands  of  the  Dutch,  445;  his 
proposals  to  the  Japanese  respecting  an  Ame- 
rican Consul,  447 ; remark  on  Japanese  jea- 
lousy of  foreigners,  447 ; looks  forward  to  a 
commercial  treaty  with  Japan,  447 ; does  not 
interpret  the  treaty  as  a commercial  treaty, 
457;  sends  the  treaty  to  the  United  States, 
458 ; his  walk  in  the  neighborhood  of  Kana- 
gawa,  459;  his  visit  to  a Japanese  mayor, 
460;  sails  toward  Tedo,  463;  his  reasons  for 
not  ■visiting  Tedo,  464;  explores  Webster  isl- 
and, 465;  le,aves  the  bay  of  Tedo,  465;  re- 
mark on  the  bay  of  Simoda,  466;  lodged  in  a 
Buddhist  temple  at  Simoda.  472:  orders  a 
survey  of  the  harbor  of  Simoda,  479 ; visit  to 
Kura-Kawa-Hahei,  at  Simoda,  482 ; his  visit 
to  Oho-sima,  483;  remonstrance  against  the 
spy  system.  4S3;  declines  to  allow  two  Ja- 
panese scholars  to  sail  with  the  expedition, 
486;  lodged  in  the  P.io-shen-thi,  Buddhits 
temple,  489 ; sails  for  Hakodadi,  493 : account 
of  Japanese  vessels,  420:  interview  with 
Matsmai  Kangsayu,  534;  visits  Matsmai  Kang- 
sayu.  537:  directions  respecting  funeral  ser- 
vices, 543 ; returns  to  Simoda,  interview  with 


INDEX. 


619 


Japanese  commissioners,  545;  suggests  ap- 
pointment of  pilots,  Simoda,  547 ; letter  re- 
specting Japanese  currencies,  548 ; his  course 
respecting  American  boundaries,  Japan,  551 ; 
resists  imposition  at  Simoda,  555 ; his  course 
respecting  “ Sam  Patch,”  557 ; approves  of 
Japanese  pilots,  559;  Simoda,  560;  presents 
the  harbor-master  with  a spy-glass,  560 ; re- 
mark on  navigation  near  Pock  island,  561 ; 
presents  to  the  regent  of  Lew  Chew,  569 ; 
signs  treaty  with  Lew  Chew,  5G9 ; parting 
entertainment  by  the  authorities,  Lew  Chew, 
571 ; exertions  in  behalf  of  the  Sillibaboos, 
578;  directs  a surgical  examination  of  the 
Sillibaboos,  579;  correspondence  with  Ame- 
rican merchants,  China,  returns  home,  585; 
respect  for,  in  Japan,  590. 

Perry  (Mr.),  his  MS.  journal,  iv. 

Perry  island,  bay  of  Uraga,  312. 

Persimmon  point,  Simoda,  476. 

Perspective,  Japanese  knowledge  of,  528. 

Petrel,  Bonin  islands,  231. 

Phaeton,  British  ship  of  war,  visit  to  Japan,  51. 

Phallic  worship,  emblems  of,  Lew  Chew,  196. 

Physical  conformity  of  the  Japanese  and  Lew  Chow- 
ans,  365. 

Pickering  (Dr.),  considers  the  Japanese  of  Malay 
origin,  11. 

Pictures,  Simoda,  471. 

Pigs,  sacred,  at  Canton,  161. 

Pi-ko,  Lew  Chew,  209. 

Pilotage,  rates  of,  Simoda,  561. 

Pilots,  danger  of  trusting  entirely  to,  148. 

Pine,  Lew  Chew,  188. 

Pines,  large.  Lew  Chew,  204 

Pino,  Lew  Chew,  190. 

Pinto,  his  visit  to  Japan,  28. 

Pipes,  Japanese,  312. 

Pirate,  the  land  crab,  Bonin  islands,  238. 

Pirates,  Chinese,  on  Canton  river,  161. 

Plains,  fertile,  Bonin  islands,  240. 

Plymouth,  the,  left  at  Shanghai,  171. 

Point  de  Galle,  visit  to,  133. 

Polygamy  non-existent  in  Japan,  462. 

Pontratine,  Admiral,  of  the  Portuguese  navy  in 
Japan,  587. 

Pope  (Commander),  letter  respecting,  Simoda,  438, 

Population  of  Lew  Chew,  origin  of,  253. 

Porcelain,  Japanese,  64,  527. 

Port,  the  United  States  desirous  to  obtain  access 
to  a Japanese,  298. 

Port  Lloyd,  Bonin  islands,  232. 

the  crater  of  an  extinct  volcano,  239. 

Port  Louis,  Mauritius,  134 
visit  to,  129. 

Portman  (Mr.),  Dutch  interpreter,  conversation  of 
with  a Japanese,  268. 

Portuguese,  intercourse  of  the,  with  Japan,  4. 

missionaries,  their  information  respecting  Ja- 
pan, 8. 

discovery,  28. 

intercourse  with  Japan,  29. 
how  interrupted,  31, 


Portuguese,  insult  the  Japanese,  82. 
allies,  their  naval  system,  34. 
attribute  their  expulsion  to  Dutch  intrigues,  35. 
possession  of  Mascarenhas,  afterwards  Mauri- 
tius, 131. 

of  St.  Helena,  114. 
possession  of  Ceylon,  140 
possession  of  Macao,  164 
in  Macao,  345. 
fortifications,  Macao,  346. 

Japanese  restrictions  upon  the,  448. 

Postal  service  of  the  Japanese,  68. 

Prayer,  Japanese,  545. 

Wheel,  Hakodadi,  515. 

Praying  machine,  Japanese,  544. 

“ Praying  man,”  Japanese  respect  for  a,  516. 

Preble,  U.  S.  man  of  war,  her  visit  to  Japan,  61. 
Preble  (Lt.),  survey  of  harbor  of  Kelung,  577. 
Precipices,  Peel  island,  238. 

Presents  to  the  Japanese,  quality  of,  proposed  by 
Com.  Perry,  107, 
of  Japanese  refused,  179. 
from  tbe  United  States  to  the  Emperor  of  Ja- 
pan, 296. 

of  the  American  Government  to  the  Emperor 
of  Japan,  813. 

policy  of  the  expedition  respecting,  318. 
law  respecting,  Japan,  413. 
to  the  Japanese,  list  of,  415. 
delivery  of,  415. 

of  the  Japanese  to  the  United  States,  429. 
President  of  the  United  States,  letter  of  the,  to  the 
Emperor  of  Japan,  276,  283. 

Price  of  labor  in  Canton,  341. 

Priests,  support  of,  Simoda,  476. 

Priesthood,  Lew  Chew,  251. 

Primer,  Japanese,  529. 

Prince,  young  of  Lew  Chew,  217. 

Princeton,  the,  unable  to  join  the  squadron,  98. 
Prisons  in  Japan,  23. 

Proas  of  Malacca,  beauty  of  models  of^  150. 

Q 

Queen  dowager,  Lew  Chew,  214,  217,  221. 
Quicksilver  in  Japan,  76. 

B 

Baffles  (Sir  Stamford),  attempts,  as  governor  of 
Java,  to  oust  the  Dutch  from  Japan,  55. 
his  services  to  Singapore,  152. 

Bailroads  of  the  United  States,  known  to  Japanese 
officials  at  Uraga,  286, 

Bajah  of  Jahore  and  Singapore,  152. 

Bank  indicated  by  dress  in  Lew  Chew,  259. 

Bats,  how  served  up  in  China,  839. 

abundance  of,  Lew  Chew,  364. 

Baven  with  a broad  beak.  Lew  Chew,  193. 

Eazor,  Japanese,  526. 

Eeceipt,  the  Japanese,  for  the  letters  transmitted  ta 
the  Emperor,  802. 

Bed  card,  presentation  of  a,  361. 


620 


INDEX 


Redfield  CW.  C.),  observations  on  the  Gulf-stream,  i 
496. 

Redfield  rocks,  near  Simoda,  481. 
survey  of,  56. 

Reed  and  Dougherty  (Messrs.),  communication  to 
the  Governor  of  Hakodadi,  455. 

Reed  (Mr.),  his  letters  respecting  the  treatment  of 
Americans  at  Simoda,  456. 

Regent,  Lew  Chew,  his  reception  of  Com.  Perry, 
21T. 

entertainment  by  the,  to  Com.  Perry,  219. 
dignity  o^  proof  against  the  effects  of  good  li- 
quors, 249. 

new,  of  Lew  Chew,  246. 

Religion,  Simoda,  470. 

Eesanotf,  a Russian  officer,  his  visit  to  Japan,  58. 

orders  a hostile  attack,  59. 

Residence,  American,  in  Japan,  439. 

Reviews  and  military  exercises  of  the  expedition  at 
Lew  Chew,  222. 

Rhubarb,  plant  resembling,  537. 

Rice,  Japanese  customs  respecting,  429. 
bearded,  Lew  Chew,  ISS. 
cultivation  of,  Lew  Chew,  362. 
cultivation,  Simoda,  467. 
fields,  Lew  Chew,  193. 
mills,  Ilongo,  477. 

Rioboo-Sintoo,  a Sintoo  sect,  26. 

Rio-shen-zhi,  a Buddhist  temple,  Simoda,  478. 
Rocks,  remarkable  masses  of.  Lew  Chew,  194 
entrance  of  the  bay  of  Yedo,  378. 

Rock  island,  Simoda  harbor,  479. 
near  Simoda,  561. 

Rodgers  (Commander),  letters  to  Messrs.  Reed  and 
Dougherty,  456. 

Roman  Catholic  missionaries  at  Lew  Chew,  258. 

Japanese  dislike  of,  517. 

Roofs  of  dwellings,  Simoda,  467. 

Roquemausel,  Com.  of  the  French  navy,  pleasant 
intercourse  with,  158. 

Rosario,  identity  of,  with  Disappointment  island, 
245. 

Rouge  applied  by  Japanese  women  to  their  lips, 
460. 

Russia,  api>arently  desirous  of  sharing  the  honors  of 
the  Japanese  expedition,  78. 

Russian  intercourse  with  Japan,  56. 
possessions  adjacent  to  Japan,  56. 
advantages  to  her  from  the  possession  of  Japan, 
57. 

visit  to  Japan  in  1853,  78. 

temporary  possession  of  the  Bonin  islands,  230. 

expedition  to  Nagasaki,  426. 

treaty  with  Japan  similar  to  the  American,  452. 

expedition  at  Simoda,  587. 

Russians,  intercourse  of  the,  with  Japan,  4 


8 

Baboroske,  impertinent  curiosity  of,  on  board  the 
Susquehanna,  307. 

Saddles  islands,  near  Shanghai,  172. 


Sagani,  Cape,  265. 

shores  of,  266. 

Sago  palm.  Peel  island,  235. 

Sail-boats,  Lew  Chew,  203. 

Sailing  directions  for  Simoda,  48. 

Sailing  fish  of  Singapore,  155. 

Sailing  observations,  264  317. 

Sailor  epitaph,  Japan,  545. 

Sailors  of  the  expedition,  misconduct  of  three  of^  at 
Lew  Chew,  567. 

Sakee,  218. 

Sakee,  Lew  Chew,  368. 

Saki,  Low  Chew,  250. 

Saki,  444,  460. 

Saltness  of  sea  waters.  Lew  Chew,  200. 

Salute  Chinese,  three  guns,  169. 

“ Sam  Patch,''  a Japanese,  396. 

before  the  Japanese  officials,  398. 
the  Japanese,  557. 

Samuns,  the,  teachers  in  Lew  Chew,  256. 

Sandwich  islands,  expedition  to  the  Bonin  islands 
from,  250. 

islanders  on  the  Bonin  islands,  234 
Sangar,  Straits  of,  fogs  about,  497. 

Straits  of,  navigation  of,  498. 

Sau  Kokp  Tsoir  Kan  To  Sits,  a Japanese  writer, 
account  of  the  Bonin  Islands,  227. 

Santa  Mesa,  Philippine  islands,  murder  of  an  Ame- 
rican at,  577. 

Saris  (John),  an  English  sea  captain  visits  Japan,  46. 
has  an  interview  with  the  Emperor,  45. 
visit  to  Japan  in  1613,  429. 

Satskasi,  the  rainy  season  of  Japan,  9. 

Satzuma,  Prince  of^  Lew  Chew,  a dependency  of, 
175. 

Japanese  Prince  of,  his  revenue,  377. 

Savory  (Nathaniel),  an  American  resident  at  the 
Bonin  islands,  230. 

robbed  by  sailors  under  the  American  flag,  251. 
an  early  settler  of  the  Bonin  islands,  354 
Sakya-Sinha,  founder  of  Buddhism,  26. 

Scientific  knowledge  of  the  Japanese,  6S. 

men  not  of  the  na\'y,  applications  of  to  join  the 
expedition  declined,  99. 

Scott  (Mr.),  his  intercourse  with  the  Lew  Chewans, 
223. 

Screens  of  cloth  set  up  as  mock  fortifications  by  tLo 
Japanese,  272. 

painted  cloth,  Japanese,  291,  SOS. 

Scribe,  Japanese,  405. 

Sculling  Japanese,  52L 
Sculls  and  oars,  391. 

Sculpture,  Japanese,  530. 

Simoda,  471,  473,  475. 

Scurvy  in  Yedo,  524 

Sea  weeds  of  the  Kuro-siwa,  497, 

Sedan  chair  of  Com.  Perry,  215. 

Sedgewick  (Mr.),  a writer  on  hurricanes,  187. 
Senmimar,  founder  of  a fraternity  of  the  Japanese 
clergy,  25. 

Sirofama,  Cape,  494 
Serpents  of  Ceylon,  143. 

Shah  bay,  Lew  Chew,  coal  at,  86L 


INDEX. 


621 


SLaiighai,  visit  to,  169. 

Com.  Perry  on  commercial  importance  of,  243. 
Sbang  Hung  Hiun,  new  regent  of  Lew  Chew,  247, 
249; 

regent  of  Lew  Chew,  326. 

8bang-Ta-Tmu,  regent  of  Lew  Chew,  letter  of  to 
Com.  Perry,  184. 

Sharks,  taken  by  dogs,  Bonin  islands,  232. 

Sheude,  capital  of  Lew  Chew,  186. 

Sbiomis-zhi,  a Buddist  temple,  Hakodadi,  513. 

Ship  yards,  Hakodadi,  526. 

Shipwrecked  sailors,  American,  in  Japan,  445. 
Shira-hama,  Simoda,  476. 

Shirasawaki,  near  Hakodadi,  519. 

Shoes,  Japanese,  of  straw,  65. 

Sho-Ho-Ye,  or  Chess,  533. 

Shops,  Simoda,  468. 

Shrines,  Simoda,  468. 

of  temples,  Simoda,  470. 

roadside,  Hakodadi,  frequent  genuflexions  at, 
616. 

Shrubs,  new  varieties  of,  Lew  Chew,  193. 

Shui,  an  “University”  at,  256. 

Shunteen  dynasty  of  rulers  of  Lew  Chew,  253. 
Shutters,  Simoda,  468. 

Siamese  naval  commander  visits  Com.  Perry,  145. 
Sida,  or  Indian  gooseberry,  Peel  island,  236. 

Siebold,  a writer  on  Japan,  4,  8. 

his  comparison  of  the  language  of  Japan  with 
that  of  the  adjacent  shores,  12. 
remark  on  the  Sintoo  worship,  24. 
remarks  on  Japanese  teas,  66. 
his  opinion  of  the  Japanese  expedition,  78. 
story  of  his  banishment  from  Japan,  88. 
desirous  of  joining  the  Japan  expedition,  90. 
his  pamphlet,  90. 

letter  to  an  official  of  the  Japan  expedition,  90. 
remark  on  Gutzlaff  and  Forcade,  missionaries, 
91. 

account  of  Oho-sima,  or  Tatao,  263. 
inaccuracy  of  his  map  of  the  bay  of  Yedo,  379. 
accounts  of  whale  ships,  Japan,  523. 
on  Japanese  mining,  554. 

Signs  of  shops,  Simoda,  468. 

Sikai,  or  “ ten  counsels  of  Buddhism,”  26. 

Silks,  Japanese,  312,  527. 
woven  by  criminals,  65. 

Sillibaboos,  picked  up  at  sea  by  the  Southampton, 
578. 

surgical  examination  of  the,  579. 
left  to  be  sent  home  from  Manilla,  580. 

Silver,  abundant  in  Japan,  76. 

Simoda,  opened  to  trade  by  the  United  States,  88. 
discussion  relative  to  opening  the  port  of,  424. 
approval  of  as  an  American  port,  440. 

Japanese  proclamation  to  the  Americans  at, 
455. 

Japan,  465. 

beauty  of  the  environs  of,  666. 
its  antiquity,  467. 

docks,  streets,  sewers,  houses,  shops,  467. 
officials,  baths,  diet,  vegetables,  469, 
rice,  religion,  temples,  monasteries,  470. 


Simoda,  shrines,  sculpture,  pictures,  demons,  grave- 
yards, 471. 

festivals,  “ Mariners’  Temple,”  475. 
environs  of,  476. 

its  topographical  characteristics,  478. 
government  of,  478. 
harbor  of,  479. 

Com.  Perry’s  return  to,  546. 

regulations  respecting  American  vessels  at,  560. 

earthquake  at,  587. 

harbor  unaffected  by  the,  589. 

Simpson  (Alex.),  letter  respecting  the  Bonin  isl- 
ands, 354. 

Sinagawa,  harbor  of  Yedo,  311. 

a suburb  of  Yedo,  401, 

Singapore,  visit  to,  150. 

Sintoo,  religion  of  Japan,  24. 
its  deities,  idols,  temples,  24. 
priests,  question  of  their  mamage,  25. 
pilgrimages,  25. 
duties,  25. 
festival  services,  25. 
sects,  26. 

temple,  Simoda,  470. 
shrine,  Simoda,  471. 

Sira-hama,  bay  of,  near  Simoda,  476. 

Sirija  Saki,  Nippon,  498. 

Sirocco,  the,  compared  with  the  Harmattan,  112. 
Sitkokf,  an  island  of  Japan,  7. 

Siutoo,  a Japanese  belief,  its  rules,  24. 

Slave,  value  of  a Lew  Chewan,  259. 

Slavery,  system  of  in  Lew  Chew,  259. 

Sledges,  carriages  drawn  on,  at  Funchal,  105. 

Smith  (Sir  Thomas),  licensed  as  governor  of  the 
East  India  Company  to  trade  with  the  Ja- 
panese, 43. 

Society  in' China,  345. 

Socks,  Japanese,  404. 

Sorghum,  or  millet.  Lew  Chew,  196. 

Sotowra,  near  Simoda,  476. 

Soundings,  bay  of  Uraga,  266. 

Southampton  rock,  near  Simoda,  481. 

South  east  bay.  Peel  island,  238. 

Sovereignty  of  the  Bonin  islands,  245. 

Sowas,  a metal  made  by  the  Japanese,  63. 
Spaniards,  intercourse  of  the,  with  Japan,  4. 
Spaniel,  an  English  species  of,  possibly  introduced 
from  Japan,  429. 

Spars,  purchase  of  at  Simoda,  555. 

Spectacles,  Japanese,  529. 

Speiden  (W.),  purser,  report  on  Japanese  curren- 
cies, 548. 

Sphynx,  H.  B.  M.  ship,  visit  to  Napha,  Lew  Chew, 
246. 

Spies,  222,  251,  489. 

at  Lew  Chew,  181, 184, 196,  201,  251,  259,  328. 
in  the  bay  of  Uraga,  271. 
vigilance  of,  relaxed  at  Lew  Chew,  333. 
bad  effects  of  the  system  of,  334. 

Japanese,  381,  405,  418. 

follow  American  officers  in  Japan-,  483. 

Springs,  Peel  island,  brackish,  240. 

Squadron,  disposition  of  for  the  return  voyage,  565. 


622 


INDEX. 


St.  Gevan,  sLipwreck  of  the  French  vessel,  the 
foundation  of  the  story  of  Paul  and  Virgi- 
nia, 185. 

Spooner  (ilr.),  hospitality  of,  163. 

St.  Helena,  visit  of  the  expedition  to,  114. 
military  strength  of,  117. 
greediness  for  money  of  the  people  of,  117. 

St.  Pierre,  Bernardin,  135. 

St.  Thomas,  said  to  have  preached  in  Ceylon,  145. 
Standards,  Japanese,  292. 

Stapleton  island,  Bonin  islands,  goats  on,  233. 

Steam  engine,  astonishment  of  the  Japanese  at,  ISO* 
not  unknown  to  the  Japanese,  287. 

Steel,  Hakodadi,  526. 

Stirling  (Admiral),  makes  a treaty  with  Japan,  79. 
Stone  worked  by  Japanese,  465. 

Storms  off  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  128. 

Streets  of  Simoda  guarded  by  gates,  467. 

Styx,  H.  B.  M.  steamer,  128. 

Subscription  list  in  a Sintoo  temple,  474. 

Sugar  cane.  Lew  Chew,  363. 

Sugar  crop  at  Mauritius,  133. 

Sugar  lo.af  island.  Lew  Chew,  203. 

Sugar  mills.  Lew  Chew,  364. 

Sugar,  use  of  Lew  Chew,  364. 

Sulphur  in  Japan,  76. 

spring.  Peel  island,  240. 

Sunday,  observance  of  by  the  expedition,  276. 
Supplies  for  whale  ships  at  the  Bonin  islands,  282. 
for  American  ships  in  Japan,  41-3. 
cost  of,  Simoda,  555. 

Supply  rock,  near  Simoda,  481. 

Supply,  the,  ne.arly  wrecked,  167. 

Suraga-no-kami,  Japanese  commissioner,  546. 
Surro-kubo,  or  Cape  Blunt,  493. 

Survey  of  the  bay  of  Uraga,  275,  277,  310,  311. 
of  Tedo,  384. 
signals  for  the,  413. 
of  Volcano  bay,  Endermo  harbor,  537. 

Surveys,  Kelung,  577. 

of  the  Japanese  harbors,  copies  of  the,  present- 
ed to  the  Japanese  government,  408. 

Susaki,  Simoda,  476. 

Cape,  494. 

Susquehanna  bay,  Japan,  311. 

Swell  from  the  N.  IV.  at  sea,  109. 

Swords,  Japanese,  287, 526. 

Syakfdo,  a species  of  enamel  work,  75. 

T 

Table  bay,  visit  to,  121. 

Table  cloth,  a cloud  on  Table  Mountain,  122. 

Table  Mountain,  122. 

Tailoresses,  street,  China,  840. 

Takahasi,  his  connection  with  Siebold,  89. 
Take-no-uchistaro,  Japanese  commissioner,  547. 
Talipot,  tree  of  Ceylon,  142. 

Tanka  boats,  344. 
boat  girls,  344. 
at  Macao,  163. 

Taontao,  commander-in-chief  of  Chinese  fleet,  582.  ' 


Taontai,  or  governor  of  Shanghai,  169. 

Taro  plant.  Peel  island,  240. 

Tatao,  one  of  the  Lew  Chew  islands,  26-3. 

Tatznoske,  .Japanese  interpreter,  261. 

his  facility  in  the  acquisition  of  languages,  286, 
his  conviviality,  286;  and  shrewdness,  306. 

Tayko  opposes  the  Portuguese,  3-3. 

Tayko-sama,  his  history,  15. 

Taylor  (Bayard),  his  MS.  journal,  iv. 

description  of  Lew  Chew  from  the  sea,  177. 
joins  the  expedition,  175. 
account  of  the  harbor  of  Napha  by,  175. 
first  landing  on  Lew  Chew,  181. 
exploration  of  Peel  island,  2-35. 

Tea  and  pipes  served  to  guests  in  Lew  Chew,  183; 
culture  of,  by  the  Japanese,  65. 
drinking.  Lew  Chew,  249. 

Tedn  Sun,  the  first  ruler  of  Lew  Chew,  253. 

Teeth  dying  in  Japan,  460. 

Telegr.aph,  magnetic,  in  .Japan,  415. 

Temperature  at  sea,  near  Japan,  in  July,  264. 
bay  of  JXraga,  276. 
of  Simoda,  480. 

Temple  at  Lew  Chew,  visit  to,  182. 

Ten  Fathom  Hole,  Port  Lloyd,  Bonin  islands,  232. 

Ten-sio-dai-zin,  the  patron  divinity  of  Japan,  24. 

Ten-sio-dai-sin,  the  most  sacred  of  Japanese 
shrines,  25. 

Testacea,  Bonin  islands,  2-3-3. 

Theatrical  performances  by  sailors  of  the  expedi- 
tion, 538. 

Thermometric  range  at  Point  de  Galle,  Ceylon,  140. 

Thieves,  Chinese,  162. 

Thom  (Dr.),  a writer  on  hurricanes,  137. 

Thunberg.  a writer  on  Japan,  4,  8. 

his  account  of  Japanese  rouge,  460. 

Tides  in  the  straits  of  Malacca,  148. 
of  Cochin  China,  156. 
at  Shanghai,  166. 

Napha,  Lew  Chew,  223. 
bay  of  Tedo,  317. 

Tigers,  ferocity  of^  at  Singapore,  154. 

Tima-gusho,  ruins  of  the  castle  of,  Napha,  828. 

Tin  in  .Japan,  76. 

Titsingh,  a writer  on  Japan,  4,  8. 

account  of  the  operation  of  the  Dosia  powder, 
71. 

Toasts,  drinking,  in  Lew  Chew,  219. 

Tobacco,  Peel  island,  237. 
smoking.  Lew  Chew,  260. 

Toda-Idzu-no-Kami,  Japanese  commissioner,  290. 

Todo,  Japanese  commissioner,  296. 

Torigasaki,  a Japanese  village,  312. 

Tomatoes,  Peel  island,  240. 

Tombs,  Lew  Chew,  167, 168. 

Tomes  (Robert),  his  share  in  the  authorship  of  this 
publication,  iv. 

Town  hall,  Tumai,  Lew  Chew.  18-3. 

Trade  winds,  northern,  boundary  of  IIL 
encountered  by  the  expedition,  112. 

Treaty  between  Japan  and  the  United  States,  409. 
of  eommerce,  terms  proposed  by  the  Japanese, 
421. 


INDEX 


623 


Treaty,  Commodore  PeiTy’s  replies  to,  423. 

conversation  between  Yenoske  and  Com.  Perry 
respecting  the,  435. 
conference  respecting  the,  439. 
between  the  United  States  and  Japan,  440. 
objects  secured  by  the,  445. 
difficulties  incident  to  its  formation,  446. 
progress  of  the  formation  of  the,  447. 
discussion  as  to  the  time  when  it  shall  go  into 
effect,  449. 

patience  required  for  its  negotiation,  450. 
qualifications  of  the,  inserted  by  the  Japanese, 
451. 

advantages  secured  by,  452. 

tbe,  sent  to  the  United  States,  458. 

ratified  by  the  Senate,  587. 

terms  of  ratification  of  in  Japan,  590. 

“Treaty  house,”  Toku-hama,  401. 

Treaty  Point,  near  Hakodadi,  498. 

Trees  of  Japan,  77. 

Trials,  mode  of  conducting  among  the  Japanese,  22. 
Tsuki  Point,'  near  Hakodadi,  500. 

Tunnels,  natural,  in  the  Bonin  islands,  231. 
Turcomans,  of  Asia  Minor  use  ladles  similar  to 
those  of  the  Japanese,  181. 

Turtle,  Peel  island,  236. 

Green,  282. 

Turtles  from  the  Bonin  islands,  491. 

Typhoon  near  Formosa,  575. 

Typhoons  felt  at  Lew  Chew,  362. 

Tzudsuki,  Japanese  commissioner,  404. 

U 

Udono,  Japanese  commissioner,  404 
Ukona  rocks,  near  Simoda,  431. 

Uniform,  J.apanose,  268,  278. 

United  States  Commercial  agent  at  Point  de  Galle, 
Ceylon,  imprisoned  for  debt,  139. 
correspondence  of  the,  with  Holland,  relative 
to  Japan,  87. 

intercourse  with  Japan,  60. 
expedition  of  1849,  61. 
priority  of  their  treaty  with  Japan,  94 
seamen  imprisoned  in  Japan,  61. 
forced  to  trample  on  the  cross,  61. 
released,  61. 

the  “ Middle  Kingdom,”  95. 

Un-na,  Lew  Chew,  204. 

Uraga,  Japan, '266. 
bay  of,  Japan,  266. 
city  of,  266. 

vice-governor  of,  received  on  board  the  squad- 
ron, 269. 

picturesque  shores  of  the  bay  of,  272. 
survey  of  the  bay  of,  308,  310. 
proposed  as  a place  of  negotiation,  381. 
discussion  respecting  a meeting  at,  287,  402. 

V 

Vandalia,  voyage  of  the,  to  Lew  Chew,  335. 

Vandalia  bluff,  Simoda  harbor,  481.  1 


Van  Twist,  Duymaer,  letter  to  Com.  Perry,  an- 
nouncing the  death  of  the  emperor  of  Japan, 
373. 

Yegetables,  Simoda,  469. 

Vegetation,  peculiar  of  the  Bonin  islands,  241. 
luxuriant,  of  the  bay  of  Tedo,  459. 

Vessels,  sea,  of  the  Japanese,  67. 

Victoria,  Hong  Kong,  158, 

the  English  bishop  of,  his  account  of  his  official 
visit  to  Lew  Chew  in  1850,  255. 
remark  on  the  writings  of  Confucius,  256. 
account  of  Dr.  Bettelheim,  258. 

Village,  Lew  Chew,  description  of,  249. 

Villages,  Lew  Chew,  199. 

Virgin  and  child,  image  of,  found  in  a heathen  tem- 
ple in  Singapore,  151. 

Vocabulary  of  Lew  Chew  and  Japanese  words,  366. 

Volcanic  formation  of  Peel  island,  239. 

Volcano  bay,  survey  of,  535. 

Volcanoes,  9. 

in  Endermo  harbor,  535. 

Vries  island,  or  Oo-sima,  bay  of  Yedo,  265. 

Japan,  816. 

V ulciin  island,  Japan,  816. 

W 

W ages  of  laborers.  Lew  Chew,  252. 

'Walls  of  coral  in  Lew  Chew,  178. 

Whampoa  river,  162. 

Wardenaar,  his  connection  with  the  expedition  of 
Eaffies,  54. 

W ashington  George,  remark  of  Lew  Chew  official 
on,  183. 

“ very  great  mandarin,”  219. 

known  to  the  Japanese,  287. 

styled  the  great  mandarin  at  Lew  Chew,  571. 

monument,  Japanese  stone  for,  556. 

stone  contributed  to  from  Lew  Chew,  571. 

Washington's  birthday,  celebration  of  by  the  Am. 
squridron  in  Japan,  389,  390. 

Water  buffalo,  of  Singapore,  155. 

Wax  plant.  Lew  Chew,  194. 

Webster  island,  Japan,  466. 

Whale  ships,  supplies  for,  Bonin  islands,  248. 
fishery  off  Japan,  opened  by  the  treaty,  243. 
fishers,  protection  to  shipwrecked,  demanded 
of  the  Japanese,  298. 

Whaling  depot,  Hakodadi,  523. 

Whampoa,  a Chinese  merchant  at  Singapore,  his 
hospitality,  152. 
anchorage  at,  159. 
pagoda,  159. 

Williams  (Wells),  interpreter,  177. 

Wind,  direction  of.  111. 

Winds,  encountered  off  the  Cape,  and  in  the  Indian 
ocean,  127. 

Winter,  severity  of,  Japan,  398. 

Women,  seclusion  of  the  Lew  Chew,  221. 
industry  of  Lew  Chew,  251. 
position  of.  Lew  Chew,  dress,  367. 
foreign,  not  wanted  in  Japan,  451. 


624 


INDEX 


■VTomen,  American  at  Simoda,  454. 

driven  away  on  approach  of  Com.  Perry,  459. 
Japanese,  visited  hy  Com.  Perry,  460. 
work  in  the  fields,  461. 
social  position  of  in  Japan,  462. 

■Wood  dense,  Lew  Chew,  302. 

"Wood-cuts,  .Japanese,  529. 

Woosung,  village  of,  16T. 

Wives,  importance  of  the  number  oi,  in  China,  345. 
Woven  fabrics  of  the  Japanese,  65. 

Wrecks  of  American  vessels,  Japan,  communication 
respecting,  5.39. 

Wrestlers,  Japanese,  431,  433. 

Japanese  drawings  of,  529. 

Wrestling  match,  Japanese,  432. 

Writing,  hand,  Lew  Chew,  257. 

X 

Xavier,  his  mission  in  Japan,  31. 

establishes  Christianity  in  Ceylon,  145. 

T 

Tang-tse-Keang  river,  166. 

Tedo,  8,  9. 

town  observed  on  the  bay  of,  278. 
plan  of,  shown  to  .Japanese  officials,  290. 
port  of,  in  sight,  311. 

advantages  of  the  survey  of  the  bay  of,  318. 
shores  of  the  bay  of,  in  winter,  379. 
bay  of,  380. 

Japanese  refuse  to  receive  the  expedition  at, 
393. 

bells  of,  heard  by  the  American  expedition,  392. 
surveying  boats  of  the  expedition  approach 
within  four  miles  of,  395. 
populousness  of  the  bay  of,  400. 
an  American  officer  on  his  way  to,  419. 
glimpse  of,  through  a fog,  463. 

Com.  Perry’s  reasons  for  not  visiting,  464. 
scurvy,  Ainos,  524 
f enoske,  an  interpreter,  405,  482. 

Japanese  interpreter,  418. 


Tenoske,  reply  to  the  letter  of  the  President  of 
the  United  States,  407. 
visits  Com.  Perry,  434 
duplicity  o^  459. 
readiness  to  assume  blame,  556. 
his  farewell  visit  to  Com.  Perry,  557. 

Yezaimen,  Keyamon,  governor  of  Uraga,  visits 
Com.  Perry,  27.3. 
his  second  visit,  281. 
his  third  visit  to  Com.  Perry,  282. 
bearer  of  a letter  from  the  emperor  of  Japan  to 
Com.  Perry,  288. 

visit  to  the  Susquehanna  on  the  day  of  the  re- 
ception of  the  letter  of  the  president,  293. 
conversation  with  Capt.  Buchanan,  306. 
his  examination  of  the  engine  of  the  Susqne- 
hanna  when  in  motion,  307. 
his  visit  of  expostulation  on  the  advance  of  the 
squadron,  309. 

his  appreciation  of  good  cheer,  310. 
brings  presents  to  Com.  Perry,  313. 
his  friendliness,  313. 
parting  health  to  the  Americans,  814 
Yezaiman,  governor  of  Uraga,  visits  the  squadron, 
392. 

visits  the  Powhatan,  396. 
takes  charge  of  a letter  from  “ Sam  Patch  ” of 
Japan,  396. 

conversation  with  Captain  Adams,  397. 
makes  arrangements  for  the  delivery  of  the 
emperor's  letter,  398. 

Yokuhama,  Japan,  401. 

Yomi,  the  pure  Japanese  dialect,  10. 

Toriiinis,  his  history,  25. 

Yuitz,  a Sintoo  sect,  26. 

Z 

Zhetsa-zhi,  a Buddhist  monastery,  Hakodadl,  612. 
Zhiogen-zhi,  a Buddhist  temple,  Hakodadl,  518 
Zhi-zo-bogats,  a Japanese  deity,  475. 

Zimzoons,  or  temporal  sovereigns  of  Japan,  14, 19. 
Zin-mu-ten-woo,  the  founder  of  the  Japanese  sove- 
reignty, 13. 

Ziogoon,  how  dethroned,  15. 

Zipangu,  5. 


THE  END. 


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